Citizen of the World, Part II
All of us survived until graduation
By Elizabeth Horner 

I think that to many new graduates, the statement that “All of us survived until graduation” would be met with an understanding smile and maybe, a sigh of relief. From my experience, senior high school was tough, and I know that I am not alone on this.  Between the SAT, ACT, and AP tests to filling out the "Common Application" along with supplemental essays, going for interviews, completing what seemed like un-ending forms, visiting campuses, and at the same time meeting my high school academic requirements --- it was harder for me to remember where the college applicant stopped and the human being began.  And I am learning that the feeling is more universal --- from meeting and talking to students that have come from around the globe to my university.  Even for students whose plans did not include going to college, that push to graduate and establish a life for oneself outside a parent’s direct dominion, I am sure, can be exciting and frightening at the same time. 

What I’d like to talk about though is a slightly rarer phenomenon. Though Greenville, Ohio is a small town and the graduating class usually numbers in the 200-student range, that figure has too often been truncated by premature student deaths. We all bowed our heads when we learned that Mandy Greene had lost her battle with cancer. A different kind of devastation followed an announcement that a teenager had committed suicide.  In fact, it had been years since a class had crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, whole, as it was formed, until the GHS Class of 2012. 

There were a few students who joined us late --- still others that moved away, but no one had been wrenched from our midst unnecessarily.  I fool-hardily believed that reaching that milestone gave us some kind of immunity --- at least into the near future. 

But then, the news reached me almost instantaneously, more than three thousand miles across the ocean, that a member of our class, Tyler Kuhn, a smart and promising student, passed away October 2, 2012 --- the result of a fatal car crash. 

While the papers provided a list of his surviving family, it did not come close to capturing the number of people who saw him as a brother or a friend --- who will all miss him. 

I’ll admit that I didn’t get to know him as well since those days in second grade --- but Tyler was an essential part of my AP Calculus Class in our senior year, brightening up the room with jokes like no one else could. Maybe I should have taken up the chance to know him better. 

The evening of the accident, green "online dots” lit up Facebook like a Christmas tree --- everyone trying to console each other about the loss of one of our own.  Dozens of newly updated profile pictures showed them with Tyler.  YouTube videos and excerpts from some of Tyler ’s text messages made it seem as if he was still here, and communicating with us. As sad as it was, I was also rather amazed to witness how united we all stood, despite the great distances that separated us. 

Gazing around the cloud of green and white gowns at our graduation ceremony on June 2, as I walked back to my seat after rendering my speech to Class of 2012, the thought crossed my mind --- that was it for us as a class. Never again would we all be at the same place at the same time.  Greenville might even stop being a “home” to some. I accepted it as the natural order of things. I was wrong --- on so many levels. 

It doesn’t matter if we haven’t talked to each other for months. It did not matter that we are now separated by land, mountain or sea.  The fact that we were part of each others' life --- nothing, nothing about our class (and yes, it’s still our class) has changed and that was evident when the news spread about Tyler ’s untimely death. The bit of ourselves that WAS Tyler --- an imprint of his smile, the echo of him saying “debatable” after everything --- has died too.  And we were able to share those thoughts and feelings with each other with relative ease --- with the help of modern technology. 

And while I see myself as a citizen of the world, Tyler reminded me that home is always going to be where I grew-up…and that I am a part of the GHS Class of 2012 family.  The first thing that came to mind after hearing about the accident was disbelief --- that one moment erased a lifetime of future memories. While we are mourning Tyler's untimely departure, I do believe however that the smiles and laughs he has brought into our lives will be with us forever.  And while we are saying goodbye to him, Tyler jogged us to reconnect and stay in touch with one another!