A town of rich history

      Arizona for me is more than just my home and birthplace it is my history. On both sides of my family, I have rich history in Arizona that goes back for generations. This land marks my family name and my life. Out of all the towns and cities within Arizona that have influenced my existence, I feel that Mesa has had the greatest influence on me. Mesa is a town rich in history and full of potential.

 

     One of the best traditions within Mesa is education. I was lucky enough to attend Mesa High School while growing up and was able to be a part of the 100th graduating class of that school. This was a special experience for me because it allowed me to see many of the people who had been touched by the great traditions of that school over the years. It helped me to see how education had played a vital role in the progress of this area by influencing those who lived here for the better. My grandpa Royd Shumway, had taught and coached at Mesa High years earlier and it made me proud to be able to carry on some of the same traditions that he had stood for. Even though my mother and father had both gone to Westwood High School, they also were able to help me appreciate the rich history of my high school and of Mesa itself. They helped me realize that it wasn’t the fact that Mesa High School was the oldest school in the city that made it so special, rather it was the people that it represented that made it great. I believe that is what I love most about this city, the people. It is not the heat, the lack of rain, or the awesome desert climate that make this place great; it is the people and the traditions and lessons that they left behind for us to learn from that have turned this desert land into an oasis. It was those who came before that made this place great, and it is those who live here now that give it potential today.

 

     Mesa has grown a lot since I was a child and even more since the spread out farmland days that my parents have described. It is now difficult to tell where one city starts and another one ends as one drives through Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, and the Greater Phoenix area. The population in these areas has just exploded in recent years, and it shows no sign of slowing down. As more and more people hear of the great things that Arizona has to offer they can’t help but zone in on this beautiful sprawling desert oasis. As more people come to live in this area of the world, those of us who are natives are faced with the opportunity of change, and while some of the change that comes may be a little less than desirable, most of it provides us with a great potential for success. The potential that Mesa provides is something that invites me to stay in the place of my birth. While traveling through the city, it is easy to spot economic growth and stability. However, the less obvious; but more important growth of the people is viewed not through a quick drive through, but by daily interaction with those that call this place home. It is easy to spot optimism and hope in the lives of almost all who live in Mesa, and that for me is the best thing about this city.

 

     Mesa is a place that I cherish because it has provided me with a great history and an even more promising future. Things here are not perfect but they are great. People come here from all over the world because they are provided with the opportunity to succeed. That is why Mesa is my favorite town in Arizona.