Opportunities are the one thing that, if nothing else, this school has given me. Chances that no other school could ever give me.

For one, the greatest thing that I’ve had the opportunity to experience was to participate in multiple musical groups. Freshman year I was in jazz band, concert band and choir. If not for the ability to explore music in a way that no other school could give me, I would be an absolutely different person. Music has shaped and molded my life in a way that I would never trade for anything in the world.

Another advantage that Fresno Christian has given me was not only the ability to explore different musical groups but also just different elective groups in general.

When asked what the decision about what career path I wanted to choose, my choices were between computer science and music. Obviously this choice was brought about by my experience as both a Webmaster and a musician. What school would give me the opportunity to explore studies that are completely poller opposites?

Even putting academics aside, I still have opportunities that no other school could offer. I’ve been able to make a friend in the first grade and now still have that friend along side me as I graduate high school.

My best friend is one that I made in the fifth grade. I’ll go off to college knowing that I’ll have some of these relationships until the day I die (hopefully even after that).

Relationships are a huge part of the school; the sense of community is a foundation of the learning experience here. So not only do I find a sense of community, brotherhood and friendship within my class, I can find it in my educators.

I’ve gotten to know my journalism adviser, Greg Stobbe, in a way that goes much deeper than teacher-student. When asked who the most influential person is in my life, only one name could come to mind.

Spending hours working, staying till seven in the evening working on The Feather has given me the avenue to learn much more than classroom knowledge. Lessons about life, about music, about ambition and wants, about belief and passion, are all areas that Stobbe has influenced me in.

For these reasons and more, Fresno Christian has given me much more than an education. It has given me who I am, my life today. It’s given me things that people sometimes take their whole lives to find and sometimes never do.

Senior David Casuga will attend California State University, Fresno, in the fall.

For more senior columns, read the May 14 article, FC: Consider the options.