Dear Warriors,
I have to start by saying that I am beyond blessed to be in the position of writing this letter to you all. While it did take a lot of time and effort on my end, the sacrifices made by my family, friends, coaches and everyone else who has supported me during this journey have been far more instrumental to my success than anything done by me. As my time here at Warren comes to an end, I appreciate this chance to reflect on the memories I made here and look forward to what the future holds for not only myself, but my fellow classmates in the graduating class of 2025.
I will never forget my first day at Warren at the end of my sophomore year, completely lost looking for my first period class and thinking to myself, “Why in the world did I decide to transfer here?” If you would have told me then that I would be the Valedictorian of my graduating class and looked up to as a leader in the school, I would have called you crazy. I believe that my story is a perfect testament to Warren’s ability to help you reach your full potential as a student, as an athlete and as a human being. Coming from someone who attended a small high school, you have no idea how lucky we are to have access to the resources, connections and opportunities that Warren provides. The classes that I have been able to take, connections that I made and experiences that I took part in make me confident that I am leaving Warren with my best foot forward. I encourage you all to take full advantage of what Warren has to offer, even after your time here comes to an end.
By far, the most influential part of my time here at Warren has been my participation in athletics. I left my lifelong friends at a school where I was guaranteed to be a standout athlete to a school where I knew no one and was unsure if I would ever get the chance to play. While I did find a lot of personal success in both football and basketball, that is by far the most unimportant part of my athletic journey here at Warren. I can confidently say that the connections I made with my teammates and coaches will be ones that I have for the rest of my life. My coaches aren’t just coaches. They are people I could call on that would help me without hesitation. My teammates are no longer my friends. They are family. These are the people that stuck with me through the lowest moments of my life while also celebrating my accomplishments with unwavering support. I will remember my senior football season for the rest of my life, not because of personal success but because of the opportunity to make history alongside my brothers. While I will continue my football career at Butler University, I am confident that I will continue to feel the support from the connections I made here at Warren.
Seniors, I unfortunately do not have the secrets to success after high school, but I do know this: You will inevitably face adversity. We have all overcome challenges in our lives so far, and I promise you that there are many more to come. I encourage you to continue to tap into the support system that you created during your time here at Warren and lean on the relationships you have with others. I am proud to represent the greatest group of students in school history: The Warren Central Class of 2025.
As my high school days rapidly come to an end, I can’t put into words how grateful I am for the Warren community. Thank you to everyone who played a role in my journey so far because I absolutely could not have done this without you. I am blessed beyond words to know I will always be able to call Warren home. Thank you.
Your Valedictorian, Madden Beriault