Dear Class of 2016,

Over the past 4 years, we’ve witnessed many changes. Whether it be in the design of the school, the classes we take, or the people around us, nothing is the same as it was on our first day in 2012. Below are just some of the highlights of each year that we’ve called ourselves greyhounds.

Freshman year: 2012-2013

• The 81 million dollar renovation hadn’t even started yet.
• Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus and Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were on everyone’s new iPhone 5.
• Everyone was making Harlem Shake videos.
• We still had chalk boards.
• The desks couldn’t even fit a folder, and the desks were connected to the chairs.
• What’s the point of advisory?
• Our class won the spirit week hallway decorating contest–even though we spelled the word “freshman” wrong on a poster.
• The four wings of the building were called Judd, Castle, Goodyear, and AE.
• We were still referred to as the “river rats”

Sophomore year: 2013-2014

• The word “selfie” was born.
• The song Fancy by Iggy Azalea was actually popular.
• The “Frozen” soundtrack was all that was played on the radio.
• “The Fault In Our Stars” took over girls’ captions on their new “selfies” on Instagram.
• The school felt like it was made completely of temporary walls.
• What is the “South” building again? I thought it was Goodyear?
• Due to the disqualifications of two classes, we won the hallway decorating contest again with the theme “beat Ansonia”.
• The entire student body came together for the night on the track in honor of Mrs. Cruz and her fight against pancreatic cancer.
• Wait, what was the point of advisory again?

Junior year: 2014-2015

• The music at Homecoming made Iggy Azalea sound like a goddess.
• Prom ended up better than any of us could’ve ever expected (considering the lack of fundraising we contributed).
• Justin Bieber was the only thing you could find on the radio with his hit songs “Sorry” and “Love Yourself”.
• “The Whip” became a thing.
• There was a different complaint every day about the noise from the renovation.
• Why do we still have that half hour study hall advisory?
• “Where’s this classroom?” “It’s in the South wing.” “Which one?”
• We won the hallway decorating contest, yet again, with superhero themes.
• Snapchat actually became popular, even though it came out in 2011.

Senior year: 2015-2016

• “Hit the Quan” and  “dabbing” became popular.
• Donald Trump ran for president–and actually won the Republican Primary.
• The “#4peat” was complete when we got a perfect score in the hallway decorating contest with “the seasons” theme (winter is definitely the best season).
• The lack of snow made the class of 2016 graduate on June 16th.
• The high school got two “snow days” in the fall due to an unknown odor in Judd North.
• “It’s Lit” became a common catchphrase.
• Chipotle became the new Subway.
• “Lemonade” by Beyonce brought back the debates about feminism
• They finally finished the main gym floor…again.

As you can see, not only our school, but the world around us has changed. We have adapted to every change we’ve faced, and will continue to adjust as we go our separate ways. Whether it be to the military, a college or university, or entering the workforce, we will leave high school with the memories and the experience that came with the struggles we faced learning in a school going under such big changes both physically and academically. The class of 2016 should be proud to have gone through these unusual complications, and should give us pride to be graduating from Naugatuck High School.