During my four years of high school, I have changed and grown in so many more ways than I can even dream of. Of course, I obviously am not the first person to realize this. While we steadily bloom into adulthood, there is still that childlike wonder in us that continues to grow alongside us.

For me, that is my passion for art. The Journal has become a medium to share my works that I have created alongside other artists during two of the most tumultuous years of my high school life. I am so grateful to have worked alongside such talented people, and I am certain that the next line of artists will continue to inspire and improve our newspaper. I may never pursue art again as passionately and as dedicated as I could during my time in The Journal, so I am eternally grateful for the brief, yet touching time I had. Nothing ever came close—The Journal is home to many of my “firsts”: my first time staying after school for so long, first time in an airplane, first time winning state and national awards, first time being in a class that felt like a family.

I’ve never laughed or cried so hard in other classes than I have in The Journal either, and I’ve never eaten as much in them as well. Amid all the complaining and tiredness of missed drafts or empty photos into the long production nights, there was laughter, communication and understanding. I have never met students so dedicated to their crafts—and so brilliant at it, too. Now that I’ll be moving on to new things along with my graduating class, I hope I’ll always keep the dear memories that passed by so fast in my heart.

Thank you to our exceptional newspaper publication team, and even deeper gratitude to the real MVP of The Journal: our wonderful advisor who made it all happen: Mr. K.