Jill+G

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Hi. I’m Jill Goodtree, a soon-to-be high school graduate. Green Hope High School has encompassed my life for the past four years; waking up at 6:30am to get ready, spending 7 hours at school, going to sports practice afterwards, and homework after that. I began my first day of freshman year waking up in the morning and knowing exactly what I was going to wear. Unlike most of my classmates, I was not too nervous to enter into high school. I had a few friends that went to Green Hope with me and I definitely looked at high school as a brand new adventure. I entered school that day not nervous, but excited for what high school would bring. My time at Green Hope did indeed bring many things. Before the start of freshman year, I tried out for the school’s cheerleading team and made the JV squad. As my skills progressed, I was moved up to varsity at the start of my sophomore year. Junior year, I was recognized as VYPE Magazine’s Athlete of the Month in March. Senior year, I was elected as captain of the squad by my coach and teammates. Being captain of the team comes with great responsibility, but I have been able to demonstrate leadership and be a positive role model for the team, seeking involvement in community service through Interact for the squad. Although the Green Hope football team never won a game until my senior year, all of my memories of the games have been fond. My involvement through Green Hope cheerleading has allowed me to connect with different types of people and make strong friendships that will last a lifetime. During the summer between my junior and senior year, I tried out for the NC All-Region and All-State cheerleading teams, two very competitive squads, and made both. I was recognized as a "Scholar Athlete" in the group for maintaining both academics and cheerleading. The team spent a week at UNCG, performed at the Varsity Coaches Conference, and cheered at the All-State football and basketball games. The All-State cheerleading program was an invaluable experience that both strengthened my cheerleading skills and allowed me to form bonds of friendship with some of the state’s best cheerleaders. I obtained life-guarding jobs at both the YMCA and Brookstone Pool at the end of my sophomore year. You could say that I basically live at the pool throughout the summer. Along with making many new friends at work, having a job as a lifeguard has taught me about myself. When I was a child, I always thought that the YMCA lifeguards were absolutely the “coolest people on the planet.” Now that I have the job, I realize that many people at the pool look up to me to set a positive example for the youth. One major part of my life at Green Hope has been my friends. I entered freshman year with a few close-knit buddies, but gradually expanded to knowing pretty much everyone in the entire class of 2012. A few casual “hey”s in the hallway slowly grew into all-weekend sleepovers, ventures into Wilmington, movie marathons, midnight tacos, and camping trips at Jordan Lake. The icing on the cake is that the people I associate myself with come in all shapes and sizes, from different backgrounds and heritages. The diverse environment at Green Hope has allowed me to befriend varsity cheerleaders, indie music rockers, Mathletes, football jocks, fashionistas, and quiet wallflowers alike. Leaving everyone at Green Hope this coming June seems so surreal; I’ve known this group of kids practically my whole life and made such strong connections with them over the past four years. My time at Green Hope High School is an experience that I will never forget and never wish to. As I entered high school, the seniors of 2009 told me to enjoy high school because the time flies by. Turns out all those people were right. My high school years have come and gone in a blink of an eye. Going into high school, I was confident in my abilities and not the slightest bit nervous. It’s funny to think about because now it's different; I am nervous to leave. Will I like my roommate in college? Will I make any friends? Green Hope has been my safe-heaven for the past four years, and although I’m nervous about leaving the Falcon Nest, I’m ready to fly. Overall, I have had an amazing four years of high school filled with friends, excitement, stress, laughter, and all sorts of new adventures. The class of 2012 will be forever remembered.