I’ve spent the last six years as a student of Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep, and in that time, my life has changed in unimaginable ways. From September of 2018 to May of 2024, I’ve experienced so many things- heartbreak, loss, hope, happiness, etc. Despite the many challenges and obstacles that have come from this, I can say that Brooks has had an impact on me. I’ve formed so many memorable connections and relationships with the people here, all of which I will cherish forever. As I write this, I think back to that warm June day of my sixth grade, the first time I ever came here during AC Admitted Students Night. Being denied admission from my top choice of Whitney Young put me in a state of constant depression, and I felt that I wouldn’t fit in at all. As I sat in that auditorium, full of sorrow and loathing, I found my worries alleviated when some random history teacher by the name of Catherine Clark came behind me and started ranting about her passion for history. That two minute conversation with Ms. Clark was the first time I had spoken to someone from Brooks, and would be instrumental in helping me find my place at Brooks.
As I said before, throughout my time at Brooks, I’ve formed many connections and relationships. I’d like to say that I met many of my closest friends, people who I hope will be a part of my life for many years to come. And although I know the chances of that are pretty slim, one can only hope. Being an only child, I think I’ve developed a bit of an attachment to the people here. Knowing most of them for ⅓ of my life means that they know almost everything about me, some things more than my own family. I can trust them with the deepest aspects of my life, and can always trust them to help me in any situation. I’ve learned lessons from them, one of them being the art of letting go. And that leads me to my purpose for writing this essay- this is my final Balm article, and a thank you letter to Brooks.
It’s December 14th, 2023. After weeks of anticipation, I sit in the library during the Positivity Club meeting, anxiously awaiting 4 PM to come, and the decision that will alter the course of my life. This was the day that restrictive early action decisions would be coming out for Yale University, and I had spent the last two months questioning if I had been worth it, if I would actually fit in at this school, and if my mediocre application could actually succeed in getting me in there. I had spent the entire week depressed and confused, unable to get my mind off of the thought of rejection. Despite my counselors asking me to record my reaction to the letter, I remained steadfast to the thought of opening it alone and not telling anyone the results. 3:50 P.M. My friend Maysa told me to cheer up and let her know what the letter said, but I didn’t plan on telling her anything. 3:50 PM, and I’ve just reached the middle of my favorite movie- The Shawshank Redemption. I log onto the application portal exactly at 4 PM. What followed was me running out of the room, laptop in hand, until I saw my friends, Trinity and Angel, and almost sporadically jump into Trinity’s arms, shouting “ GUESS WHO GOT INTO YALE???” December 14th felt like a fever dream to me. Minutes later, Principal Jackson would announce it on the intercom, and I received a message on Instagram from my friend, Lucia, saying “Chase omg, YOU GOT INTO YALE.” What followed that night were hundreds of heartfelt congratulations, tears, and the feelings of joy that I hadn’t felt for a while. I think this might have been my happiest moment at Brooks- the feeling of joy as I opened the letter again (this time with Maysa), and heard the applause of the entire Positivity Club. Life was good.
And it wasn’t only moments like these; the time when everyone came out to support at softball senior night, or when we had parades celebrating the chess team, or when WinterFest was a success. These memories of the school are ingrained in my head.
During my junior year, I was in the worst mental state that I’ve ever been in. In the midst of all of my anxiety and stress, about a week before winter break, my aunt died. Although I hadn’t talked to her in a very long time, I was extremely close to her. Aunt Sis couldn’t walk without support, and she was blind, but she was the only connection I had to my extended family, and my memories of caring for her when I was in seventh grade, seeing the effects of dementia, was what inspired me to try to become a neurosurgeon. December of 2023 was a dark period; and not even five months after that, I would also lose my grandmother. I’m literally the spitting image of her, and I spent the next few weeks regretting not spending more time with her. Junior year ended with Tyana passing away. That was a loss that not only affected me, but the entire school, and I’m glad they were able to come together and remember her. I can say for certain, that if it weren’t for my friends who helped me during this time period, Amiyah, Tavaris, Chidi, Minali, Baylei, Aaliyah, among others, I would have surely collapsed.
