WORDS FROM THE CLASS OF 2020 Before the end of the school year, a number of Sycamore 8th graders put their thoughts into words and reflected on their time at Sycamore School. Here are excerpts from some of this year’s graduates.
HANNA WARREN
Why does Sycamore feel so special? It isn’t because the actual building is magical. The thing that makes this place feel like it does is the people. I only had the luck to be here two years, and from an outsider’s point of view, let me just say this: the class of 2020 and the amazing staff aren’t the typical middle school students or teachers. Everyone has a little extra kindness, a little extra perseverance, a little extra something. When I arrived here in seventh grade, I was immediately surrounded by people who wanted to learn, who wanted to grow into better people, and ultimately, people who just wanted to be friends. I didn’t have to seek out new people to hang out with; they sought me out. Sycamore is like a family, which is what makes separating our class so much harder. There is very little I would change about my experiences here. Everything seems so finalized, but
Hanna Warren
we certainly still have a long way to go. As Winston Churchill
then become more adjusted to these challenges. Change is
so wisely said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the
necessary. As you get older you must change, you must grow as a
courage to continue that counts.”
person. When something important in your life changes, you’re vulnerable and you see yourself as weak because you haven’t
EMALINE MORSE
experienced something and it worries you. I am not ready for
We have been dealing with change and a multitude have
the change to high school, but I wasn’t ready for my change
happened in just these past three months. We have been strong.
to Sycamore. Now, I look back at how I was feeling and can’t
We have adapted to the online school. For me, online school
imagine a world where I didn’t love Sycamore.
was challenging because I wanted to spend our last Sycamore months with friends, sitting around the lunch table, going to
ALEX LU
clubs, science or history competitions, asking teachers questions
After three years of roaming its halls, Sycamore truly became a
in person, having a typical school day routine. What I learned
part of me. From the moment I stepped into the hallway, I felt
through the last two years is that challenges help us grow and
a kind of warmth and friendship emanating from everyone I
our close-knit community helps us listen, give advice, and
met. Everybody spoke to one another like they were best friends.
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