It's getting to that time of the year where summer break is on the horizon. To be honest, this year is one of those years where you had so much fun, you don't want it to end. But all good things come to an end, even if you opossum scream the entire time. So here's how I'm taking the last month or so.
Since today (a B day) is the last day of April, I have Period 6 (1 of 2 classes I enjoy) and I'll probably be laughing in there like always. The next major event after today is my AP Human Geography exam on the 7th. I'm absolutely terrified and I've studied until I fell asleep at my desk (or was very close to). After suffering, the next big thing is going to Costa Mesa for the concert I've been hyping up the whole year. I know it will be everything I've dreamed of and more. Then, on the 17th and 18th, there's the art exhibit and Praise Night collab on the 17th. I know what I need to do, but that's my personal mission. For Christ's sake, my imaginary Quests page is flooded. During Memorial Day weekend, I'm going back to San Jose for a jubilee. The celebrant, who was the Sacred Heart Elementary School principal until 2021, will have a Mass and party at the convent she resides at. After I come back, we head straight into June, which is Finals. I know that the day of Finals 1 and 2 will be a tear-fest, and I will make sure I give the people I consider "family" a hug before leaving (don't get your hopes up). The last day of school is always hard for me because of something that happened to me 10 years ago. I wanted to write my article about this, but the prompt forbade me from doing so. But I'm insubordinate sometimes, so I'll follow the rules but share this.
It was Tuesday April 29th, 2014. Superintendent Kevin Baxter told the Our Lady Help of Christians community the news: the Archdiocese decided to close the school in June. He said the Archdiocese couldn't fund the school anymore and they was no opportunity to appeal this decision. The parents were understandably upset and they couldn't do anything, not even being able to raise money to keep the school open. On April 30th, 10 years ago to the day, my tia Nathalie made a petition on Change.org to gain support from former alumni hopefully. (I think we were called Salesians? I could be wrong.) We tried so hard, and got 820 supporters far, but in the end, it didn't even matter. In June 2014, Our Lady Help of Christians closed for good. I remember my cousin Malcolm and I were running around in the yard and classroom while our parents talked with some of the staff that day. We were just 4, so we didn't know what was happening, but after a few years, we were told the truth. While we aren't as close as we were then, we still feel the pain of the closure and sometimes bring it up. It was truly a loss for all of us, even if we don't say it. I don't even remember the kids in our TK class, and I doubt they remember me, but I'll say it. If anyone reading this was in Ms. Elizabeth's TK class at OLHC during the 2013-14 school year (the last one), please comment below and let me know how life's been. I'd love to get in touch.
Yours in love and rebellion,
Nadya Rocha