Under Construction
Under Construction
Good afternoon family, friends and staff, I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming out and celebrating this important day.
This year has been an awesome year. We have had some ups and downs, but we always managed to get back on track.
My journey at TCS began four years ago when my former sponsor, Ms. Sandy, made a wrong turn and read a sign that said “The Community School an academic and mentoring high school.”
I remember Ms. Sandy telling me that TCS was a private school. She had me thinking I was going to a fancy private school; turned out I was wrong.
When I first saw the school and met with Mr. Tom, I knew I wanted to attend TCS. I was so ready for a change in my life. You see in public school I was always a problem child. I chose to hang with the so called popular kids. Hanging with the popular kids only caused me to be in a lot of trouble. I was always fighting or being in a lot of drama. It seemed like my mother was up the school every single day.
I finally realized at the end it wasn’t hurting anyone but myself. When I graduated 8th grade I was happy, but when I actually thought about it I don’t know how they passed me. I didn’t think I was ready for high school, and let me tell you I wasn’t.
My first year at TCS was really hard for me. I didn’t know how to work a book. It was very hard for me to read a question and trying to go back in the book to find the answer. I was never taught how to go about find answer in a book.
I remember being embarrassed, not wanting to show my mother my progress report or my report card because of my low grades. Everyone was bringing home good grades and I was taking home 40’s, 45’s or even lower.
School became very stressful for me. I remember most of the days I would go home crying to my mother telling her how much I wanted to go back to public school. She would push me to do my best and never give up. She encouraged me all the way. She always said, “Daj’a it will pay off in the long run.”
I have to say, my mother was right. My four years at TCS were well needed. What I mean by that is TCS changed me in ways no other school could have. I feel like I’m ready for most of the challenges life could throw at me, and that’s the help of TCS, but mostly Mr. Tom.
See, Mr. Tom is like a father to all of us. If we ever need anything, he’ll be right there to help each and every one of us. Sometimes it may not be the help you wanted, but he’s still willing to help you. My relationship with Mr. Tom is like a father and daughter type relationship. I can have any conversation with Mr. Tom. Even though I get on his nerves a lot, he knows it’s nothing but love.
I want to say “thank you Mr. Tom for being there every step of the way.” You helped me build confidence in myself. You brought out a lot of things in me that I didn’t see in myself, so thank you and I love you.
Also, I would like to give a big thank you to Marry Louise Pries. This woman is like my second mother. She has been here since day one. She would do anything for me. If it’s paying tuition, taking me home, or attending sponsor meeting. Mary Louise plays such a major role in my life. You wouldn’t understand the long conversations she and I have had. She is such an amazing help to me.
Next, I would love to give a big thanks to both of my parents for being able to provide for me. Without you two I don’t know what I would do.
I would like to thank everyone who supported me through school – even down to the donors. Without you the school wouldn’t be able to run. We truly appreciate each and every one of you.
I also would like to give a big thanks to Ms. Peg, Ms. Leah and Ms. Carol for providing not only for me, but for the school. You all play a major role in our education.
I would like to thank Mr. Don for being a great writer and helping me to be a better one. And also for the great conversation we had. The school would not be the same without you.
Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Noah for being a great teacher and a mentor.
I truly appreciate you all.
Daj’a White
June 3, 2018
Hi everyone. It’s been a long, long, looooong time coming. You see, I started out my high school career in a Christian school called Greater Grace. Tiny school (Well its giant compared to this one, but it’s small by the standards of other schools) When circumstances changed, I had to leave that school and gave homeschooling a try.
During my time as a homeschool student, the work habits I had developed had seemed to basically disappear. I was not motivated at all to do the work, and just ended up sitting at home playing Xbox and eating Doritos. After the end of what was supposed to be my freshman year, I wasn’t going to move on to be a sophomore. Instead of sticking with what wasn’t working, my mom told me she heard of a school that would allow me to regain the year I lost.
I was told about the three-year program the school offered, and I was totally ready to get that year I lost back. Over the course of my years at the Community School, I’ve learned a lot, not just academically, but about myself as an individual. I’ve gained the confidence to do things I never thought I’d be able to do. I never thought I would travel anywhere outside the U.S., but now I’m gonna be traveling to Africa with my church. A thing I’ve only dreamed of.
Thank you Mr. Tom for everything you’ve done for me at the school. Thank you for being a good teacher and role model for me and the other kids in the school.
Shout out to my parents, my sister, and all of my friends, both inside the school and out, for believing in me and having my back.
