Dear TeamTowne Advisory... or Wonder Women: The End of a Era

To My Wonder Women...

Advisory is a double edged sword.  There are wonderful things like: community and friendship, built in support mechanisms, parent outreach and connection, being the school mom. Then there are things that make it not so wonderful: small group dynamics, 4 years with the same people, being the school mom.

Prom was a couple weeks ago (complete with a surprise appearance by Shristi who moved away after junior year to Virginia) and it was such a gift to celebrate and watch them enjoy the night!


#TeamTowne made plans to celebrate the end of the school year. I proposed taking them to dinner and Wonder Woman. None of them had seen it yet and they all are fully aware of my WW obsession. It was not a hard sell. We shared pizza at Patsy's then headed over to the Regal. We filed into our row, snacks in hand, and settled into our seats. 

I sat on the aisle of our row in the huge movie theater and as Wonder Woman began her first huge reveal in the movie: crossing no man's land, I turned to my right and was overcome with emotions. There sat 7 of the 9 remaining members of Team Towne, my all-girl advisory of the last four years. There were some of the most incredible women, no longer girls, that I have helped to shepherd through high school. Their faces glowing, I was so glad I was able to share something that means so much to me, with them. 

At the end of the movie, we were walking out and Linda was wiping the tears from her eyes. I stopped to tell them, how proud I was of all of them and I began to cry... and one by one they surrounded me with hugs, tears and love. 

 These moments of joy and celebration far outweigh the frustrations that can cloud ones perspective when working with teenagers. I am not a parent, but advisory is by far the one of the hardest experiences of the last 4 years. It does indeed take a village to raise children. I'm honored to say that I was able to contribute in some small way to the evolution of these Wonder Women. 

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Yesterday was the second commencement exercises of the Academy for Software Engineering.  While two of my girls almost didn't make it in time, in the end all 9 members of Team Towne walked across the stage.  I could not be more proud of each of my babies, now grown, women, who are ready to take on the world.  

So today, I leave you with this: 

Dear Team Towne,

I am a better human because of the time I have spent with you.  You have been my constant over the last four years.  You have been the faces I have always come back to in sickness and health.  You have pushed me to become a better teacher, a better leader, a better woman, a better human.  I have watched as you learned to navigate not only the hallways of high school but of corporate America in your numerous internships.  You have fought like sisters and loved like family.  In the end, I know you always have each-others backs. 

One by one, you have come in this morning to pick up your diplomas and final report cards. I had made it through the entire day yesterday without tears, but today, knowing that this is the end of one leg of your journey as you begin the next the tears have come.  While I know your tears are about missing, please know that my tears of of pride and joy for the Wonder Women you have all become.

Enjoy the next leg of your journey &
TeamTowne4Eva! 💜🎓 

Love,

Ms. Towne