Mike Bradley
I have many memories about my school. Sometimes they are good times and
sometimes they are bad times. The first time I went to this school I was
nervous because I didn't think a lot of kids would want to be my friend.
But, that wasn't really true. Instead I have made a lot of friends.
Sometimes they drive me crazy, but at least they are great friends.
These are my good memories: When Alec and Mr. C invited me to join the Star
Wars Club. Sometimes we watched Indiana Jones and Dinosaurs. I had a great
time watching movies in that club! I remember I accidentally did the splits
on my second day of school. That was funny. We went to the zoo a few
times. I had a lot of fun. We moved to the Beverly Art Center too!
My least favorites are these: ELS. One time I tried to go to recess, but ELS
always ruined that. I'm still in ELS, but now I go to recess too. Another
least favorite memory is when my sister tried to embarrass me at achool. I
always got homework every week, uugh.
I would like to thank my mom for being the nicest mom that I have ever had.
You always support me and help me in everything that I do. I would like to
thank my dad for giving me encouragement. Thanks for giving me 100% and also
for teaching me how to cook! I'd like to thank my teachers for always giving
me direction and helping me. I will always respect you. Thank you Mrs. Cook
for letting me make ice cream, write a newspaper and enter contests. Mr. C.,
thank you for letting me make a radio, teaching me chemistry and just for
being cool. Mrs. Walker and Mrs. Condon, thank you for helping me to
complete ELS. Thank you Jeanie for having this school!
I have been at Plaid Academy for four years and I am so excited to graduate.
I hope some of you will miss me. I will miss you. Have fun at Plaid
Academy. I will be in high school next year!
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Kevin Corbett
I have been at Plaid Academy for ten years and I have had some of my best
memories here. I have learned a lot and made some of my best friends here.
I have made it a long way from where I was to where I am now. I am a lot
smarter, stronger and wiser.
One of my favorite memories was when I was much younger and Dorian would
bring me chocolates for my birthday, Christmas, Easter, etc...I liked it a
lot! Now Dorian is one of my best friends, actually he is more like a
brother.
I would like to thank my mom for being supportive, getting me up in the
morning, taking me to school, caring for me when I am sick and much, much
more. I would like to thank my father for being supportive by helping me
with my homework when I struggle with it, for having two jobs and working
very hard to pay for me to go to school and still being able to feed our
family.
I would like to thank my teachers for teaching me and helping me get through
school. I would like to thank Jean for helping me improve my testing skills
and reading. I would like to thank Mr. C for just being so darn smart. I
would like to thank Mrs. Walker for helping me learn how to find my way home.
I don't know if I really want to thank Mrs. Cook I just want her to stay as
far away from my hair as possible.
I would like to thank my grandparents for all their support especially my
grandpa Joe for being the one to YELL at me when I get bad grades.
Saying goodbye will be hard. Plaid Academy is a big part of my life. I have
been here for almost all of my life. I am moving on to a bigger place and
there will be a lot more people. I am ready for it thanks to Plaid Academy.
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Christopher Leonard
I came to Plaid Academy late in my elementary education. I came because I
had challenges that hadn’t been addressed at my previous school. I came here
in hopes of finding new ways to handle my disabilities and have them work for
me. I came here to learn of and develop strategies. Since then I have
changed. I have learned to direct my efforts to my studies and develop my
skills and tools to help me the rest of my life. This process was not
without its trials… on both sides. Frustration often times tried to take me
over, but over time, that frustration has changed to understanding and
respect for teachers’ efforts. I leave here a different person from when I
came. I didn’t fully hold the building blocks to learn. Plaid Academy
allowed me to strengthen the structure of my education. And thanks to Plaid
Academy, the foundation of my structure is strong enough that I can continue
the construction of my life.
Though I have only been here two years, in those two years, the school has
seen changes. It’s gone from a small Anne of Green Gables like school, to a
multi-million dollar state of the art Arts Center. When I first saw Plaid
Academy, I was thinking of what my 6th grade teacher had said. He told my
mother and I that it might be a place where I would find teachers who would
be able to notice me and my style of learning because the class sizes were
small. He thought I might find the strategies and techniques that I need to
succeed in school there. While walking past the school one day, I asked my
mom if we could take a look at it. I shadowed for a day and felt like I
could see myself going there. I started in the fall.
There are so many people that I have helped me get to where I am now that I
couldn’t possibly name them all. But, I can at least thank some of the ones
that had the biggest impact on my, my life and my future. To the teachers of
Plaid; Mr. C. for giving me some of the knowledge I yearn for, Mrs. Cook for
teaching me that mastery of the basics can lead to greater comprehension of
the advanced, Mrs. Walker for listening and understanding where I come from,
Jeanie for teaching me responsibility and efficiency, Mrs. Condon for
teaching me diligence and Mrs. Weg for being so kind, Thank you. To the
students, though you might have been annoying at times, for relieving some of
the stress of school.
And most importantly I want, I want to thank my mom, not only for just being
there for me or just being my mom, but for making time to help me even when
she has other things to do, explaining things to me, even when I was young,
for allowing me to exercise my ability to choose for myself, for being as
patient as she can be when I make a mistake and most importantly raising me
the way she did which allowed me to mature ahead of my time and learn to be
polite.
To all of those I have named and to those whom I haven’t Thank You so much
for all that you have done for me, I wouldn’t be here without you.
I will take many things away from here. For me it’s been a place of many
memories; building bridges with Mr. C., competing against Chris Avery in
swimming, and the end of the year 50’s dress up day. Plaid Academy allowed
me time to master the skills I had begun to learn elsewhere and I learned how
to take in information and process it better and faster. I only have one
more thing to say, My name is Christopher Leonard. I’m graduating to ChiArts
and thank you, all of you, for what you’ve done for me!
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Adan Magnan
I went to this school for five LONG years! During those years I have learned
a lot. I have also met a lot of new people and most of those are very close
friends. I know the friendships I have made here will last a lifetime.
Plaid Academy has taught me to respect, enjoy, value and learn from my
experiences and the people I’ve met along the way.
My education started at a school where almost everyone hated me and didn’t
help me understand anything. When I transferred to Plaid Academy everyone
was eager to know me and teach me new things. Also, I was taught yoga. I
was exposed to different cultures and knowledge of religions. Plaid Academy
taught me that the world is incredibly big with so much more out there to
discover.
The people who made this day possible are; my mom, who has helped me with
everything I ever really needed help with, my dad who supported me no matter
what, Steve for telling me the importance of school and making sure I push
through, the teachers, especially Mrs. Cook and Mr. C for challenging me with
difficult work and teaching me new and interesting things. I would have not
made it to this day without each of you.
Plaid Academy, I thank you for the foundation of experience and knowledge you
have granted me. That foundation is strong and one I will build my life
upon. I also thank you for the wonderful memories you have permitted me. I
shall cherish them for the rest of my life.
This school is fantastic and I will encourage others to come and attend. I
wish the school to continue teaching for many prosperous years. I have
learned so much and met so many new friends. You all have changed me and
allowed me to succeed.