Walking into Mill Valley for the first time is very intimidating. As a freshman, I felt lost and as if I would never fit in. However, after taking a chance at the end of my freshman year, I was able to become a drum major for the next three years. Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and take chances.

This impulsive decision ended up setting up my entire high school career. Going into the audition, I thought I was some little freshman that no one would vote for, but it ended up working out. It gave me confidence to be assertive and to go after things that I want.

Coming into high school, I was fairly quiet and had been a push over most of my life. As my time at Mill Valley progressed so did my advances in leadership, and thanks to all of the organizations at the school, I was able to become more confident in myself. All of the opportunities offered at the school, helped to shape me into who I am today, and band gave me the confidence to be myself and not be afraid of what other people may think of me. Band gave me the opportunity to push myself and take the chance.

Before I walk out of Mill Valley for the last time, my advice to any person at this school, is to just take chances and apply yourself. This school has a lot to offer and it is up to the individual to tackle it. Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone, because that is often when you will grow the most as a person. By taking a chance early on, I was able to secure many positions throughout the school that ended up shaping my high school career. I’m so thankful that I decided to try out for drum major my sophomore year.

So, thank you band for giving me a passion to follow throughout my high school career and providing me a platform to grow as a person. Thank you Steiner for teaching me how to lead and being an guiding figure in my life, and thank you Mill Valley for all the memories.