May 31—TRAVERSE CITY — When asked about the next phase of his life, DJ Moyer says with big smile, “I feel both excited and nervous.”

“I’m excited for the next step of my life, which is an even bigger step than where I’m at now in high school … and nervous because I’m not 100% sure of what I want to do yet. I don’t know everything the future holds, but there’s also excitement in that, too,” Moyer said.

Moyer, 19, has been a student at Greenspire High School since his sophomore year of high school. On Friday, he’ll walk across the stage with 15 other graduates at the Botanic Gardens at Historic Barns Park. The 2024 graduating class is Greenspire School’s first.

Erica Walsh, head of school at Greenspire, said that the graduation of the 16 students “marks the next phase of a successful secondary program serving our region’s youth.”

“[The graduates] bravely transferred from a variety of area high schools, seeking a project-based learning, environmentally focused, smaller-school setting,” she said. “[They] paved the way for their younger peers by assisting the administration to create a student-centered high school environment.”

Before attending Greenspire, Moyer was homeschooled, along with his six siblings.

He says that it was a big adjustment learning to build a social life, but the staff at Greenspire helped him find his way.

“One of my fondest memories here is building friendships, and having the supportive group that I do now. I was scared of not fitting in, but it got easier, and I adjusted.”

He said that saying goodbye to those friends has been hard, especially those he’s closest with. “Some tears were definitely shed yesterday,” he said, “We hope to stay in touch.”

Once graduated, Moyer said that he plans to take a year off, and then start a new academic journey with Northwestern Michigan College. He plans to participate in the school’s Chemistry program.

“I’ve always been into science. When I was really young I wanted to be a paleontologist, and then one of those little crystal kits, too.”

Moyer said that his science teacher, Roderick “Roddy” MacNeil, pushed and challenged him as a guide, when he realized that Moyer had an interest in science. “I’m going to miss my teachers, just as much as my friends.”

Moyer has been a student in the culinary program at Northwest Education Services’ Career Tech Center, he says that he’s enjoyed incorporating science with food. “Baking is more chemistry than what people think.”

One of his proud moments from his time at the Career Tech center is passing his ServSafe test, and earning the certification. “That test was hard, but I managed to get a score of 98%,” he said.

Moyer said that he suffers from dyslexia, but he’s had an encouraging backing of teachers that have guided him along the way. “A lot of the writing portions, it was harder for me too, but I have amazing teachers that helped me adjust to that.”

Moyer, if given the chance to share words of wisdom with his younger self, said that he’d share one of the biggest lessons he’s learned. “Don’t change for anyone,” he said, “Stay true to yourself and be proud of that.”

He also has words of wisdom for sophomores and juniors nearing the end of their high school careers: “Don’t give in, hang in there,” he said. “Things may seem nearly impossible, don’t stop trying.”