At the end of my sophomore year, I chose to make a decision that would impact my life in more than one way. I chose to step up as editor-in-chief of the newspaper to further my love for journalism and all the craziness that comes with it.

Since I was young, I have loved writing and looking at newspapers. It is a real passion of mine. I grew up around people interested in journalism and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have had the urge to pursue it. When I entered high school, I always looked at the newspaper and read what funny article came out that month or what interesting topic was being reported on. It was something that really interested me. I was thrilled and excited to pursue something that I had always loved. Granted, I wasn’t prepared for the lack of sleep, crazy deadline days or the early morning push to submit the paper but I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.

Taking on this responsibility pushed me to be a better person. My entire life, I have been a very independent person, and I followed the motto, “the only way it will get done, is if I do it myself.” Quickly, I learned that the “motto” I had kept in my head, was no longer valid. There is no possible way to put out an entire newspaper or yearbook without the help of many. With 29 students in Print Media, things can get hectic, but it’s one of the best feelings knowing you can rely on other people when you need help. I cannot recall the amount of times I had to last-minute email people asking for help because I had to submit the paper the following morning. This has been one of the best parts of working alongside such a large group of people.

When working with such a large group of people, some of the best work can come out of them. Last year, an article was written and with the right placement, headline and content. The article sparked the interest of many students throughout the school. People all over the school were talking about an article published in the newspaper. I remember thinking, “this is so cool,” because people were actually reading what we wrote. But it wasn’t until this year that I learned the power the press and the influence our school newspaper has on the areas surrounding it. Because of some of the things published, actions were being taken to better improve our district. It was one of the best experiences seeing how much a simple newspaper can do to a group of people and school district. I also didn’t realize how proud I would be to see the newspapers each month.

Granted, I love when the papers come in each month and I loved looking through the publication and rereading the work that every single person in PMW had a hand in making, but you will never know how much pride you put into your work until you get an email that it has won an award. When I opened the “secret” American Press Association email and saw that the FHS Press won first place, I cried. Shocker, I know. I was so overwhelmed with joy that all the work that goes into PMW was finally paying off. It was such an accomplishment to see the joy of not only me but the people around me and the hard work people put into the newspaper.

For those of you who don’t know, PMW isn’t your average class. You don’t sit in class for 85 minutes, leave and move on with your day. For me, it is something I take everywhere. Whether it is at work, at my house or just in my head, Print Media is always on my mind. It’s like my brain is wired to function like that. I constantly wanted to make sure we were making the best publication. If it weren’t for a few people, I think I would have gone crazy a long time ago because of how stressed out I had become.

To my mom, I cannot describe how thankful I am that you sat and listened to me every day at any hour of the day for a whole school year. Whether it was a good day or bad, you were always there to listen and give me advice. Even though by now, you’re probably annoyed, I am still extremely grateful.

To Gracie and Hope, thank you for the constant reminder that I’m not crazy and the weird, but wonderful friendship we have. If it wasn’t for our countless trips to get Hibachi, Chipotle or even our yogurt dates, I would have exploded. I thank you two a lot for always keeping me calm, well most of the time, and always having my back. I appreciate all the things you did for me this year.

To my fellow PMWers, I want to thank all of you for making this year special for me. The amount of laughs, jokes and pure craziness that went on in room 226 I will honestly never forget. It means a lot that each one of you took the class and always helped when it was needed. Your help was much appreciated and I cannot wait to see what the next year will bring us.

Finally, to Mr. Fitzpatrick, first and foremost, I’m proud of you for putting up with me all this time. If I were you, I would have lost it a long time ago. Thank you for putting up with my thousands of emails, layout issues, last minute fixes and craziness all year. I give most of my love for journalism to you. If I wasn’t for Print Media, I probably wouldn’t be pursuing an English and Journalism degree. You have taught me so much this entire school year and I cannot put it into words how thankful I am to have you as a teacher. Even though I make fun of you, you are probably one of the best teachers I have ever had. Although, I would love to make that up, I mean every word. You have taught me patience, to never give up on anything and to always keep moving forward. Thank you so much for listening to me at seven in the morning and sometimes until after midnight with the paper. I am truly grateful.

Although, my time here at FHS is not coming to an end, my time as editor-in-chief will be. I cannot wait to watch the publication go even further next year. To whoever takes on the position next year, I wish you the best of luck. I cannot wait to help you and help the publication grow into an even better paper.

To the student body, I thank you for reading the publication and supporting something that not only means a lot to me, but to a lot of other people. We appreciate the support from every single one of you. This has definitely been the most stressful year of my life, but it has also been the best. I cannot wait to see where FHS Press goes from here.