The Arrow Spring 2018

O f course the first thing I need to say to faculty and staff is “thank you.” There are too many people, things, and moments I had here that I absolutely appreciate. I need to thank all of you for welcoming, helping, and caring for me. I could not have become the person I am today without any of you. First of all, you created a welcoming and positive environment for me ever since I arrived here. I feel welcomed wherever I go on this campus. The ladies in the cafeteria always have a smile on their faces and ask “what do you want, sweetie?” The one thing that surprises me the most is that they remember people’s names. The feeling of being recognized is great. I am always so happy whenever they can say someone’s name. I need to thank them for making us food, making the cafeteria clean, and welcoming us every day to make us feel at home. Academically, teachers welcome all students. They are always ready for students to ask them questions. As an international student, I often have difficulties with my class because of my language problem, and I am a shy person. Especially in my first year, I was always too scared to speak up and ask questions. Many teachers know that I am very shy, so they asked me, “do you need help? Feel free to come by my classroom anytime.” I appreciate my teachers offering me help. Now I feel comfortable asking questions in class. After school, students often hang out in the campus store. The two people in the store always have smiles on their faces. They ask and care about how your day was, and they can always make my day better by simply chatting with me and making me feel welcomed. Whenever I need good advice, I know that there are trustworthy staff available for me. Second, all the faculty and staff here have helped me. You either helped me with specific problems or simply helped my days to be better. Faculty and staff here always have positive attitudes toward everything. They encourage people to explore and do great things. Before I came to Oak Hill, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. After an art class in my first year, I recovered my interests in art. My interests in art turned into a passion, and that led me to the road of becoming an artist. I would not decide to become an artist without the encouragement from you. Also, since I had language problems, it took me a lot more time and effort to study. I was confused about everything around me, so of course I could not understand anything the teacher was talking about. My teachers were willing to help me with anything even when they needed to sacrifice their personal time. I used to stay A Word to the Faculty & Staff – Jingyi “Carritah” Cai

in the classroom until dinner time. Thank you so much for being so patient with someone who was so difficult to teach. You have also helped me with my social life. I had trouble making friends because I was not confident about myself. One of my teachers told me “don’t worry. People would love to be friends with you. They don’t make friends because of the language they speak or what they look like. They make friends with those who have good character, and you have that.” I felt more confident after that conversation. Now I am more outgoing and more comfortable expressing myself. The faculty and staff here truly care about each individual. They make personal connections with us outside of the classroom. They have one goal, to make us become better people and to guide us to a bright future. My teachers can tell when I am not happy. They try their best to make me feel better by doing little things like telling me a joke or giving me candy. They know where I am going next year for college because they care about my future and life after Oak Hill. Many of them have wished me good luck and asked me to send them emails about my life. The connections between the staff and students do not end after graduation. I know that they do not stop caring about students, and I will definitely miss them. I cannot fully express my feelings, but there are two things I want to tell all the staff members here. Thank you for everything, and I love you all.