My painting, 'Lady in Red,' has won an Award of Merit, and is now being displayed in the congressman, Biliraki's office for a year!

Not only that, but I got my grades up this year, and now all I need to do is make up a few missing credits and I'll be out of high school forever! I'm on summer vacation now, at least until I have to go to summer school, which is in a couple of weeks. I plan on spending the time I have at home painting some more. I've really taken a liking to it!
I'm really just in awe at how I was able to pull myself together in school this year though. Not too long ago I was planning on dropping out, and I really did not see how I was going to be able to make it. But now I'm almost out and it feels both beautiful and scary. I don't really know what I'm going to do afterwards. I literally did not think I would have a future outside of high school. I had this unexplainable feeling that I was going to cease to exist the moment I left high school, and that terrified me. Now I'm just so done with it and can't wait to be out of my school's clutches. I feel so relieved, it's unbelievable.