On our very first day, we were told by past graduates how challenging this class would be.  "Jac's tough," they told us, "but she pushes you to be your best." For the past nine weeks, we've been in a mental boot camp designed to transform us into competent, successful paralegals.  During this time, our worlds have changed.  The word 'discovery' has taken on a new definition.  The word "more" will strike fear into even the bravest of our hearts for years to come.  And we will all forever remember, verbatim, the definition of hearsay. 

This experience has been humbling for us all.  We did not know how much we did not know until Jac  told us.  We did not know just how incorrectly we had been using the word "hopefully."  We did not know that we did not know how to use a semi-colon.  I really didn't know I'd been spelling "calendar" wrong my entire life. 

The demands of this class have taken up most of our time for the past nine weeks.  Without the understanding and support of our families and friends we never would have made it out with our sanity.  For that we thank them. 

We thank our fellow classmates for all that we’ve done for each other.  We started out as strangers, but quickly we became a support network.  For everything from troubleshooting computer problems, to homework help, to quizzing each other before tests, we've been there. The characters that make up this class are unforgettable, and though we’ve been split into two for our mock trial, we complete this program as one family.  We made it through this challenge, and we did it together.

Finally, we thank Jac for her dedication to making us the best paralegals she possibly can.  We thank her for sharing her brilliant mind with us every weekend, and we thank her for opening her home to us at midweeks to keep us on the right track.  It's true that Jac is tough.   I'd say she's picky. On the first day, Jac told us to take down some notes on her pet peeves.  “Who is this woman?” I thought to myself.  “Who does that?”   Now we all know the answer to that question.  Jac Brennan does that.  Jac’s a lawyer, and lawyers have weird lists of pet peeves.  And if we want to work for lawyers, we’re going to have to get used to it. Not all of Jac’s lessons were spelled out in the pages of a power point.  But as the weeks went by it became more and more clear that Jac was training us not only to do the practical things that paralegals do, but to meet the high standards that will be set for us by the attorneys for whom we will go on to work.  Jac's demand for nothing less than the right answer is a tool for success in the working world.

So now as we hopefully approach the job market, we bring with us our new skills and the confidence that we will all make great paralegals.  Best of luck to everyone.

   -- Hannah Tammen, Valedictorian