A note to my seniors...

You are only days away from leaving the cocoon. Some will choose the route of continuing the stay in the education cocoon by going to college, others will instead embark on the reality that is life.

The change will not hit you right away, for every summer you leave school only to return in the fall, this time however, things will be different. Some will be packing for college, leaving the security of home for the first time. Others will take on their college career locally while remaining under the watchful eyes of your parents or those who love you. Yet others will attempt to find their place in the world. There is no wrong path, just make sure you take a path. The worst thing you can do, is doing nothing.

Yes, you are young and you should enjoy the perks that come with being young. But I ask you all to begin to look forward. Look at where you want to be later in life. While it may be difficult to fathom right now, stop and think about it. Is what you are doing today and everyday moving you closer to that goal? If it is not, why are you doing it?

When I decided to accept teaching this class I knew that one of my goals was to not only teach you how to be designers and how to be Photoshop artist, but also about life in general. What is it like to be respected and to offer respect in return? What are the perks of hard work and dedication?

I have also tried to create an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable in their own skin. I did away with all of the political correctness. I joked about you, you joked about me, we laughed and nobody got hurt. Remember that as you go through life, do not be so thinned skin and while we all may look different, we are all just the same inside. Judge your fellow human by their actions and their actions alone but laugh with your fellow human about our differences.

I hope that all of you enjoyed this class as much as I did. You should know that you helped contribute to discovering my new passion in teaching. I love what I am doing and I hope that each of you are able to do what you love to do.

Please know that I am always here for you. I may not always be at Birmingham because honestly, who knows what the future will bring, but I will always be around so if you ever have any questions or are seeking the advice of an old goat like me, please feel free to ask. No question is too dumb or too odd.

Best of luck to you all,

Mr. Woody C/O 1984