Writing this final story seems like a full-circle moment for me, as I know it does for many of my other fellow senior writers. 2023 was a year that forever seemed far away, but as high school came and went, graduation swiftly approached us all. Being part of the newspaper was something I didn’t see coming, but I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to be part of this amazing publication. The friends I’ve made, memories we’ve shared and skills I’ve learned will stay with me forever.

When I first walked into room 226, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. My nerdy, freshman self wanted more books to read, so I asked Ms. Andrea Niedbala if she would be able to help me with that problem. She then directed me to the notorious Mr. Aaron Fitzpatrick, or as every sane person calls him, Fitz. I walked into the room and was introduced to Fitz, a teacher I could tell I would get along with. He gave me “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” which is my, now, favorite book. This interaction sparked my interest in Print Media Workshop, and the rest is history. 

Coming into sophomore year, I was officially part of the class. I knew I was going to love the newspaper. I went in with this hopeful mindset and landed myself the position of Editorial Editor of the newspaper. Me, opinionated? Never. The year was so great, and I was able to write and enjoy what I was doing. I was doing all of this alongside some of my best friends, and we started and finished this journey in Print Media together. 2020 was a very interesting year for everyone, and the newspaper and yearbook online was a learning curve. But we persevered, and made the best of it; the many hours I spent on Zoom calls after school, blasting music, were well worth it.

My junior year main takeaways were; one, being the managing editor of the newspaper, and two, we got a fish! Yes, you heard that right, we had a fish and named it Fishpatrick, because we are very funny. RIP Fishpatrick, you will forever be missed, King. The year was so exciting, and getting to work alongside previous Editor-in-Chief Sarah Levenson was a great experience, and I’m so grateful. This was when I realized that being Editor-in-Chief was something I wanted to achieve. 

So here we are, senior year. I became Editor-in-Chief, and I was ready to take on the year. The people in the class this year were fantastic, and I am so thankful for being able to lead a group of such intelligent and hilarious individuals. I will always remember the interesting memories we’ve made, like the snack cabinet shrine, editorial board discussions that were never on topic, PSPA Trips and torturing Fitz with endless Taylor Swift. He loves it though, so it’s okay.

Now I want to say my thanks. Thank you to all of the teachers and friends who have supported me over the years; I never would have been able to do this without you all. To the Print Media class of 2023, you all slayed. I’m beyond proud of every single one of you and so incredibly proud of the work we produced together. To the underclassmen, you were all amazing and please keep enjoying Print Media, and if you ever need help with anything, I’m only one call away. 

To my favorite ‘freshman’ and managing editor, Christopher Denkovich, where do I even start? You have been a light throughout the years that I have known you, and having you as my managing editor this year was a very fun experience. I’m grateful we were able to take on this year together. You were great at telling everyone to turn in their articles, and I promise you’ll figure out the layout eventually. Thanks for always brightening my day and never once not being yourself. Slay, king. 

To Fitz, thank you for all of your encouragement and support over the years. I don’t think I would’ve been able to survive high school without you. You are truly an amazing teacher and advisor, and I am so thankful for the time we have been able to spend together over the years. I’m sorry for getting on your nerves countless times and messing with your Spotify more times than I can count. Thank you again. 

Saying goodbye is bittersweet, but this is a really long article so I should probably wrap it up. I just want to say thank you again to all of the people in this class, and my amazing friends. You are all so wonderful and I love you guys so much. Never stop writing and getting your voices out there. To everyone reading this, never stop standing up for what you believe in. If you don’t do it, who will? It’s time to go, and I hope you can all find a class like Print Media that makes you feel loved and at home.