Thank you Senior Class!, Issue 20

Going into my junior year at Mullen, I knew that I was going to have a lot on my plate. With National Honor Society, CORE, hockey, college prep, SAT/ACTs and much more, I knew that it was going to be a year of hard work and perseverance.

Despite the fact that these tasks would be difficult, I was excited to really get involved in my Mullen community and start planning out my future this year.

Unfortunately, I now look at some of those tasks with great uncertainty on how I’m going to go about getting them all accomplished, or if I'll even have the opportunity to do so.

For me, it just felt very all-of-a-sudden.

One day I was walking the hallways with my friends, talking about how we were going to get to go to our first prom this year, and how we were going to watch our girls basketball team go back-to-back (in winning Class 4A Colorado titles). And the next day it was all gone, cut short by something we never thought would hit so close to home.

Although this time is tough, I have found ways to pass the time. I’ve been hiking more than I ever have. It actually brings me peace and gives me hope for a better time to come. I’ve taken a great interest in photography; turns out I kind of have a knack for it. I’ve also never been so happy to have a hockey net in my garage. With all of the rinks closed and nowhere else to work on the game directly, I’ve shot a lot of pucks. But even a time like this is nothing a little bit of the game I love can’t fix.

Although many events I had on my junior-year agenda were cut short, I was lucky enough to have finished my athletic season (ice hockey during winter). Some didn’t even get to start theirs. I certainly feel very sad for all of the sports competitors looking to better themselves as people and athletes this spring. From the freshmen looking to make a name for themselves during their first high-school spring sports season to the seniors looking to take it all in one more time during their last year as Mustangs, I feel for them and hope that they are using this time to do what they can to better themselves.

Personally, the worst thing to think about during this difficult time is our senior class. It really hit me one day when a buddy of mine said, “One day in March, I was enjoying lunch off campus with my friends and we had no idea it would be our last.” Our seniors won’t get to enjoy their last prom, graduation or even just saying goodbye to each other. I’m deeply sorry for them and the fact that there is nothing I – or anyone -- can do to change it.

However, one thing I can do is thank them. Seniors, thank you for everything, thank you for creating a loving environment for me and every other student, teacher and faculty member at Mullen. Thank you for getting the crowd rowdy for every football game and making homecoming 100 times more fun. Thank you for being leaders in every way possible, whether it’s with Kairos, in CORE or just in general. And, most of all, thank you for carrying on everything that Mullen stands for and passing it down to your younger peers so that we can continue that legacy.

Mullen won’t be the same without you and you won’t be forgotten. We will miss you dearly. Good luck to all of you in your future endeavors. All I ask is that you come back and visit all of us sometime. Although we have lost many things because of this pandemic, it isn’t anything that can stop us. Our world will work hard to stop this new interloper and we will get through this … together.

Stay strong, Mustangs.