Thank you to Mr. Don, our writing teacher, for being a great role model and for listening to my gym shenanigans whenever we’d meet on a Wednesday and for enjoying my sense of humor both in writing and in person.
Thank you every person that had a hand in my education, including the donors for the school, the teachers, the seminar leaders, and every guest we’ve had come in on a Friday or some other random day for enriching my life.
My advice for next year’s seniors, as well as the younger underclassmen is to keep your mind open to new methods and ideas and always be prepared to learn. And treat Mr. Tom and Mr. Noah well. You ain’t gonna find many teachers/mentors like them anywhere else.
I love you all and thank you.
Caleb Rohe
June 3, 2018
For me to talk about this day, I need to go back to 2014 – one of the toughest years for me. That was the first year in one of the most important transitions in my life. I was to be done with being a child and to start laying down the foundation for the rest of my life.
Through sheer luck, I made it into Baltimore City College, and I thought I would be good from there on. I was extremely, extremely wrong.
Firstly, I had a deep hatred for the place. I showed up two days late and was already out of the “loop” of making friends, and those who I did know from middle school acted as if I was a stranger.
I already had issues at home financially – threats of eviction, little food in the house, many other unforeseeable expenses, and I felt I didn’t need another stressor in my life. I dropped out. For almost a year, my only two good friends were Bud Light and my computer.
Then, after months of being pushed to go back to school, I found TCS, or more so, TCS found me.
Honestly, when I first started at TCS, I was awful. I could barely participate in class because I was so tired. I barely did any of my homework and, now that I think about it, I probably shouldn’t have lasted more than a month, but I was spared.
Mr. Thomas Culotta, a man I resented at the time for making me work so hard, saw something in me I didn’t see in myself, something I couldn’t see in myself, and he pushed me to be better.
Due to Mr. Tom pushing me, believing in me, it took a while, but I changed. Finally, I could believe in myself and my own capabilities, and for the first time in a long time, I could look forward in my life and actually see hope for the future. I could finally see myself as a better person.
With the help of Mr. Tom and Mr. Noah I have finally been able to see myself as a strong, hardworking, self-driven man, and I can’t thank you both enough for helping me achieve this great feat.
Seeing yourself for what you really are, for what you really are worth, is such an important feature of this school, which is why the school must remain here, and that its existence is ensured by those that come after us. My fellow classmates, it is important that throughout the next year you all must stay strong. Your strength, your determination, your drive is what makes this school exist so it can keep improving lives.
There are days that will be good, days that will be bad, days that you don’t want to get out of bed, but you must get up and you must keep fighting, because not only are you improving the future for yourself, but you’re also setting up the next class for success. Always remember that.
Every decision you make within the school impacts not only you and the current staff, but it also impacts every single person that walks through the school’s doors for years to come. Always, Always remember that.
Personally, I like to say that I do things myself, that I did something using me, myself, and I. Today is not one of those days, because I know without the help of many people, I’d be another directionless person.
For that, of course, I’d like to express a deep thank you to both Mr. Thomas Culotta and Mr. Noah Saganski for their dedication to not only me, but also to each and every one of my classmates. The guidance and council from both of you will surely stay with me for until the very last day of my life. You are both two truly amazing individuals and I thank you for the opportunity and great honor to work with you both.
Another great teacher and mentor for me over my time here at TCS would certainly have to be Mr. Don. Mr. Don, I cannot express enough that you and your guidance were instrumental in allowing me to reach my full potential as well. All those talks on Wednesdays and those few times I wrote to you in my writing kept me on track for my whole TCS career. There were some days, if it were not for me talking to you, I would’ve made the grave mistake of leaving. I deeply and truly appreciate and will never forget what you have done for me.
I’d like to express thanks to Ms. Peg, Ms. Carol, Ms. Leah for their constant council, support, and dedication over my years here at TCS.
I’d also like to thank the donors who have supported me and the school over these past years, of course without your financial support, none of us would be standing on this stage.
Finally, I’d like to express my deepest love and gratitude to my mother Jennifer Haynes, and my two mentors Margaret Hart and Tyler Block, because I would not be standing on this stage without your help. You three were the ones that pushed me, believed in me, saw something in me, that I could not see within myself. I am so lucky to have you three in my life. Again, thank you guys so much.
In closing, I’d like to say there have surely been good days, have surely been bad days, and there surely have been days where there was something in between, but I would not trade a second of my time here, because it has built me into the man I am today. A man that I can be proud of.
Thank you all for listening, and thank you all at TCS for the three wonderful years as a student, and for the deep relationships and connections I will have for many years to come.
Marcus McKeever
June 3, 2018