The last day of school has finally come. And of course, every institution has its own ceremonial going way party. The gym which usually wreaks with sweat and smelly shoes had a decent aroma. In fact, the Gym did not smell or look like the gym as I knew it or any of us graduating this day. It was absolutely transformed. It went from a gym to a ballroom; It was beautiful. The ceremony required a suit for it was a formal occasion. unfortunately for me, I did not own one. In all my life, I have never owned a suit. I just didn't need it. Lockleys, Jeremy let me borrow his. I meet him in January. He came to an open house on campus and after he spent the weekend on campus he decided that this was the place he was going to spend the next year. As time past he became one of my really good friends. We keep each other accountable, shared our deepest and darkest secrets. We vowed that we would live for something worthy dying for. We sometimes played the dream game. It was a fairly simple game because it only had one rule that nothing we dreamed was impossible. The things that were not realities for just that moment were achievable and possible. Our dreams were so big we became overwhelmed and would look at each other in disbelieve of our own imagination. It was with him that I learned how to dream. For me the game was therapeutic, it elevated me from the little town syndrome and washed away every feeling of smallness. For that moment, I was free of hindrance mentally and psychologically. It was also an awesome exercise in thinking outside the box. When we played that game, I was free to dream the impossible dream.

Jeremy also taught me what it mean to sacrifice. He comes from a pretty wealthy family. He was that popular guy in high school. He was the star quarterback and with that role came instant privileges and places you on a pea stool all four years of high school. He was really good at the game so good that he had scouts from every major university wanting him to play for their team. He had it made everything he could ever want was very reachable and came to him almost effortlessly; his path was destined to be rich and prosperous and with much success. Yet, he abandoned these opportunities to came here the Honor Academy. He felt called to take a different road. When Jeremy told his family that he wasn't going to play football, they went ballistic. He was kick out the house and excommunicated from the family. He shared with me that from that night on he live from friends house to friends house looking for some place to stay until he go here In loue of his families behavior towards him, Jeremy never became bitter or resented his farther. He continued to love him and share his life even do his father was disinterested or did not seem to care. He in essence gave up everything to come here. And if it was not from him I would not have and the same experience and I defiantly would not have a suit for today's ceremony.

This year was probably the toughest year of my short life. I was constantly challenged constantly learning and constantly growing. My favorite day of the week was Wednesday because we always had a guess speaker to share with us his story of success and adventures in leadership. The class were dynamic and m character grew tremendously due to the tireless teaching of a well trained staff. Yet, The most significant life altering lessons I learn were from my fellow classmates. Especially my roommates, Like Jeremy they all had a story and my real education came from sharing my life with them this past year.

I was both sad and happy about graduating from this institution. I was happy because I was anxious to go out in the world and really attempt to make my wildest dreams come true. I felt so equipped and prepared to take on the world and what ever force contented with my vision. This ceremony was kind of a commissioning ceremony to allow us to unleash our passions and go for broke after everything I would like to accomplish with my life. I was also sad because I was leaving a place I have grown to love and people that have stolen parts of my heart. I was also reluctant to leave because I also was afraid of failure. These feeling were not exclusive to me but it was the vibe through out the entire auditorium.

As the proctor of the ceremony, commenced the ceremonial the noisy gymnasium now ballroom was immediately silent. "Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the honor academy graduation ceremony" and a hour and a half later the protect announced the end of the ceremony and that is when the journey for the 500 gradadutes myself included began. The next time we meet we will probably have reached our dreams or died trying to.