Glenwood: Brooke Sydlik

brooKe SydlIK

By Lofton Wheeles Photo Conributed By Brooke Sydlik

Glenwood School’s valedictorian Brooke Sydlik has been attending the school since she was in eighth grade and has taken advantage of the opportunities Glenwood had in store for her.

“I’ve done soccer since I came here,” she said. “I’ve done band for a little bit and then I think I ended that in 10th grade and almost every club Glenwood has such as Beta Club, Robotics, Honor Society, everything like that. Robotics is a big one though.”

Brooke said her senior year experience was something she’s looked forward to since she was a child.

“I guess my favorite part is ‘you’re finally here’ and Glenwood’s made it so we can still have our senior year and everything so we still have all these memories that we’ve been wanting to have,” she said. “So, I think that’s huge.

“We’re looking forward to [the] senior prank now and we’re hoping Glenwood is going to let us do that. We got our football games, basketball games and the student section is like my favorite thing Glenwood has. So doing all that is super fun.”

This senior year hasn’t been easy, however. The ongoing pandemic has made it a challenge for students across the country, with Brooke being no exception.

“You know it throws you for a loop because it’s not something you ever thought would happen, because I mean, who’s going to think a pandemic’s going to happen,” she said. “Like I said, Glenwood’s made everything as good as it could be … I know a lot of schools are not even going, they’re all virtual. It’s different because right now all my friends are quarantined so now I have like two people left that are in my classes because if one person gets it, then everyone else has to [quarantine]. “So, I mean that’s tough, but I mean at least we’re here so I think that’s huge. We still got our football games, we still got our basketball games and we’re playing sports right now. A lot of times you lose about half your sports team. There’s five girls out of soccer right now. So I mean that’s teaching you to overcome it.” Brooke said that her favorite part about her high school experience has been the people she met during her time at Glenwood. “It’s a smaller school so I spend most of my days with the same 10 people because the classes are 20 max,” she said. “I take a lot of Dual Enrollment classes, so not even 10 people in every class. The people impact your life so much. The teachers. Mr. Mitchum, you’ve gotta love him. And then, I mean, the people, the memories … You never thought that people would sway you so much in one direction.” Brooke plans on going to Auburn University to major in Economics with a minor in Finance. She also plans on going to law school after her time at Auburn.

Dear LSA Graduates,

It is with mixed emotions that I sit down to write a letter to you. As we embark upon the last few days with one another, it has caused me to spend some significant time reflecting on your school experience, your future endeavors and the school’s role in both of these.

While what the next phase of your life will hold for you is extremely exciting to me, I am saddened to think that our daily interactions will soon come to a halt.

While I am hopeful for what your contributions of leadership, citizenship, passion, hard work and dedication will bring to our community, I am apprehensive about the absence of your lead-by-example character, attitude and presence here at LSA.

While I am inspired by the opportunities and successes that lie before you, I am still in awe of those you have left as your legacy in our halls, on our walls and in our hearts.

While we thank you for what you have done to leave your indelible mark upon our school, we want to encourage, support and have hopefully prepared you to make an even larger mark on our society.

You will always be a Warrior … be proud of that. This will always be a home for you … please visit often. Please know how much all of you mean to me.

Thank you Class of 2021. You have left a mark on Lee-Scott Academy and you have left a mark upon my heart. I care about each of you and I will miss you all. I wish you the very best of luck and look forward to all that your class will accomplish in the future.

Go Warriors! Dr. Stan Cox Head of School