Senior year represents the end of a high school education as well as the start of a new life. While in the midst of classes and projects, seniors also deal with college applications and major decisions that alter their futures. Athletes play in their last games and all must soon say goodbye to friends, teachers and family. In one sense, they are leaving a life behind as they go on to pursue a future education.

This last semester wraps up the end of my high school education as well as many other things. While college still allows some school activities such as sports, music and art, it does not offer my personal extracurricular activitiy – raising guide dogs for the blind.

Last fall I received a female golden retriever from Australia named Tess. I sent her back for training at the guide dog campus in San Rafael, CA, in January, after having raised her for 15 months. Just recently I received a letter that announced her being pulled from training and put into the breeding program. Honestly, I would rather have her back home, but I’m glad that she is able to benefit the program in some way.

The day after Tess went back I received a female black lab named Pescara. Pescara will be the last dog that I train before I go off to college since I will most likely attend a school somewhere down south. I will train her until August and then my mom and my co-raiser, Kathy Hawkins, will take over for me full-time.

I am really sad to not be able to continue with guide dogs for at least the next four years. I have been training dogs since I was 8 years old and it has become a part of who I am. Although I am excited for the future, it is still hard to let go. I do not think I will ever realize how much I love training dogs until I no longer have the opportunity.

In addition to guide dogs, I am also a competitive figure skater. However, my back injury has kept me from competing for the last nine months. I have been skating for many years now and developed life-long friends at my home rink here in Fresno.

I will continue to skate when I leave for college and hopefully intern under an elite coach, but I am not looking forward to saying goodbye to my current coach and other skaters. Even though I know that with change come new opportunities, it is still difficult to make those changes.

I know that it will be hard to leave this coming fall. My poor parents have to deal with another child going off to college as well as their oldest son getting married.

However, it feels good to be completing something that I have worked toward for the last four years. I am excited for the new experiences and opportunities that will soon arise and I cannot wait to finally graduate.

For more opinions from Logan, read the Aug. 26, 2009 article, International service deepens faith.