Prior to their graduation from Mooseheart, three members of the Class of 2007 each took a few minutes to reflect on their time at the Child City.

Tara Janssen spent 11 years at Mooseheart prior to her graduation. She is sponsored by Elgin, IL Lodge 799. Janssen rattled off the litany of 2007 graduates who spent at least 10 years at the Child City: Katie Morones, Tomisha Bennett, Adrianna Tezanos-Pinto, Stephen Tezanos-Pinto, Jasmin Barnes and Chris Fitzgerald in a list that encompassed the bulk of the 19-member class.

"We all pretty much grew up together," Janssen said. "We were all childhood friends."

Those long-term relationships will undergo changes after graduation as the class heads in a number of different directions.

"It's scary," Janssen said. "Mooseheart's my home and I've been here for 11 years. It's crazy to think that I'm leaving here forever. I will never live here again and it's sad."

Janssen said her time at Mooseheart is something she treasures.

"I would not have traded my childhood here for anything else," Janssen said. "As much as I had rough times here and didn't follow the rules or do what I was supposed to do all the time - I loved it. When I look back, I wouldn't have picked anywhere else to be."

Janssen said some of that feeling is borne from her knowledge of what she gained when she arrived at the Child City.

"My family situation wasn't good," she said. "I appreciate what Mooseheart did for me. They took me in, gave me a home and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Janssen said she would always come back as an alumnae and visit the place she has called home for most of her life. She also had some special words for the men and women of the Moose .

"Thank you for all that you do," Janssen said. "I don't know what I would have done without you. It meant so much to me and it means so much for me to able to walk across the stage at graduation with your help and support. You have helped not only me but the rest of my class."

Class Valedictorian Stephen Tezanos-Pinto went through an emotional day as he prepared to leave his home for the past 10 years. Tezanos-Pinto is sponsored by South Sacramento, CA Lodge 255

He laughed and smiled a lot, but also found words difficult during his speech to the assembled crowd. After the ceremony, Tezanos-Pinto shared some tear-filled moments with Superintendent of Education Gary Urwiler.

"It feels like I'm leaving home," Tezanos-Pinto said. "At the same time, it's a day of taking a step forward. It's really exciting. But at the same time, I'm leaving my family."

Pinto hadn't heard of Mooseheart before his arrival and said he wasn't very happy when he first arrived.

"I was away from my parents," Tezanos-Pinto. "I didn't see the opportunity. But as I got older, I got wiser and I'm now very grateful for everything that's happened to me here."

Stephen's twin sister Adrianna was also a member of the Class of 2007. They both intend to join brother Joseph, the 2005 Valedictorian, in California, where they will all go to school.

"I'm really excited about that," Tezanos-Pinto said. "I'm leaving my Mooseheart family. But my blood family, I'm glad I'm going to be living with them. So it won't be as hard."

Tezanos-Pinto had profound words of appreciation for the support he received from the Loyal Order of Moose in his years at the Child City.

"I cannot be more thankful for everything they've done for me," Tezanos-Pinto said. "They've shown me everything I have. They've sent me away from here with impeccable credentials. Everything I do, I'll make sure I keep Mooseheart in it, because I appreciate everything they've done. I'll go to college, but they still love and care for me and support me."

Jasmin Barnes came to Mooseheart 10 years ago. She is sponsored by Indianapolis, IN Lodge 17.

"It's so exciting," Barnes said. "But there are so many feelings. It's sad, happy and exciting."

Barnes said she was similarly excited when she came to Mooseheart. [Administrator] "It was something new with new people and new friends," Barnes said. "Now I'm leaving all my friends and it's sad."

Barnes said most of the class with which she graduated was already at Mooseheart when she arrived, or arrived shortly after. "These are people I've been with my whole time here and that makes it hard," Barnes said. "I've built a lot of strong relationships that I'll have the rest of my life. It's something truly memorable."

To the people of the Moose fraternity, Barnes had words of thanks: "I want to thank them for everything. I wouldn't be this far without them and for everything they do for everything here."

As she heads to college, Barnes is aware her connection with the Moose continues.

"I'll always be in touch with Mooseheart," Barnes said. "When I turn 21, I'll become a Moose member and always stay connected somehow."