What is it like going to a small high school? Well maybe you want me to elaborate on the word "small." My graduating class only had 27, including myself. Yes, you read that correctly. 27. I had just left a school of over 1,500 to a class of 27 for my junior year. I honestly had no idea what I was going to be getting myself into and I only knew about 4 or 5 people prior to attending.

As you can imagine, I stuck out like a sore thumb the first day, but people already knew about me and that I was coming even though I didn't know of them. One of the good things about social media is is people saw me and looked me up before school had even started, so they got to know a little bit about me, and I got to know a little bit about them.

Coming from a school that was extremely cliquey and I was bullied at, I was not sure what to expect out of a school that everyone had grown up together, around the corner and somehow or another, everyone is related. But that is what I loved most about Portland--the love everyone had for each other and no matter what, you had each other's backs, even if it was hard sometimes.

I don't fall in love with places or people often, but I did both at Portland. Portland was a place where I grew as a person and met some of the best people I could ever imagine meeting. And the truth is, if I would have never attended Portland, I would have never met 95% of the people I did. I feel in love with the atmosphere, my teachers, the staff and my class. I came from a class of over 200 that I had grown up with my entire life and they were all I had ever known, much like the grades at Portland.

I wasn't sure how they would deal with a new kid coming in on their territory, but I came into open arms and loving "homes" through my teachers' classrooms. That was what Portland was to me, home. I had some of the best teachers and some of the best talks with the faculty and staff. I was so proud to be one of them for two years; working in the preschool. Portland has given me so many things to be thankful for and it will always be a blessing to me. As I am challenged with finding a purpose for myself in college, I'm glad I found that purpose in Portland and didn't have to wonder.

The thing about having a class size so small is you all always know if someone is missing from school, if something is wrong with someone, if someone is broken up with someone else in your grade, you were definitely going to know about it by the next class period. That was what made it so special.

You weren't just a class, you weren't just friends, you were a family. Junior year changed me as a person that will forever change me and that is because of the people I met at Portland. Whether it was my friends, my job, the relationships I had, the classes I took, the memories I made, whatever it may have been, it somehow made me a better person. Your teachers weren't just your teachers, they were your friends. They were there to see you succeed and help you to do so.

Chapel was cherished times once a week. My cheerleading squad became some of my favorite people if they weren't already. My Monday's Tuesday's and Friday's consisted of cheering on the boys wherever they were. Oh, and prom wasn't called prom, it was banquet, but it was still prom for everyone. I made some of the best memories at this school.

One of my favorite parts of senior year was our Holiday Classic Tournament. I sadly had the flu, but that wasn't stopping me from cheering in my senior Holiday Classic. Of course, I lost my voice throughout the game, but we went into double overtime and it was some of the best memories I made, with some of the best people in my life.

Everyone sees high school a little differently and it really depends on where you go to school and who your friends are. Some people cannot even look back at photos or talk about their high school, but I love looking back at my photos and my memories. I smile, I laugh and will forever reminisce about these forever friends. Whether it was someone you thought you would never become friends with, a relationship to forever cherish, a teacher that will never be forgotten, halls that got a little quieter the moment your class walked out for the very last time, the last chapel and bell ringing, the choir class you took even though you're an awful singer, but your teacher is amazing. You did everything you could to make those days last forever.

Sitting here now, looking at these photos, thinking about these memories, I am days away from being a second semester Junior in college. It seems like just yesterday I was cheering at the downtown campus or spending my evenings changing diapers in the preschool.

So to this year's senior class or anyone else in high school: Cherish the memories you made with each other at school. When you graduate and move on, remember those who were by your side through it all and keep in touch with them. Make time for them even when you have gone your separate ways because the friends you make at Portland will be your friends for life.That is what makes this place so special.

I know you only have a short time left and it'll be a busy few weeks, but it goes by faster than you will ever know. I was so ready to leave high school and move on, but during graduation, it hit me that it was truly over and I wasn't going to see a lot of them for a long time or maybe ever again. Enjoy your time seniors and soak up every moment because once an Eagle, always an Eagle.