"The reason I know Nueva was the right place for me is that I have developed so much as a person, emotionally and intellectually. Nueva has allowed me to explore my academic passions starting at an early age and cultivated my curiosity and love of learning. More importantly, Nueva has allowed me to be anything I want to be."

"I've grown up with Nueva. I've learned so much over the past nine years. I've learned about the tide pools in kindergarten and ancient Egypt in third grade. I've learned about trees in first, bread in second, and the path of the hero in fourth. I've learned about the ancient Aztecs in fifth and the Civil War in sixth. But most importantly I've learned how to love. Without the support of everyone sitting here on the stage, and without the love and compassion of all my friends, my Nueva journey wouldn't have been anything like the Nueva experience I've lived."

"I am proud to say that I have a relationship with everyone in my class and that is why my middle school years weren't awkward or uncomfortable. I was surrounded by so many people who cared about me and were going through the same things. Teachers who would go to the ends of the Earth to know that you were happy, learning, and understanding what they were teaching. The trips we have taken and the memories we have made together built bonds that I hope will stay strong through the years. Thank you to my friends, teachers, and the Nueva community for making these years full of fun, confidence, knowledge, and excitement."

"All this open land was a metaphor to me. It represented my life and how I had so many options, but I had to decide where I wanted to go. At Nueva, we didn't get directed in any one direction, but rather were given the choice to explore and choose for ourselves ... I was truly able to be myself and reach for those high stars because no one doubted me. The teachers never doubted our capabilities ... If I had a dream, I went and reached for that dream until it came true."

"Nueva was very different from the experience I had in elementary school and I knew it was a change for the better. I think the largest change I noticed was the trees. Now I was free to breathe and be who I wanted to be. And I think everyone else felt that way too. No matter how similar two people were ... they were all individuals here. You didn't see that clear division in social groups either. They were all interconnected in wonderful ways. I loved it."