Dear Kaylie,

WOOOHOOO!! It is still hard to believe we actually made it, yet here we are. I am so grateful to have had the pleasure of growing up alongside you for these last 12 years. Mrs. Jabin always told us the time would fly by, but I could never have imagined how in a blink of an eye singing Forever Young at fifth grade graduation could go from “just yesterday” to seven years ago.

Even at Waverly, it was clear you were special. The star of the top reading group, off the RAZ Kids Scale, a math wiz, a master speller (pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis), leading soprano in chorus, prodigal pianist, violinist, and marimbist, ExploraVision Honorable Mentionist, and much much more. But, the person bearing that superior mind was–and still is, more than anything else–a kind, engaging, personable, and hilarious friend: someone who loves to laugh, can communicate a sarcastic comment with her eyes, and can offer a unique perspective on any intellectual, moral, or social issue you bring her.

Since those early elementary school days, I have admired you as you have excelled in all your pursuits (excluding gym, of course). From a distance, it is easy for people to take all those accomplishments for granted because your intellect is so unmatched, but to me, the Kaylie that forgoes sleep on a regular basis to finish writing and running her code, wakes up on Saturday mornings to take extra math classes, and has given up lunch every year to overload her schedule with AP after AP is just as impressive as the Kaylie who can ace most tests without even trying. I have witnessed you struggle, persevere, and overcome obstacle after obstacle when others have chosen to give up, and I can say confidently that no other person I know–gifted or not–could ever match your outstanding work ethic.

So with that in mind going in to high school, I knew there was no competing with Kaylie, but, more than that, what I have come to learn is that there is no competing with Kaylie. You’ve never seen school as a competition or thought yourself at the top. You’re the first to offer help or share a resource and the last to abandon the solidarity of communal procrastination.

You genuinely want everyone else to succeed, and it is that modesty and companionship that makes me so proud to call you a friend–not just for now, but for the NEXT FOUR years and for the remaining foreseeable future after that. I look forward to many, many more fun nights, sushi dates, Harvard Club “networking” events, Panera study sessions, and whatever else is in store for us. It has been such an honor looking up to you these past few years (even from quite a few inches above), and I cannot wait to see everything you will do in the future.

From your biggest fan,

Sam