Troy Athens Highschool. The single greatest high school in Michigan. No one likes high school, everyone has highs and lows in their four year experience. However, one of the highest points in high school, at least at Athens, was Charity Week. Every year gets better and better.

Let me explain.

Charity Week is the single greatest week of the school year and here's why. It's one week out of the year where grade, popularity, and homework don't matter. It's one week where the whole community comes together to raise money for a great cause. It's a week full of hard work, sweat, and tears. It's a week where going "all out" is an understatement.

Events like: Teacher Dance Battle, Film Fest, Game Night, Pancake Breakfast, Jail and Bail, Mr. Athens Pageant, Charity Week Dance, and more fill the week. We spend more money than we would have thought, but we never batted an eye about it because we cared so much about doing good and changing the world. Teachers work around the fact that they know nothing will ever get done this week and yet they don't seem to care. (Maybe they do, but they don't show it).

My senior year, we raised money for an organization in Haiti, something close to a Boys and Girls Club in America. I would do almost anything to go back and relive this week. The week was full of the senior class going extremely hard and showing more school spirit than anything I have ever seen. On Red and Gold day, we didn't just wear a red shirt and call it good. We wore red and gold everything. Face paint, pants, hats, socks, ect. The year before (my Junior year) we rasied over 54K, an impressive amount. However, my senior year our goal was $60,000. And when the time came on that Friday afteroon to see how much our hard work paid off, we pulled the cover down and saw we raised $84,000. Tears were falling while hugs were being given. That moment I felt more love than I have ever felt in my life. Screams and cheers filled the gym. Something I will never forget. I wish words could describe this feeling, or do it justice.

To the seniors doing Charity Week now, take it from an Alumni and please, take too many photos, go all out on theme days, hold nothing back, and love every moment. You will never feel this sense of community again. It's such an unique time in your life and I want all of you to know that. Your goal was $100,000 and yet you toped that. You raised 155K. More than any year ever. I could not be any prouder.

I don't care what anyone says, my hometown is better than yours.

I wouldn't go back to Highschool for almost anything, but I would go back for Charity Week. Good luck guys, we are cheering you on.