In the six years that I’ve been at Brooks, I’ve gained mentors, father figures, brothers, and sisters. My life isn’t figured out at all, but at some point, I had to realize that this wasn’t only my story. As a senior about to graduate in eleven days, I had to look back on my life and reflect on the journey. I never thought that someone as reserved and quiet as me would be known by the entire school. I could never imagine being President of Service Club and Student Ambassadors, or the treasurer of Student Council, or a member of the tennis and softball team. Those things just didn’t seem like they would fit seventh grade Chase. He would’ve much rather stuck to reading books all day before Mr. Ejzak encouraged him to apply for Balm during freshman year. Chase wouldn’t have imagined having people who genuinely cared about him and wanted to see him succeed and thrive.
The people of Brooks are truly special, and I believe that with my entire heart. There’s just something about them and their ability to keep moving forward that I’ll always admire, those who came before me, and those who nurtured my passions. Zaporah went to Yale and ended up becoming an administrative assistant for Words Without Borders, Quincy and Nyla went to Stanford, Isatou published papers at WashU, Elisa became president of Hamline. And even going beyond that, Mr. Nichols helped me learn to stop stuttering, Dunning, Carstensen, and Mullooly influenced my love for biology and politics, Santoyo and Castro made me study Spanish outside of school, and Hazzard was the teacher that ultimately made me want to study African American Studies. Last summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a writing program at Bard College, which I went to as a part of the Summer College Program for Schuler (which I found at Brooks.) Ejzak wrote my recommendation for it, and I spent the entire three weeks of the program reading books that I would publish Balm articles about, emailing Clark about Elvis albums that I had found in antique Massachusetts vinyl shops, and updating Santoyo and Hazzard about my life. I think about the group photos on the trips to the Dusable Museum, the Broadway shows for Schuler, or the Chess Nationals Trip to Washington D.C., or Lucia’s birthday party and how I never would have visited Cambridge if she didn’t convince me to apply to Harvard.
As much as I would hate to admit it, Brooks has shaped me. In the past six years, I’ve continuously undergone times where I lost the motivation to live my life. I wanted so desperately to run away from my future, instead of facing it and everything it had to offer head-on. Had it not been for the friendships that I had forged, I would have lost hope.
As I graduate, I finally realize the true beauty of having people who care for you. As I sat at the induction ceremonies for Student Ambassadors, announced the winners of the Service Club election, and watched as the new task coordinators accepted their positions at Balm Night, I came to the daunting realization of everything. These people were the ones who taught me what it truly meant to be myself. Although I’m still learning, I think the thing that could be learned here is fighting for what you can change, and accepting what you can’t. Someday, I will probably forget these memories, but for now I have to come to terms with it and accept what really matters. Everything that I am, was not only because of my own personal sacrifices, but can also be attributed to the people who helped me along the way. When I think about them, and how I may never see them again after I go to college, I feel sad, but it gives me the encouragement to keep pushing forward.
Things in life do not always work out the way you want them to. Your dreams may not come true, or you may be forced to abandon them. People leave, connections fail, loss happens all the time. I know that this is a lesson that everyone already knows, but my experiences in life have given me a deeper understanding of it. Even if my life didn’t end up how I wanted it to, I feel like I’m finally overcoming my fear. I was always worried about being forgotten, and people not remembering me or staying in contact after I graduate. I judged my entire life and being at Brooks off of my ability to impact others, and I find myself constantly thinking if helping others wasn’t a waste in the end. When some of the freshmen told me that they decided to come to Brooks after seeing me on the Student Ambassadors panel at Admitted Students Night, I was elated. I learned that I had made an impact, and all I can say is, this school has made me proud.
The Brooks community, despite having its faults and challenges, is one that will support you through thick and thin. To anyone reading this, I want you to know that not everything has to be for a greater person. Just caring for someone, and being there for them is enough to give life meaning sometimes. I’ll always be grateful for the staff and students at Brooks who were there for me on those late night Google meetings, let me eat lunch in their classrooms, and gave me advice to help me on the course of life. As Mr. Hazzard said in his love letter, I’m also invested in Brooks. I’m invested in the people who I’ll be leaving behind, who I know will accomplish great things one day. I’m invested in the staff who will continue to educate and support new students for years to come. I’m invested in my own fellow senior classmates, who will do amazing things on the paths that they’ve taken.
As of the time of me writing this, I graduate in eleven days. I know life will have its obstacles along the way, but I’ve decided that for now, I have to keep living with determination. Someone once told me, “if it ain’t rough, it ain’t right,” and I can see what he means now. I just have to keep on this path, enjoying my walk as I go. I know that I must let go of Brooks, so this is my final farewell. Also this is kind of fitting, since it’s the first balm article I’ve actually written in a while. Someday, I’ll come back, and Lucia will be at Harvard, Ejzak will finally finish grad school, and Clark and Liz will still be torturing students with AP World and APUSH content.
