THE FIRST GOODBYE: An Editorial

While my fellow seniors will say their goodbyes in May, I begin my process with this: my last article for The General Journal. Due to a scheduling conflict with an A.P. class, I must step down from my position as editor of the news section for this exceptional paper.

I am certain many of you reading this article do not know exactly who I am (besides my previously stated position), so allow me to introduce myself before you read my final words to the news section and The General Journal staff. I first joined the staff as a sophomore the fall of 2012 and learned more about the class under the leadership of then-junior Corbin Kinsey. The following fall, I served as co-editor of the news section with then-senior Ashli Brotherton. It has been a pleasure seeing this section, as well as the paper as a whole, evolve into what it is now, and I can’t wait to see what happens with it in the future. As some of you may have guessed, I plan to earn a degree in journalism in order to continue to pursue this passion of mine as a career. It is my hope to eventually work in the travel writing industry for publications such as National Geographic Traveler.

That’s enough about the future. This article is about thanking my fellow staff and indulging my nostalgia. I know I have learned much in these three semesters that I could not have learned elsewhere, such as how to develop a paper from the ground up and how talented and hardworking high school students can be.

No matter which semester I look back to, I always remember a diverse group of students. We came together and formed a heterogeneous group bound together by the shared goal to create a monthly print paper and eventually an online paper. Though we have experienced a fair share of difficulties, I learned that it is indeed possible to work with a group to create something simply astounding such as this paper and website. Strife is just part of the process.

I thank my fellow section members, Noah Clayton, Clay Mount, and Novella Long, for allowing me to learn more about how to be a leader through the trial and error process that happened this semester. I cannot think of anything else I would have wanted from you all because I found you all to be patient, determined, and excellent individuals. For those of you who plan to continue this class, I only wish the best for you as you grow as journalists and people. I know you all are capable of great things.

To those who are reading this article, you will never see another article from me here, but I hope you will find my work in newspapers and magazines soon. If you do, you can be certain that much credit is due to Heritage High School’s The General Journal.