After spending a semester as a news reporter and a year and a half as Opinion Editor, this journey for me has unfortunately ended. 

These last two and a half years have been absolutely bonkers. There have been lots of tears on long production nights but so many laughs. 

Room 400 has become my second home and The Journal has become my second family. I will always remember Nathan Smith texting our group chat and asking what EIC meant. From there, the editor-in-christ meme was born.

Being on The Journal has taught me so many things, to be outgoing, to be courageous, to be focused and so many more life lessons.

I want to thank Sophie Mckinney, the current Editor-in-Chief, for helping me embrace my inner designer and bringing me out of my shell. I also want to thank Elizabeth Valadez, the 20-21 Editor-in-Chief, for helping me push myself to do work I didn’t think I could complete.

Other staff members and editors that I will never forget are Grace Elder, who no matter what always puts a smile on my face with her contagious laugh. And Owen Hodges, who I will always make fun of for using circles on his pages. 

Now, I am not leaving journalism behind forever. It will always hold a special place in my heart, and I hope to continue doing smaller journalistic things in college. 

And Mr. Klopfenstein, there will never be enough words for me to say to express my gratitude towards him. He was the first teacher to really accept me here as a new student at SHS. He knew I had great potential even when I didn’t. Through all the ups and downs, I am eternally grateful for him. I would not be the same person I am today if it was not for Mr. K.

Journalism has always been interesting to me and because of Mr. K, he helped me discover my passion for the subject. 

I know I made some mistakes in these two and a half years, but the best thing I can take away from this experience is you never learn if you don’t make mistakes. 

I am definitely not going to miss the crazy long nights in room 400 and the waking up way too early for distribution. But I will forever miss the endless laughs that this crazy group of teenagers create. 

Room 400 has changed my life forever and no amount of words will ever describe it. I am just so glad I got to spend the last two and a half years in a room where I got to meet some of my best friends.

And to Mr. K, one final thank you for everything you have ever done and will continue to do for all your journalism and newspaper students. You are the teacher that everyone will remember in 20 years.