I’ll miss it all, but Brooks is just another chapter in the story of my life. But, it was one of the best chapters. I’ve learned to enjoy the little detours to the fullest, because that’s where I found the things more important than what I really wanted. So, thank you all for everything.
Yours Truly,
Mr. President
As I said before, throughout my time at Brooks, I’ve formed many connections and relationships. I’d like to say that I met many of my closest friends, people who I hope will be a part of my life for many years to come. And although I know the chances of that are pretty slim, one can only hope. Being an only child, I think I’ve developed a bit of an attachment to the people here. Knowing most of them for ⅓ of my life means that they know almost everything about me, some things more than my own family. I can trust them with the deepest aspects of my life, and can always trust them to help me in any situation. I’ve learned lessons from them, one of them being the art of letting go. And that leads me to my purpose for writing this essay- this is my final Balm article, and a thank you letter to Brooks.
It’s December 14th, 2023. After weeks of anticipation, I sit in the library during the Positivity Club meeting, anxiously awaiting 4 PM to come, and the decision that will alter the course of my life. This was the day that restrictive early action decisions would be coming out for Yale University, and I had spent the last two months questioning if I had been worth it, if I would actually fit in at this school, and if my mediocre application could actually succeed in getting me in there. I had spent the entire week depressed and confused, unable to get my mind off of the thought of rejection. Despite my counselors asking me to record my reaction to the letter, I remained steadfast to the thought of opening it alone and not telling anyone the results. 3:50 P.M. My friend Maysa told me to cheer up and let her know what the letter said, but I didn’t plan on telling her anything. 3:50 PM, and I’ve just reached the middle of my favorite movie- The Shawshank Redemption. I log onto the application portal exactly at 4 PM. What followed was me running out of the room, laptop in hand, until I saw my friends, Trinity and Angel, and almost sporadically jump into Trinity’s arms, shouting “ GUESS WHO GOT INTO YALE???” December 14th felt like a fever dream to me. Minutes later, Principal Jackson would announce it on the intercom, and I received a message on Instagram from my friend, Lucia, saying “Chase omg, YOU GOT INTO YALE.” What followed that night were hundreds of heartfelt congratulations, tears, and the feelings of joy that I hadn’t felt for a while. I think this might have been my happiest moment at Brooks- the feeling of joy as I opened the letter again (this time with Maysa), and heard the applause of the entire Positivity Club. Life was good.
And it wasn’t only moments like these; the time when everyone came out to support at softball senior night, or when we had parades celebrating the chess team, or when WinterFest was a success. These memories of the school are ingrained in my head.
During my junior year, I was in the worst mental state that I’ve ever been in. In the midst of all of my anxiety and stress, about a week before winter break, my aunt died. Although I hadn’t talked to her in a very long time, I was extremely close to her. Aunt Sis couldn’t walk without support, and she was blind, but she was the only connection I had to my extended family, and my memories of caring for her when I was in seventh grade, seeing the effects of dementia, was what inspired me to try to become a neurosurgeon. December of 2023 was a dark period; and not even five months after that, I would also lose my grandmother. I’m literally the spitting image of her, and I spent the next few weeks regretting not spending more time with her. Junior year ended with Tyana passing away. That was a loss that not only affected me, but the entire school, and I’m glad they were able to come together and remember her. I can say for certain, that if it weren’t for my friends who helped me during this time period, Amiyah, Tavaris, Chidi, Minali, Baylei, Aaliyah, among others, I would have surely collapsed.
In the six years that I’ve been at Brooks, I’ve gained mentors, father figures, brothers, and sisters. My life isn’t figured out at all, but at some point, I had to realize that this wasn’t only my story. As a senior about to graduate in eleven days, I had to look back on my life and reflect on the journey. I never thought that someone as reserved and quiet as me would be known by the entire school. I could never imagine being President of Service Club and Student Ambassadors, or the treasurer of Student Council, or a member of the tennis and softball team. Those things just didn’t seem like they would fit seventh grade Chase. He would’ve much rather stuck to reading books all day before Mr. Ejzak encouraged him to apply for Balm during freshman year. Chase wouldn’t have imagined having people who genuinely cared about him and wanted to see him succeed and thrive.
