Exciting 18!

Congratulations, Lincoln, on a truly monumental 18th birthday. Not only can you buy lottery tickets and register for the draft, but also you flipped your tassel from right to left at the commencement ceremony for the Niskayuna High School Class of 2025! It was a fitting end to a whirlwind of an 18th year. But before getting to the actual celebration for today, let’s look back on all that occurred since the last June 25th celebration!

You had a terrific summer that kicked off with our trip to Kenya and ended with a vacation that included BFFs, an Airbnb and the fun boardwalk in Wildwood NJ. While the weather wasn’t the greatest at the Jersey Shore due to some pesky hurricanes (hello, climate change!), you made awesome memories with Mckenzie, Lucy, Rianna, and Will. 

Over the summer you also spent countless hours waiting tables at TBI, volunteered at the Ultimate Frisbee Camp, and worked as a Counselor in Training at BHMC (unfortunately you won’t get to be a counselor this summer since camp conflicts with college move in!). It was quite a summer!

Then you literally kicked off Senior year with dozens of miles logged on the cross country team, and an academic schedule packed with AP classes and fun senior electives…a course on Star Wars seemed to be a highlight, along with Jazz Band. After your polyglot experience last year, you focused solely on German this year, and managed to get a break for lunch at least every other day, and also had time in your schedule to volunteer as a language and math tutor for your peers. You also enjoyed Senior Privilege Late Arrival on B days for the first half of the year, meaning you could sleep in until nearly 9! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The focus on German paid off with an amazing student exchange experience over winter break and receiving the outstanding student award for German. 

 

Frau Prebish,  your dad and I are so proud of you and excited to see your proficiency grow at college. 

You kept in step through indoor track in the winter and spring track and field, increasing your official vault height to 10’ in competition, and 11-11’6” in practice, improving an amazing 3 feet over last year!

I think you even surprised Coach Bray, and we all wish you had another season to develop your technique. You also pounded the pavement with your dad for two half-marathons (Upstate Classic and the Helderburg to Hudson), the 15k Stockadeathon, and Electric City 10K, and did remarkably well despite awful weather for 3 of the races.

Your outstanding work ethic resulted in additional work opportunities at the comedy club in Saratoga and The Parlor restaurant at the Schenectady Municipal Golf Course, as well as warehouse work when needed. You’ve proven yourself as a reliable and hard worker, who you boss relies on and appreciates your sense of humor. All the bartenders adore you (you make everyone laugh), and you make an ice cream swirl that can make one swoon!

When you weren't studying, working, running, vaulting, or playing the sax, you were having a blast with Mckenzie or the rest of the "core 4," taking late night trips to Crumbl, playing video and board games, shopping at Crossgates, and making other fun memories. (Yes, you've fully enjoyed having a drivers license!) It was great to have our house as the home base, and we loved hosting impromptu dinners, cookie making, and study sessions. 

Other highlights from this year included the eagerly anticipated college search and decision. It came as no surprise that you were accepted everywhere you applied, as your academic and other achievements (and great letters of recommendation) provided a compelling application and likely a distinct advantage over other students. The choice of colleges in NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, and DC was very exciting, and once you narrowed it down to GW and AU, well, I was simply thrilled. I love that you share my appreciation and love of our Nation’s Capital, and am so happy you want to explore it and make it your own.  While you won’t be joining my alma mater, I agree that AU is an awesome fit for your interest in German and Business, as it is for your sister and international service! Your dad and I look forward to the two of you creating shared experiences and wonderful memories together. Spending spring break in DC with both of you was a lot of fun, and I can hardly wait to visit you on parents weekend this fall!

For now, though, I intend to cherish the next eight weekends before we pack up the car and head to Massachusetts Avenue N.W. I know you plan to work lots of hours and play games/go swimming with your friends for most of the time, but I get to claim your waking hours and most dinnertimes to simply stare at you and wonder how the past 6,575 days passed so very quickly.  You may be 18, but you’ll always be my baby! I love you so much, Lincoln, and wish you the happiest of birthdays (and graduation day too!)!