Sailor is very easily one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. She doesn’t seek the spotlight and instead lives in a way that shines it on her friends. If I had to guess I would say that she’s not one to worry about being popular at Mason, but that she’s one of the most likable people in the school. She is applying to the University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, and Liberty University and will flourish in college with a schedule that allows time for coffee dates with friends in between classes. ; )

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Jessica is a dancer — elegant, beautiful, disciplined. She’s a senior at Kings who I’ve known for four years now (what?!) and it’s been really fun to watch her grow and mature into who she is today.

She’s planning to go south for college next year and is applying to schools like Auburn and Clemson. I’m thinking she must like tigers and the color orange…

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Brooke is a senior at Kings High School who has her eyes set on heading south next year. I met her through Young Life and quickly noticed that she is genuine and sincere, and that her friends value her in their lives. She’s a cheerleader in more than one sense of the word. Yes, she stands on the sidelines shouting for the Knights (not to mention, she’s the cheer #captain). But, she’s also a friend who advocates for the people and things she loves. She’s an encourager and a listener; and when she believes in something, she shares about it with grace and excitement.

“I put so much of my worth into doing well in school. My dad passed away when I was 10 and I do a lot of things to try to make him proud. School is absolutely one of those things. I’ve been working hard lately to try and fix my eyes on Jesus rather than my own doomed attempt of being perfect at everything I do. I want to care more about relationships with the people around me rather than striving to be perfect.”

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I’ve known Karleigh for a few years, and I can’t believe I’m posting this– her senior blog post– right now. I first met her at a football game her freshman year and have had the gift of watching her mature and grow through high school, but it has gone by way too fast.

Karleigh is the best type of friend to run through life with. She comes alongside her friends and reminds them that they’re worth knowing. She will celebrate the victories in her life, but will also share the parts that seem like losses in the moment. It’s as if she has a deeply rooted belief that the difficult things exist in order to grow trust, endurance, and resilience. And because of that belief, she can celebrate the hard moments and keep running to the finish line beside her friends as she encourages them to believe the same.

Karleigh is also a runner. Not metaphorical anymore, but the real-deal. She’s really fast and really good. She plans to run in college and has her eyes on a handful of schools in Ohio and Indiana.

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I met Jessie through Young Life at Kings High School. She is friendly + fun, and has a wonderful laugh. When she asked me to take her senior photos, I was honored. It was fun to explore Eden Park on a windy Sunday evening together while we captured an important milestone in her life.

At the end of the summer, Jessie will move to Maryland where she’ll play lacrosse at Frostburg State University. I’d say that sentence sums up a lot about who she is. She’s open-minded to new experiences (or moving to a new state!), she is athletic + strong (capable of playing lacrosse at the collegiate level. you go girl.), and she is mature + independent. Also, this might not be obvious yet, but it’s about to be… she has the most beautiful blue eyes.

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Emmaline told me that her favorite show was The Office and her favorite song was “For Emma” by Bon Iver, so I knew we’d get along. When I met her, I instantly liked her and thought the dress she was wearing was quite possibly the coolest thing she could have worn for the fall session. Our time together went by quickly because she made me feel so comfortable. She had a quiet confidence which made it incredibly easy to be around her. She exuded a calming peace.

Next year she is playing lacrosse at Westminster College in Utah. Emmaline is determined and  isn’t afraid to chase after the things she knows God has gifted her. Between her effortlessly cool style, her fun-loving personality, and her confidence, she’s an unstoppable force of joy.

“I would want to be remembered as someone who is authentic and a friend to anyone.”

“I am an artist and an athlete. I am very spontaneous but determined. I played football my sophomore and junior year which is a perfect picture of those two characteristics.”

“I admire my mom a lot. She is a great example of grace and unconditional love. My mom always stays calm in the midst of our craziness and points me in the direction of Christ during times of uncertainty. No matter what my three siblings or I have to say, she is always interested and encouraging. She has done a fantastic job of being there for our family.”

I love reading my Bible and learning new things about my Heavenly Father.

Emmaline, you are confident and fun to be around. You are bold in your faith and the way you want to be known, and that is admirable. The world needs more young women like you. More girls who are brave enough to join the football team, and gentle enough to create something beautiful. Don’t lose sense of who you are.

 

As soon as I met her, I was instantly comfortable around Fiona. She has a personality that makes other people feel calm and content with who they are because she exudes a quiet confidence.

If her plans after high school don’t make it obvious enough, Fiona is super smart but humble about her intelligence, so I’ll do the bragging for her. She is applying to University of North Carolina, University of Virginia, University of Michigan, Indiana University, University of Iowa, The Ohio State University, Butler University, and Clemson University. I’m excited to find out where in the world she ends up!

“I can listen to one of my friends talk about their passion for hours, even if it is something I don’t care at all about, because seeing the way their eyes light up as they talk about it is amazing to me.”

“I admire my Uncle Jay the most. Not only is he one of the most insightful people I know, but he really does not care what anyone thinks of him. He is so satisfied in his life that he really could care less if people don’t like what he says or wears, and this is a mentality that I strive for.”

Fiona, you radiate a timeless beauty and I hope you believe that. I hope you believe in who you are and who you’re becoming. You are incredibly smart and have the ability to study what you want, where you want. But, don’t get so caught up in learning that you forget to keep listening. Don’t lose your excitement for listening to your friends talk about their passions. Keep being brave and bold and encouraging them to find the thing in life that makes their eyes light up. Keep chasing after the things that make your eyes light up, too.

 

For two years now, I have been consistently making the mistake of asking Emily how her senior year is going. Two years. Finally, she is really a senior so I can stop embarrassing myself. But, the reason I would always forget is because she is mature beyond her years. Since I’ve known her, I’ve known that she is smart and caring and has a confidence that isn’t common for the typical sophomore high school student. So, it was easy to wrongly assume she was a senior. Emily has a heart for people. I think her heart beats for the sole purpose to seek out people and care about them really well, and I think it beats faster when a person starts to believe that she is worthy of being cared about– when she believes that she is loved.

Next year, Emily has her eyes set on the west. She wants to move across the country and start fresh in the mountains. She is applying to a few schools in Colorado and also to the University of Cincinnati. Whether she goes far or stays close to home, she’ll forge a path made of purpose and passion and others will follow on it. I’m excited about that.

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