Much to miss after years in Whitefish schools

One of my earliest memories of growing up consists of prancing around my preschool class singing the Clean Up Song with my best friend.

The Clean Up Song was a surprisingly successful attempt by the teachers to make tidying up more enjoyable, and, as a 4-year-old kid, I couldn’t have been happier wiping up the snot covered tables and sweeping the dirt-stained floors.

Ever since then, my childhood has been formed from the many memories created in Whitefish. The town where I learned to bike, to ski, and to love the outdoors. I met a few friends and watched old ones leave. I learned to appreciate nature and the four seasons it provided. I love Whitefish for everything it is and I know it will be difficult leaving next year. So as I watch these last few months of my time in Whitefish disappear, it is always fun to remember the memories created from this incredible little town.

After I graduated from singing the Clean Up Song in preschool to the daunting Muldown, my interests quickly changed. I now spent my free time flirting with girls and chasing around friends in exhilarating games of freeze tag. I participated in the yearly fall and spring Muldown productions and looked forward to the famous Mully Nights. I stressed over Halloween costumes and Christmas presents and had little cares in the world. As much as I wished I wasn’t growing older, I continued to age and when I had learned all I could, it became time for me to continue my studies elsewhere.

That’s right, I was now entering the middle school. The dreaded four years that contained the uncomfortable mix of puberty infested and yet overly confident pre-teens. There were braces, acne, and of course plenty of bad haircuts. In middle school I lived through the heartbreaking demise of Mrs. Spoonover’s Ice Cream and the creation of a newer ice cream, Sweet Peaks. I struggled through the holiday workouts in Mr. Ferda’s gym class and cringed during my first introductions to sex ed. I learned that not only was my brain changing but my body was too. When I received my middle school diploma along with my literal “key” to the future, courtesy of Mr. Branstetter, I felt that I was finally ready for high school. I entered high school as a young insecure freshmen fretting the long four years to come but quickly the days became weeks, and weeks became months. Now, four years later, I will soon walk out the doors I once walked in what feels like so long ago. I’ve made so many incredible memories and met so many new people that I’ll cherish forever. The connections and people I’ve met are all due to the town that I grew up in and my future has been crafted from the experiences I’ve made. Although I was miserable through a lot of my memories of this town, I now miss the snot-covered tables and dirt-stained floors. I miss the Muldown productions and the holiday workouts. And I now realize that I’m gonna really miss this town. I know that when I’m away, the only thing I’ll be thinking of is coming back to visit.

Thomas Carloss is a senior at Whitefish High School. He will graduate Saturday with the Class of 2017.