LOWER LAKE, Calif. – I would like to start this article off by thanking all of the readers for your continued support.

In addition I’d like to announce my retirement from being the author of the Carlé Chronicle due to my graduation. I’ve been writing for the Carlé Chronicle since the 2016-2017 school year and I can’t express how much fun it’s been.

When I first began Carlé I was in an extremely negative place, I was really behind and was just stuck. I feel Carlé really helped sway me back on track.

Each and every one of the teachers and staff are so polite and respectful, they are very attentive too if something is bothering you and will gladly go out of their way to make sure you are all right.

Going from being a nearly a full year behind to graduating just on time is an amazing thing that Carlé has given me. I am truly grateful for all the teachers here.

I’d like to begin by thanking Alan Siegel for of course giving me the opportunity to write this article and helping me in specific areas that I struggled in before having confidence in myself, being more outspoken and frank. I can’t put into words the amount of appreciation or how beholden I am for your support.

I would also like to show appreciation for Angie Siegel who would also urged me to come to school, always telling me how intelligent I am, I just needed to put it to use. Without this reassurance I would be nowhere, thank you so much.

Lastly I’d like to thank Heather Kohler for being a great principal and person, she always does whatever she could to inspire me and get me going and I really appreciate it.

Carlé is an ideal environment for students who have a hard time working with large groups due to the small size of the school. Carlé not only changed my view on education but also changed my life and I think that is a beautiful thing.

If I were to recommend any school to any parent I will tell them Carlé is the best place to have your son or daughter get an education.

Student CeCe Brown presented her portfolio for graduation on Thursday, Feb. 1. Congratulations, CeCe, and we at Carlé hope you keep up the pace you had here and translate it into success in your future.

Cece has been one of the very best designers in Carlé history and as a going away present she made the entire staff mugs with thank you’s and a picture to remember her by.

Student Taylor Churchill also presented her portfolio on Feb. 1. Taylor did an amazing job on her presentation and we wish her good luck with a career in water treatment. We are going to miss you.

Taylor was another phenomenal designer who always went out of her way to help other people and show kindness to those around her.

Due to the generosity and donations of Dr. Barry Munitz and the Cotson Foundation, Carlé’s S.B.E. program is running a project to show appreciation to any staff or teachers from our student’s past that have made a difference in their lives. In this project our students think of any teacher or staff and design them a special mug.

Our students are so excited about giving back to the people that helped them get where they are today. School can be tough for some kids and we at Carlé would like to show appreciation to the people who made it easier.

This project has gone above and beyond what we hoped for. We had hoped that people would feel appreciated. What it has become is our students touching base and rekindling relationships with people who have meant so much to them in life.

Nicholas Phipps is a graduate of Carlé Continuation High School in Lower Lake.