CRESTVIEW — About 14 years ago, two 4-year-old girls met at the now-defunct Tall Pines Academy and became friends.
This week they headed off to college together.
In between, Meagan Clark and Sarah Wolfe played, grew up, played softball and soccer, joined the Big Red Machine, and received their diplomas from Crestview High School together.
“I think it’s really cool because we come from military families and a lot of times, those families move,” Sarah said.
“We have been really lucky,” Meagan agreed.
Sarah remembers the day they first met.
“We met Sept. 4, 2000,” she said. “We met on the first day of pre-school at Tall Pines Academy.”
“She sat right across the table from me,” Meagan said. “We figured out later that we were neighbors. That was cool.”
SCHOOL DAYS
When Sarah went to kindergarten at Antioch Elementary School, Meagan remained at Tall Pines, where her mother taught. Two years later Meagan joined her friend.
“When my mom got a teaching job at Antioch, we went there,” Meagan said. “Sarah and I would see each other all the time.”
The girls were briefly separated again in middle school when Meagan went to Davidson while Sarah attended the former Richbourg Middle School.
But once more, they caught up at Shoal River Middle school.
“I knew she was coming to Shoal River and I was so excited,” Sarah said. “We played soccer together in middle school.”
Though Meagan’s family moved to Baker, both girls next headed to Crestview High.
“We ended up doing marching band together,” Sarah said. “She was a trumpet player and I was in color guard.”
‘SHE GETS IT’
Some of the girls' interests vary but yet, they’re very much in harmony.
“We shop, we talk, we drive around everywhere together,” Sarah said.
“We kind of make each other’s decisions,” Meagan said. “If she can’t decide what to do, I know what would be best for her, and vice versa.”
“It almost seems like we share the same brain,” Sarah said. “I’ll say something and she’s like, ‘I was about to say that.’ We get each other on different levels. If someone else doesn’t get it, she gets it, and can go beyond the thought.”
COLLEGE GIRLS
Now Sarah and Meagan are in Tallahassee for summer school at Florida State University. Sarah will study special education while Meagan is undecided on her major.
“It’s really exciting that we get to go to college together,” Meagan said.
“It definitely makes moving to college a whole lot easier, knowing I have someone there I can trust with my life,” Sarah said.
The girls will live in the same residence hall and have discussed possibly sharing an off-campus apartment in a year or two.
“We’re still going to see each other all the time,” Meagan said.
No matter what paths they may follow, both see their friendship enduring.
“I’m sure we’ll stay in contact like we’ve done our whole lives,” Meagan said. “I know we’ll always be close.”
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHS graduates, best friends since pre-school, head to FSU together