Leonard Bruecklmeier 

From the mountains of Bavaria to the land of opportunity comes future German engineer Leonard Bruecklmeier. Leo will be embracing his country’s knack for engineering beyond comparison at The Technical University of Munich where he will study aerospace engineering, making sure that any aircraft or spacecraft will be at peak performance for years to come. 

Although one could make the jokes about “German Engineering”, and how he fits the bill, one cannot diminish the skill, drive and intelligence needed to succeed in this field. Aerospace engineers are among the world's brightest, making sure that you can get across half the world in a half a day without any delay. When asked why, or better yet how, he found himself so fascinated with this unimaginably difficult field, Leo answered rather plainly, “ I have always loved designing stuff and problem-solving. I also have always found rockets and planes very fascinating.” Every brain works differently, and if you have the kind that can mentally disassemble the engine to a 737 jetliner, then you were made for this field, and Leo is perfect for this line of work. 

Although he may have come from a land far from here with different traditions and customs, braved a whole new school system, and the social dogma that comes with it, it is still more than natural to have a sense of anxiety over graduation. When Leo was asked for his opinion or his feelings about it, he sat there for a minute in quiet contemplation, then calmly answered, “I have no clue where the year went. I am nervous for graduation but also excited.” That seems to be a very common sentiment across this year's senior class, with many not believing how quickly this year has truly gone by. 

When it comes to high school memories, they can range from bad to good, nightmares to absolute dreamscapes. But no matter which seems to be more common, there is always one memory that will stand the test of time. When Leo was asked, he answered with his classic punctuality, “The Band Disney Trip.” Well, when one gets an essentially free Disney trip, I imagine it must be that much more enjoyable knowing that you won’t have to foot the bill, but he did note that his favorite part was being amongst his friends, for “one last hurrah”. 

The staff of this school can make or break one's high school experience, luckily the staff of this school is the best in the state and among the best in the country, at least in the students' opinions. But there will always be one teacher or staff member that stands out the most to each student. Leo’s choice of staff member is not shocking knowing her reputation,”Mrs. Taylor, it always brightens my day when I have her class and she has helped develop my writing skills and love for reading a lot.” Mrs. Taylor is a common favorite among the students and I can’t say it's surprising knowing how much she does for every student she has and even for those she doesn't. 

After four years in this school, seniors have learned a thing or two because they’ve seen a thing or two, and we’ve acquired enough knowledge and experience that we have enough to impart on the upcoming class. When asked what Leo wanted to impart, he briefly answered, “Have fun and take Com Sci.” Although I never took Com Sci, from what I’ve seen, it is a very helpful class to take, and I have to say that it's pretty good advice. 

We can’t say with any degree of certainty where we will be in ten years, but it's always fun to try and guess where we will be. When Leo took a guess at where he will be in ten years, he said rather morbidly but while smiling, “ If I haven’t died yet, probably still in Germany.” Well, here's to hoping that he’ll still be here and pushing the bounds of engineering over in Germany. 

Leo’s final message to the school is in character for him with it being short and sweet, “It’s been fun.” 

Leo’s senior quote is as follows, “"The present time has one advantage over every other – it is our own." – Charles Caleb Colton. Rather inspirational if I may say so.