Running. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that it is my favorite thing to do. I have lost count of the miles I have logged, races I have completed, and hills I have ascended throughout my high school career. In a purely biological sense, running breeds pain and achy-ness; there is no denying this fact. I propose, however, that this physical activity sheds light on a race far more important than any relay I may have run, the race of life. We all run this race, as we engage in the human struggle to force distinct identities among the multitude that makes up this world. In the past four years we have been running a very important part of this race, for from the moment I entered the auditorium doors at freshman orientation, we have been consumed by, what I like to call, the "running bug," a drive for more, for greatness, that qualifies us as students at Valley Stream Central. Now, on this day, we round the track and focus our eyes on the final stretch. Baton in hand, the last leg has yet to be run. Though our time here is done, and a good portion of the race is completed, it cannot be forgotten. Once run, it remains in us and builds our endurance for bigger and better races. I would like to pause and reflect on the part of the race we have run so far, that which has conditioned us for the races, which we have yet to run. For four years of growth and development is certainly no 100-meter dash and is only a warm-up for our lives to come.
             In the past four years, we have blossomed from insecure adolescents with vaguely defined identities into confident, ambitious individuals ready to take this world by storm, to run the final leg of the intense race we call life. While this maturation is a natural part of any high school experience, we have been blessed by the guidance of a world class coaching staff, the support of dedicated team members, and a stellar fan club of family and friends. Our teachers, administra...