This is my launch pad; prepare for liftoff.

It's August in Mauldin, and I can almost hear the roar of the crowd. Friday night lights and early bus rides are here again, as gentle hums of the radio and splashing of water is replaced by the buzz of the tardy bell. With pencils gripped in palm, students from across the area will file into the finest schools in the state of South Carolina. Our seats are filled with aspiring authors, our cleats are filled with all-star athletes. It's August in Mauldin, and I'm ready for kickoff.

For me, this only the beginning. As a senior in high-school, I've spent countless nights making flashcards and crafting papers, learning the delicate arts of writing and procrastination along the way. I've been mentored by brilliant minds and uplifted by a loving community and it was all in preparation for this school year - or so I thought. Mauldin Elementary, Mauldin Middle and Mauldin High have all offered a learning environment and network of support that extends far beyond the reaches of a campus. Our city is a place where learning thrives and I am thankful to have grown up in its schools. That process - the growing up - was the process that got me to this point, this year. 

Sitting at my desk in fourth grade, I never would have told you that I would one day be Student Body President at a school of over two thousand students. Back then, all I knew was that I wanted to be an architect, an actor and a football player - all at the same time. I didn't want to become these things, I wanted to be them. There, in fourth grade, in that moment. There's a difference in being and becoming, and I'm thankful that when commencement comes in May, I won't become a "product" of Mauldin's schools. Products are made in factories, and the schools that make up the fabric of our learning community are far from factories. Over the past twelve years, I've been taught to Inspire, Believe, Achieve and Dream in everything I do, Expecting the Best in all of my experiences while Daring to be Wise in every encounter. These mottos make up the shield of knowledge that's been entrusted to me by my teachers, and as a graduate of Mauldin High School I know that I won't become a product of a school - I'll be a lifelong learner. I'll be ready to experience life’s journey while cherishing the "growing up" that comes from learning new things along the way. 

For some, school is all about the final countdown to the final year. I'm here, but this isn't my "last hurrah" - this is my launch pad. Prepare for lift-off.