PATRIOT LEGACY FUND

One of my greatest accomplishments at RA has been mastering the art of public speaking…This all culminated in 8th grade when we embraced the task of leading morning meetings and speaking at the all school assembly. I know that being comfortable with public speaking will help me throughout high school and in the future so I am very thankful to RA for developing this skill in me.

To me being a Patriot is to be independent, supportive, and confident. I am a Patriot for RA. I am loyal and will always love and treasure RA. Throughout my years as a Patriot at Ridgefield Academy, I have been taught how to expand my interests, become an independent thinker, and step out of my comfort zone. I have been taught how to make my voice heard, and now, I am prepared as a Patriot to meet my next challenge.

My first year here at Ridgefield Academy was not an easy one, leaving an all French school to join an only English speaking school was quite a challenge…Without the help of very dedicated teachers who were always looking to ensure I not only felt a part of my new community, but spent the extra time educating me across all subjects. This was quite an experience but I am glad to have done it because it taught me to persevere even if the road ahead is filled with pot holes and rocks.

I am so grateful for all the opportunities RA has given me. Being a faculty kid has helped me realize the inner workings of an institution where teachers pull together because they truly want what is best for the students and I have learned to truly take nothing for granted. If home truly is where your family is - then Ridgefield Academy has always been my second home and always will be.

It’s pretty simple. It’s about how RA makes me feel. It’s about happiness, friendships, and my favorite memories. Now, when put together, they make a beautiful collage of recollections…Wherever I may end up, I just know, I’ll be the lucky kid with the best friends and teachers, and memories to last a lifetime.

I have to say goodbye to what feels like a lifetime of memories.  I honestly always thought it would be years before I had to stand here and say goodbye to my home and all the memories I have created.  I guess that day has come sooner than I thought. But I am happy to report that I am now graduating on a high and positive point in a life of constant ups and downs and I am grateful for everyone at Ridgefield Academy for helping me get to this point.

During my three short years here at RA, I have grown as a student, as an athlete, and as a friend, more than during my time in public school…Here at RA, the teachers do the same, and then go the extra hundred miles to get us prepared, build strong relationships, and even caught when we fall behind.

Ridgefield Academy has taught me to always use and follow my moral compass. I have learned that there will be opportunities as we go on in life to take a stance for what is just and right. All of us students here are the global future and it is so important to lead by example. Whether it is staying true to your own beliefs or standing up for someone, people should hear your opinion.

An important aspect of my journey was providing assistance to others. I am grateful for the many service learning opportunities that I was involved in at RA. My favorite was YSOP (Youth Services Opportunities Projects) which involved working in homeless shelters and soup kitchens in NYC. It’s an awesome feeling when you can make a difference and provide a positive impact on those less fortunate.

Today I am more outgoing, a more comfortable public speaker and I have grown as a student, developing an academic voice of my own. Four years ago, I would not be able to be up here today and speak confidently. But with the immense amount of public speaking opportunities I have had here, I am able to stand here with confidence. I attribute this to Ridgefield Academy.

I am very thankful for the incredible friends I have made here, I know those friendships will last a lifetime. And lastly, I am grateful for my teachers and coaches, who have taught me how to be a friend, a teammate, and a classmate. For the teachers who have helped me to realize that learning can be fun and exciting.  I am so grateful that I have been given the amazing opportunity to be an RA student, and have been able to be a part of this wonderful community.

Throughout my RA journey, I have tried to hold onto the piece of me that smiles at the simplest things, and standing here today, I can say with confidence that although many special moments have become memories…Today is the end of the beginning, the start of something new, but this incredible moment is made of thousands upon thousands of small moments at RA, each of which possesses its own unique beauty…I will never let a single one slip from my memory.

Although this is the end of my time at Ridgefield Academy, it is the beginning of my life somewhere else.  So, enjoy your time here while it lasts, because it does go by very quickly… So, goodbye RA, and thank you for giving me amazing opportunities and helping creating memories that I will never forget.

I myself am happy with the people I’ve surrounded myself with at RA. They’ve steered me in the right direction and have driven me to work harder in academics, athletics, and many other things. They’ve filled me with humor and joy, and I am happy to have been surrounded by them for the last three years.

With the community at RA and my new friends that I’ve made in the past 12 years I’m ready and prepared to leave this school and move on in life. Thank you Ridgefield Academy for providing a large role in creating my identity.

I’ve tried to google how to leave somewhere you love, how to be a better person, how to start a new path. It’s hard to move on, to go write another story, to create another search history. But what RA has taught me is that your life is yours to write. No one will be able to write it for you.

My amazing friends who helped me along the way, my teachers, especially Ms. Reid, that helped me through the rough patches, and the people that put me through the hard times, I thank you because if you hadn’t been a part of my journey here, I would have turned out to be a different person. So thank you mom, dad, my friends, teachers, and Mr. Heus because I know because of this school I will do great things in the future.

Not only have I grown physically, not that much but a little, but I’ve also grown as a person. I’ve matured, become smarter, more empathetic, and a better friend, and I have grown into the person I am today. I have spent almost half of my life at this school, and it has become more than just a school for me. Because of all the things RA has taught me and done for me, I’m now ready for the next big change in my life.

My journey at Ridgefield Academy has been like a long bus ride. Being on the highway for hours, driving on a bumping road, and even crashing, but I am thankful that I was at RA because if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have had some of the most amazing experiences of my life.

The thing I take away from my days at RA is that everyone is treated equally and that it is important to treat everyone with kindness. It really doesn’t matter what color someone is, or how big or small their house is or what culture they come from because we are all people and it is far better to celebrate our differences and learn from each other.