The past three years as a member of The Panther staff have taught me much more than I could imagine and have shaped the student I am today. Journalism has been a creative and supportive outlet for me to grow as a student when I may have felt trapped in my daily routine and other classes. For this, I want to say thank you.

Let’s go back to the beginning of my journey on The Panther. At the beginning of my Sophomore year, I was fed up with my lack of success in the areas I tried out for. I was cut from volleyball, denied from yearbook, and more, all in three months. Letting out my frustration to a friend, I said, “I am going to join Newspaper, and one day I will be Editor-in-Chief.”

First, I want to thank The Panther for teaching me that that hard work does pay off. After joining Sophomore year, I worked hard by taking on controversial article topics, staying after to learn InDesign tricks, and helping underclassman. As a result, my hard work paid off, and the comment I made to my friend came true. I will take the knowledge that when you set your mind on something and work hard to achieve it, it will come true. As cheesy as that is, I know that this mindset will help me throughout my life.

Next, I want to thank The Panther for teaching me that writing can be fun. It can be easy to dread a Collegio essay or Theology reflection when you are held to strict standards for format and content. Journalistic writing has provided an outlet for me to be creative in what I am writing about, what interviews I choose to conduct, and the angle I want to portray in my article. Having fun with the articles has given me a deeper appreciation for writing in general. Instead of dreading having to write a Collegio essay or reflection, I find it fun to be able to develop my writing skills.

I also want to thank The Panther for helping me find my passion that I want to pursue in the future. Going into high school, I had no clue what I wanted to study in college except that math was not my thing and I sort of liked writing. Having the exposure to what it is like to be on the communications side of a school, conducting interviews, working with graphic design, and writing articles have given me a passion for journalism and the analytics behind how journalism is received.

It has been an honor to highlight the people, events, clubs, history, etc. that make Prep special. As a student journalist, I have felt the responsibility to give underrepresented students a voice and a chance to be heard. The Panther has given me a chance to realize how special Prep is and everyone who makes up the community.

Most of all, I want to thank The Panther for providing a supportive outlet in the form of the staff and fellow editors. I encourage all Prep students to find an outlet at Seattle Prep – whether it is sports, theater, clubs, dance, music, etc. This ability to be creative, problem-solve, and lead with my peers has made my time at Seattle Prep even more worthwhile.