To the Class of 2024, 

After these short four years made up of many long weeks, days, and hours, our time at Carmel Christian School has come to a close; it is time to wrap up the memories and step forward into new adventures. We have had many celebrations as a class, such as being 2x lip-sync champions, witnessed state championship wins, powder-puff games, and many more, but it’s official: we are almost CCS alumni.

Although there has been much celebration, there has been mourning through each year of high school. There have been students who have lost loved ones, students who have fought mental health battles, and students (all of us) who have survived a pandemic. The class of 2024 has experienced many hardships, yet we have used both the devastations and celebrations to mature as individuals and bond together as a community. 

Freshman Year

In the midst of a global pandemic, the class of 2024 started its first year of high school. We entered a precautious, COVID safety school that included temperature checks, masks and bright yellow lanyards with check-off lists. All of the events, dances and sporting events we looked forward to attending were put on pause as the school navigated through the difficult time. It was the year we never expected to have happened. Although in some senses it feels like a lost year,  we made the best of the many moments that created our “new normal.” We had the accidental unmuted mics and cameras turned on when we were “cougars at home.” The Varsity Men’s Soccer team secured a miraculous win allowing them to become state champions after their starting nine were quarantined. Virtual J-TERM allowed us to hear from those who were directly serving all around the world, inspiring us to decide what exciting trips we wanted to partake in the next three years. Despite the many differences, COVID  did not stop us from closing out the year with the annual Old Testament Festival. Kay Brinkley did everything she could to allow the class to share their monologues, dance and enjoy traditional food. Brinkley remarks, “What an honor to have had the opportunity to open the pages of the Bible with the class of 2024 and make the Bible come alive with different initiatives, discussions and activities. They have inspired me with their enthusiasm, energy and compassion for others in need. I will greatly miss them next year and am thankful for what they taught me as well.” Ultimately, we persevered and made it to the other side of the pandemic; the many trials of our freshman year strengthened our resolve to cherish the next three years.

Sophomore year

With the stress of the pandemic fading a little behind us, we entered sophomore year, which became the “year of firsts”. Normalcy returned, and we looked forward to the excitement of high school: attending sporting events, getting asked to the homecoming dance and finding the perfect dress, and experiencing the life-changing days at Windy Gap and various J-Term trips. Many decided to challenge themselves by adding Advanced Placement classes to their schedules, already thinking about the grades they wanted to get into a University. Competitions, such as powder puff and lip sync, returned. Although we did not win either, it allowed us to join together and gain the experience to come back stronger the next two years.

Despite the savored normalcy- the class of 2024 was devastated by tragedy when we lost one of our own: Henry Barnes. Barnes was no stranger to the campus, as he attended CCS in lower elementary and returned in the sixth grade. He was kind-hearted, compassionate, a friend to all, and would definitely be in the running for valedictorian due to his intelligent mind and hardworking attitude. The class experienced a period of mourning, grief, confusion, frustration and leaned on one another for love and support. Administration, guidance counselors and teachers all gathered alongside the class. Counselor Clay Kesslar spent many hours meeting with students and shared, “I saw how God worked in the lives of our students through tragedy. I saw students reaching out to God for support and peace. I watched the class come together and grow closer by experiencing the loss of Henry.” We mourned, grieved and grew together. The class of 2024  bonded like no other; we depended on each other in order to finish not only the remaining months but the next two years. “I can’t remember every student I’ve ever taught any more than I can remember every meal I’ve ever eaten. But I can say with confidence and gratitude that the time I’ve spent with the class of 2024 – as a teacher, a coach, and a friend – has shaped and strengthened me more than any other class. I will never forget them – not a single one of them.” remarks sophomore Bible teacher, Michael Quint.

Junior year

Junior year was the year in which we slowly shifted into the reality of what our lives would look like after we left Carmel Christian. Advanced placement courses filled up a majority of our schedules and long hours of essays for Ms. Mente, website projects for Dr. Gilson and memorizing different parts of the body to pass Mrs. Denny’s Anatomy tests filled our evenings. Long weekends and breaks were filled with college tours as many began creating a list of schools to apply to in the following year. Prepping and taking the ACT and SAT became a priority, and many Saturday mornings were spent at local high schools trying to better our previous scores. Everyone always says that junior year is the hardest year of high school, and we can all agree that the third quarter could not end soon enough!

Although the workload was incredibly difficult, there were so many exciting opportunities that took place that year! After coming in last place sophomore year, Anna Blair Huie and Alexis Cauble choreographed an unbelievable lip sync performance that landed us the trophy, beating the seniors and shocking the audience. Many of us went on our first mission trips outside the country to Puerto Rico and Costa Rica to share the love of Christ with people through acts of service. The excitement of our first prom was the only subject that filled our conversations at the lunch table during the spring months. Finding the perfect dress, getting asked with a grand promposal and booking restaurant reservations/ picture locations are what got us through the first half of the second semester! A rooftop venue overlooking the entire city with an incredible DJ was the perfect way to spend our first prom. Before we knew it, we were finishing up AP and regular exams, having our senior meeting with Mrs. Berry, and preparing for the summer before our last year of high school!

Senior year

 Finally, we entered the most anticipated and recent year of high school: senior year. We started off the year by getting together to paint parking spots and woke up extra early to make sure we got the parking spot we wanted. We spent days out in the sun creating the perfect spot, realizing that this was the start of our final year. Common App applications were open, and Mrs. Berry equipped us as we came into school for senior boot camp. We were able to spend our last Windy Gap enjoying the campus to ourselves and opening letters written by parents, family members, teachers and loved ones. A few of us had the opportunity to stay with the middle school students and remind them to not wish time at CCS away, as we realized time was going by way too fast. As the year continued, many received exciting acceptance letters to outstanding universities. College commitments began to take place and we became excited about our plans after graduation. We took part in our last homecoming dance and secured our second lip sync championship after hours of rehearsing while Huie drilled us with corrections. We blinked and prom season was approaching. We partook in the annual Jackal game and all spent hours hiding out to get one another. We danced together one last time at prom before realizing we only had three more weeks of classes. Those three weeks were spent preparing for AP exams, senior walk and chapel, cleaning out lockers and preparing for lots of graduation parties.

As we walked off of campus for the last time, we spent the next few weeks looking back with fondness on our high school years. The tests, quizzes, essays and exams we probably lost a few hours of sleep over. The last first day of school, the last first day of Windy Gap, the last first home game, the last first chapel, the last J-term, spring break and prom. Looking back on all the memories, good and bad, that shaped our grade and bonded us together. Senior Bible teacher Joel McMillion provides insight by stating, “As you leave the Carmel Christian School bubble, my desire for you is that you own a relationship with Jesus Christ that will be rivaled by no greater pursuit in your life. I pray you’ll let the words of Scripture lead you more than your relationships, your experiences, your education, and even your heart.”

In reflection, high school flies;  four years go by in the blink of an eye and before you know it, it’s over. Even though we are all going our separate ways, we will always be connected because we all share one of the most pivotal stages of our lives. We grew together, learned together, laughed together, cried together and celebrated together. I hope that, as we are looking forward, we take time to look back. Forever and always, we will stay together as the class of 2024.