The people of Brooks are truly special, and I believe that with my entire heart. There’s just something about them and their ability to keep moving forward that I’ll always admire, those who came before me, and those who nurtured my passions. Zaporah went to Yale and ended up becoming an administrative assistant for Words Without Borders, Quincy and Nyla went to Stanford, Isatou published papers at WashU, Elisa became president of Hamline. And even going beyond that, Mr. Nichols helped me learn to stop stuttering, Dunning, Carstensen, and Mullooly influenced my love for biology and politics, Santoyo and Castro made me study Spanish outside of school, and Hazzard was the teacher that ultimately made me want to study African American Studies. Last summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a writing program at Bard College, which I went to as a part of the Summer College Program for Schuler (which I found at Brooks.) Ejzak wrote my recommendation for it, and I spent the entire three weeks of the program reading books that I would publish Balm articles about, emailing Clark about Elvis albums that I had found in antique Massachusetts vinyl shops, and updating Santoyo and Hazzard about my life. I think about the group photos on the trips to the Dusable Museum, the Broadway shows for Schuler, or the Chess Nationals Trip to Washington D.C., or Lucia’s birthday party and how I never would have visited Cambridge if she didn’t convince me to apply to Harvard.
As much as I would hate to admit it, Brooks has shaped me. In the past six years, I’ve continuously undergone times where I lost the motivation to live my life. I wanted so desperately to run away from my future, instead of facing it and everything it had to offer head-on. Had it not been for the friendships that I had forged, I would have lost hope.
As I graduate, I finally realize the true beauty of having people who care for you. As I sat at the induction ceremonies for Student Ambassadors, announced the winners of the Service Club election, and watched as the new task coordinators accepted their positions at Balm Night, I came to the daunting realization of everything. These people were the ones who taught me what it truly meant to be myself. Although I’m still learning, I think the thing that could be learned here is fighting for what you can change, and accepting what you can’t. Someday, I will probably forget these memories, but for now I have to come to terms with it and accept what really matters. Everything that I am, was not only because of my own personal sacrifices, but can also be attributed to the people who helped me along the way. When I think about them, and how I may never see them again after I go to college, I feel sad, but it gives me the encouragement to keep pushing forward.
Things in life do not always work out the way you want them to. Your dreams may not come true, or you may be forced to abandon them. People leave, connections fail, loss happens all the time. I know that this is a lesson that everyone already knows, but my experiences in life have given me a deeper understanding of it. Even if my life didn’t end up how I wanted it to, I feel like I’m finally overcoming my fear. I was always worried about being forgotten, and people not remembering me or staying in contact after I graduate. I judged my entire life and being at Brooks off of my ability to impact others, and I find myself constantly thinking if helping others wasn’t a waste in the end. When some of the freshmen told me that they decided to come to Brooks after seeing me on the Student Ambassadors panel at Admitted Students Night, I was elated. I learned that I had made an impact, and all I can say is, this school has made me proud.
The Brooks community, despite having its faults and challenges, is one that will support you through thick and thin. To anyone reading this, I want you to know that not everything has to be for a greater person. Just caring for someone, and being there for them is enough to give life meaning sometimes. I’ll always be grateful for the staff and students at Brooks who were there for me on those late night Google meetings, let me eat lunch in their classrooms, and gave me advice to help me on the course of life. As Mr. Hazzard said in his love letter, I’m also invested in Brooks. I’m invested in the people who I’ll be leaving behind, who I know will accomplish great things one day. I’m invested in the staff who will continue to educate and support new students for years to come. I’m invested in my own fellow senior classmates, who will do amazing things on the paths that they’ve taken.
As of the time of me writing this, I graduate in eleven days. I know life will have its obstacles along the way, but I’ve decided that for now, I have to keep living with determination. Someone once told me, “if it ain’t rough, it ain’t right,” and I can see what he means now. I just have to keep on this path, enjoying my walk as I go. I know that I must let go of Brooks, so this is my final farewell. Also this is kind of fitting, since it’s the first balm article I’ve actually written in a while. Someday, I’ll come back, and Lucia will be at Harvard, Ejzak will finally finish grad school, and Clark and Liz will still be torturing students with AP World and APUSH content.
I’ll miss it all, but Brooks is just another chapter in the story of my life. But, it was one of the best chapters. I’ve learned to enjoy the little detours to the fullest, because that’s where I found the things more important than what I really wanted. So, thank you all for everything.
Yours Truly,
Mr. President
