Dear Carmel,

If you were to tell me my entire high school story four years ago, I would have probably laughed in your face and walked away. The truth is, I went into high school with high expectations but no sense of a plan. Coming fresh from middle school, I struggled with trying to fit in as a freshman. In my mind, I thought I was making myself look so cool in front of these upperclassmen who I had so much respect for. The early years of high school are a time when it is quite easy to fall into the trap of basing everything on the values of others. The 2020s era of high school is specifically a time where this falsehood is the most prevalent. In an age of social media and digital relationships, most teenagers lose their grasp of being intellectuals and becoming their own unique person. In my four years of high school, it seemed as if social media trends determined the worth of life itself for some people. The main danger here is losing the ability to be unique and to be a leader, which is one of the most important parts of growing as a teenager.

Although I have been involved in so much at Carmel throughout my high school experience, my underclassman self actually had a strong distaste towards school. To be honest, I had been at Carmel for five years and thought that I knew everything there was to know. As a freshman and sophomore, I kept asking myself, “What does Carmel even do for me?”  In the last two years, I have been able to see how Carmel has grown me academically, spiritually and as a leader. There are so many resources the school has to offer its students that constantly get overlooked. High school should be some of the most transformative years of your life, but it is something you have to work for. Getting involved in clubs/organizations, taking rigorous courses  and seeking advice from teachers and the higher-ups at Carmel are all ways I have seen myself grow as a leader in high school, and all of these ways are at your disposal every single day.

No matter which route you decide to go, keep God in the forefront. Prioritize your relationship with God, and commit these years to honoring Him. Plug yourself into a local church, get involved in a youth group and grow your faith now so that you will be prepared for all the world chooses to throw at you in the future. What a gift it is to go to a Christian school! Please do not take this privilege for granted, and please remember that God has you here for a specific purpose. Pray for your grade and peers, and be aware of how God will move in your life as a high schooler.

Last but not least, enjoy the ride. I cannot tell you how much I have heard this line and how cliché it is, but these years go by so fast! I look at pictures from my freshman and sophomore years and laugh, but also think to myself how those moments do not seem all that far. You only get four Windy Gaps, four homecomings, four lip syncs, two proms and they fly by very quickly. Document memories with your friends through pictures in videos. Also, live in the moment as much as you can, and make time to hang out with your friends, even if it means sacrificing time elsewhere.

The reality that has set in for me now is that I will never get to relive these moments with my friends as kids. It is the little things like those classes you have with all your friends or the lunch table you sit at that will soon be distant memories. If anything, try your best to avoid the thought of “I wish I could go back and do this” or “I wish I could change this.” Leave no doubt and live life to the fullest while you can.

I am sure it is clear how much I have enjoyed high school, but the purpose of this letter is so that you would enjoy it twice as much. I wish you all the best of luck. Roll Cougs.

Signing off,

Carson Russell