Family and Friend Contributions

I'm just a normal student who attends Kingsway Regional High School. I went about my daily routines and lived my life like a normal person until a tragedy came up me. One of my best friends, Nathaniel Boerlin, died suddenly. He had migraines for a few days and went to the hospital to get his head checked out, when his doctors found a tumor in his brain. He was then diagnosed with GBM, Glioblastoma Multiforme, or a malignant brain tumor. Two days later, my buddy passed on. This was such a shock to all of his friends and family. Why did it have to happen to such a great kid who had so much going for him? None of us knew what to do. It was and still is a devastating event that those who are close to Nate are still working through. Nate taught me a lot about life. He always pushed me to constantly be nice to others and do all I can to help people. Now, even though he is not here on earth with me, I still want to do what he would have wanted me to do and try my best to make him proud.
For the past three years, I have always wanted to donate my hair to those who suffer from cancer, but I could never bring myself to doing it. After the passing of my dear friend Nate, I learned that life is too short to procrastinate. I decided to donate ten inches of my hair to children who suffer from cancer. Of course I was nervous, but who wouldn't be. I felt like I was going to throw up when the stylist put the scissors to my hair but I knew Nate was watching over me, and I knew he would be proud. It is a great feeling to know that you can help someone so easily. Nate would be so proud. For more information about how hair can be donated to those in need, visit the website Locksoflove.com or talk to your hair stylist.

TAYLOR AARON

July 19, 2007

For Nate…

Looking back over 35 years of teaching, I can still see many of the hundreds and hundreds of students who have marched before me, students of varying motivations and capabilities. I was fortunate enough to spend the last eighteen of those thirty-five years at Kingsway Regional High School, and it was there that I met a sophomore named Nate Boerlin. Nate will forever stand out in my memory as an extremely polite, well-behaved young man who just happened to like American history. Into my classroom he would come every morning, on time and with a smile on his face. I would never catch him without homework, and when I called on him to answer a question, he was ready with a response. There were even times when Nate would stay after the bell, asking questions on or commenting about something we had discussed in class. I looked forward to seeing him every day and miss him dearly. Nate Boerlin was and still is one of the reasons I’m glad I became a teacher. I am honored to have known Nate and to have been a teacher of his. He was one of my best.

John McBride -Nate's AP History Teacher

"After Life"

When the slope fell I turned over and started walking.
I pulled off everything,
Stripped myself away.
People were crying and yelling
—off in the distance—
But I kept walking away.
It was cold.
And I was scared.
But I kept walking.
And as the world fell beneath me,
It rose around me,
Like dust in the wind.
These familiar voices,
Gasping for breath,
Saying unfamiliar things.
It wasn’t bright,
Or dark,
It was just
Calm.

It’s been some time now,
And I’m still walking,
Through my life
And yours.
I’m not sure what to make of it,
Or where I’m going,
But I have faith.
Behind me these shaky voices,
Painfully beautiful:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

-Eric Henney

Waterbugs and Dragonflies
By Doris Stickney

Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in a while one of their colony seemed to lose interest in its friends’ activities. Then that water bug would crawl up the stem of a water lily until he was gone from sight.

“Look!” said one of the water bugs to another, “One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you suppose she is going?” Up, up up it slowly went…even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. It’s friends waited and waited but it didn’t return. “That’s funny!” said one water bug to another. “Wasn’t he happy here?” “Where do you suppose he went?” wondered another. No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled.

Finally one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered his friends together. “I have an idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went and why.” “We promise.” they all said solemnly. One spring day, not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan, found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad above. When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn’t believe what he saw. A startling change had come over his old body. He saw his reflection in the pond which revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Then he felt an impulse to move his wings. The warmth of the sun soon dried the water from his new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly! Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by, the new dragonfly came to rest happily on a lily pad.

Then he looked down and saw his friends, the water bugs, just below the surface of the pond. They were scurrying around, just as he had been doing some time before. Then the dragonfly remembered the promise: “ The next one of us who climbs the lily stalk will come back and tell the others where he or she went and why.”

Without thinking, the dragonfly darted downward. Suddenly, he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go into the water. “I can’t return,” he said in dismay. “At least I tried. But I can’t keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. I guess I’ll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they’ll understand what happened to me and where I went.” And the dragonfly flew happily off into its new world of sun and air.

