I am honestly in disbelief that the time has come for me to sit down and write my senior article. Three years of AP style, brainstorming and production are finally coming to an end and I feel so proud to say that I was a part of The Churchill Observer.
Anyone who knows me knows that the school newspaper wasn’t exactly my plan when it came to high school extracurriculars. Sports were more likely to be my path, growing up a three sport athlete I always assumed my time would be spent on the field rather than the production room. But after an unexpected knee injury landed me on crutches all of freshman year, I had plenty of time to fill.
Joining journalism my sophomore year was so much more than a class: It was a new passion and outlet for me to be able to express myself now absent from my sports. I was so accustomed to having a team in my life, collaboration was second nature and being back in that environment was a breath of fresh air.
While the teamwork came easily to me, there were many areas in this class where I had to push myself. Not a naturally creative person, I could find it difficult to tap into that part of myself but I’m proud I was able to and am thankful for the experience that has made me a much more well rounded student and person.
This past year on The Observer has by far been my favorite. Being named the copy editor and accepting the responsibility and leadership that has come with it was an amazing accomplishment. The hours spent staring at the computer screens in the production room scanning every article for edits were extremely tiring, but they were also extremely rewarding.
I attribute that feeling to the people that filled the room. The last night of production was always my favorite as the production staff was down to three people: our two amazing EICs and myself. Being able to laugh and create with Ceci and Leah in that room are memories that I will never forget.
Ceci and Leah led the paper this year seamlessly with their creativity and leadership. I have never seen two people bicker so much and yet still have an incredibly productive and inspiring partnership and it was an honor to see this team grow firsthand.
Overall, I could not have asked for a better backdrop to my high school experience. Having the same class with the same people for three years gave me a sense of passion and community that I could not have found anywhere else and I can not recommend it enough.
