As I leave my role as editor behind when I graduate, I want people to remember who I was and what I accomplished.

I vividly remember my first year of journalism, Madeline Hull, a former editor from Linganore High School, helping Mrs. Graziano and I navigate the SNO platform–I hope that I will be someone remembered by other student journalists like I remember Madeline Hull. After our program won SNO Distinguished Site, Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) decided that they would include SNO in the budget, making SNO free for every school in FCPS to use. This is a monumental accomplishment, as SNO is a relatively expensive program for journalism programs to support themselves. I hope students as well as journalism teachers remember the reason it’s free–I hope they think of Ava and I. 

I intend to visit Brunswick High School’s future journalism students–I hope that they are excited for my visits and they want to listen to the advice I have. My knowledge of journalism has expanded immensely over my year as  editor, and I would love nothing more than to share that knowledge with other students who come into this classroom as eager as I did to learn how to report news to their community. I want students to strive for journalistic success after seeing the limitless possibilities the school newspaper has to offer. 

Brunswick High School’s journalism program has changed me as a person, and there’s really no one to thank other than Mrs. Graziano. This amazing, strong, fierce woman has helped mold me into the person I am today. Without her, I would not be nearly as outgoing and eager as I am today. She is the most selfless person I know – from bringing me lunch everyday to getting Ava and I small gifts with every award that we’ve won. She expands my knowledge every single day and challenges me to think differently about things. She has taught me things that I will carry with me and remember for the rest of my life. She is hands down one of the best mentors I have had throughout my entire educational career thus far – alongside my seventh grade English teacher, Ms. Clarke. Ms. Clarke gave me my first “editor” title as co-editor of the middle school yearbook: teaching me accountability and the importance of reliability at a very young age. I believe this was an important stepping stone in my journey to where I am as an editor today. 

I feel as though it is necessary that I also recognize the outstanding accomplishments of my fellow editor, Ava Stiglicz. Her writing as well as her personality has grown so much in the mere two years we’ve worked together. I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with her and building a genuine friendship along the way. She’s an amazing person to bounce ideas off of and she’s always willing to come with me on any adventure I have to take for an article or a video. I’m beyond thankful that Ava was the person I got to work alongside during my time as editor. 

When all is said and done, I’m proud of what I accomplished during my time as editor of the Garnet & Gold Gazette. I hope that future generations carry-on the brand that Ava and I have created and can wear it with pride like we do. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the G&G Gazette when new, young minds are introduced to the program. Most importantly, I’m excited to see how Brunswick High School honors the legacy Ava and I have left behind.