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	I'm just a normal student who attends Kingsway Regional High School. I went about my daily routines and lived my life like a normal person until a tragedy came up me. One of my best friends, Nathaniel Boerlin, died suddenly. He had migraines for a few days and went to the hospital to get his head checked out, when his doctors found a tumor in his brain. He was then diagnosed with GBM, Glioblastoma Multiforme, or a malignant brain tumor. Two days later, my buddy passed on. This was such a shock to all of his friends and family. Why did it have to happen to such a great kid who had so much going for him? None of us knew what to do. It was and still is a devastating event that those who are close to Nate are still working through. Nate taught me a lot about life. He always pushed me to constantly be nice to others and do all I can to help people. Now, even though he is not here on earth with me, I still want to do what he would have wanted me to do and try my best to make him proud. For the past three years, I have always wanted to donate my hair to those who suffer from cancer, but I could never bring myself to doing it. After the passing of my dear friend Nate, I learned that life is too short to procrastinate. I decided to donate ten inches of my hair to children who suffer from cancer. Of course I was nervous, but who wouldn't be. I felt like I was going to throw up when the stylist put the scissors to my hair but I knew Nate was watching over me, and I knew he would be proud. It is a great feeling to know that you can help someone so easily. Nate would be so proud. For more information about how hair can be donated to those in need, visit the website Locksoflove.com or talk to your hair stylist. TAYLOR AARON July 19, 2007


	For Nate… Looking back over 35 years of teaching, I can still see many of the hundreds and hundreds of students who have marched before me, students of varying motivations and capabilities. I was fortunate enough to spend the last eighteen of those thirty-five years at Kingsway Regional High School, and it was there that I met a sophomore named Nate Boerlin. Nate will forever stand out in my memory as an extremely polite, well-behaved young man who just happened to like American history. Into my classroom he would come every morning, on time and with a smile on his face. I would never catch him without homework, and when I called on him to answer a question, he was ready with a response. There were even times when Nate would stay after the bell, asking questions on or commenting about something we had discussed in class. I looked forward to seeing him every day and miss him dearly. Nate Boerlin was and still is one of the reasons I’m glad I became a teacher. I am honored to have known Nate and to have been a teacher of his. He was one of my best. John McBride -Nate's AP History Teacher

	"After Life" When the slope fell I turned over and started walking. I pulled off everything, Stripped myself away. People were crying and yelling —off in the distance— But I kept walking away. It was cold. And I was scared. But I kept walking. And as the world fell beneath me, It rose around me, Like dust in the wind. These familiar voices, Gasping for breath, Saying unfamiliar things. It wasn’t bright, Or dark, It was just Calm. It’s been some time now, And I’m still walking, Through my life And yours. I’m not sure what to make of it, Or where I’m going, But I have faith. Behind me these shaky voices, Painfully beautiful: Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound That sav’d a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. -Eric Henney

	Waterbugs and Dragonflies By Doris Stickney Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in a while one of their colony seemed to lose interest in its friends’ activities. Then that water bug would crawl up the stem of a water lily until he was gone from sight. “Look!” said one of the water bugs to another, “One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you suppose she is going?” Up, up up it slowly went…even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. It’s friends waited and waited but it didn’t return. “That’s funny!” said one water bug to another. “Wasn’t he happy here?” “Where do you suppose he went?” wondered another. No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered his friends together. “I have an idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went and why.” “We promise.” they all said solemnly. One spring day, not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan, found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad above. When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn’t believe what he saw. A startling change had come over his old body. He saw his reflection in the pond which revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Then he felt an impulse to move his wings. The warmth of the sun soon dried the water from his new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly! Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by, the new dragonfly came to rest happily on a lily pad. Then he looked down and saw his friends, the water bugs, just below the surface of the pond. They were scurrying around, just as he had been doing some time before. Then the dragonfly remembered the promise: “ The next one of us who climbs the lily stalk will come back and tell the others where he or she went and why.” Without thinking, the dragonfly darted downward. Suddenly, he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go into the water. “I can’t return,” he said in dismay. “At least I tried. But I can’t keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. I guess I’ll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they’ll understand what happened to me and where I went.” And the dragonfly flew happily off into its new world of sun and air.



	If you would like to share something on this page, please email us.