Vol. 51 Senior Goodbyes

 Every year, I read all the senior goodbyes and thought about what I would say in mine when the time came. But now that it’s finally here, I find myself at a loss for words. I can’t adequately describe what this program has given me, but I’ll try my best.

  Joining Paw Prints Weekly is truly one of the  best decisions I’ve made in my high school career. Not only have I learned a ton about writing and journalism in general, but the countless friendships and  memories I’ve acquired through this program are sure to last a lifetime.

  Coming into this class as a shy, quiet sophomore, the stress of deadlines and multiple rounds of edits a night was difficult to say the least. But, no matter how I stressed I was, it never felt like work. I’ve come to love the writing process in its entirety, but more so, I have come to love every single one of you.

  To Sidney, thank you for being one of the best friends I could ever have. I can’t imagine my high school experience without you. You make me laugh more than anyone I know, and everyday I become more and more grateful for your friendship. Your motivation and diligence in sports and in this class inspire me to be better. I also appreciate you letting me think about my answers for a really long time before you interview me.

 To Estelle, thank you for always supporting me and pushing me to be my best. Your energy and attitude make me feel better even on my worst days, and you always know how to cheer me up. Also, thank you for including me in all of your vlogs.

  To Sarah, I don’t even know where to start with this one. Thanks for just being you honestly. You make hard work days so much more enjoyable, but always manage to get your work done. Despite the fact that you compare me to random US states and presidents, you are one of my closest friends. Also, thank you for reciting the lede of my first entertainment article to me almost every day junior year, reminding me of my humble and cringeworthy beginning in this program. I know that whatever you do in the future, you’re going to be successful, and I can’t wait to see it happen.

  To Michelle, thanks for your passive aggressive comments and constant validation through words like “Okay” and “Good,” and for making me laugh even when you’re not trying to. Also, thank you for taking my pretzels that I didn’t want to finish.

  To Vincent, thank you for giving me someone to talk about Game of Thrones with. I’ll never forget your endless comments about my zodiac sign. Or which political candidate I most closely relate to and why. Or which state reminds you of my personality. Or what kind of vegetable I am. It most definitely is NOT corn, by the way. In all seriousness, I have really enjoyed the past two years with you, and can’t wait to see what you do in the future.

 To Chris, thanks for everything you do for the program, it hasn’t gone unnoticed. I appreciate the times you talk and the times you don’t.

  To Charis, thank you for being such a great co-editor. I would not have made it through the year without you. I appreciate how dedicated you are and I’ll always remember you by your fluffy white dog profile picture.

  To Simone and Colleen, thank you both for being such great writers. Colleen, I enjoyed editing every single one of your articles, and love your passion for entertainment. Simone, you are so cool. And hardworking. And I love watching you braid Mel’s hair.

  To Belinda and Ann, thank you for keeping me up to date on all things K-Pop (and anime, Ann).

  To Justin and Jenibelle, thank you both for the time and energy you put into this program. You both make us all want to be better.

  To Alex, Candice and Rani, thank you for being so hard working, and keeping me entertained when I overhear your strange conversations.

 To Adrian, thank you for being so sweet and willing to help. I admire your kindness and know you’re going to go far in the future!

 To Henry, thank you for reminding me of my college decisions everyday and thanking me for my diligence every time I talk. I appreciate your neverending sarcastic comments, and the fact that you talk in Mrs. Rouw’s socratic seminars so that the rest of us don’t have to.

  To Tiffany and Kayte, thank you for making our paper a little less ugly. Your talent amazes me.

   To Emma and Carol, thank you both for going above your job descriptions for this program, we would not have made it through the year without you. You both are such hard workers and I know you guys are going to do big things.

  To Melanie, I’m so grateful to have you as my co-EIC. I don’t know how I would have made it without you. I’m so happy I’ve gotten to know you over the past few years together in this program. Even when things got hard, I knew I could always count on you to help me through whatever the challenge was, and I will forever be grateful for your friendship. You deserve all the success coming your way.

  To Mrs. Robles, Thank you for encouraging me to join this program, and giving us all a forum to express ourselves freely. Your dedication and willingness to stand up for our right to say what we want is what truly makes this program great.

  So, with that, I guess all that’s left to say is goodbye. I will miss you all, and wish you nothing but the best next year.

 Charley will be attending Mt. Sac in the fall to play water polo.  She hopes to eventually become a doctor or a lawyer, she hasn’t decided. If all else fails, she wants to be a dog sitter for rich people.

  So this is it. If this were 2016, I would never have imagined myself at this point, already planning my senior goodbye. It seems as if time has passed so fast and all my years in this program is just one giant blur. Nevertheless, it is a blur of unforgettable experiences, hundreds of laughing fits, chatty editorial board meetings, neverending articles,  and everlasting memories.

 Flashback to the end of freshman year, when I received my acceptance to the program in a small glass bottle, I was so surprised and excited. Excited to be a journalist, excited to work with all the talented editors, and excited to call myself a staff writer of Paw Prints Weekly. At this time, I didn’t realize that this program would surpass all my expectations and impact my high school experience in more ways than I could ever imagine.

 Being Editor-in-Chief of Volume 51 is an honor that I will never take for granted and this isn’t a proper goodbye without a few major appreciations.

 To Chris, thank you for being there with me since the beginning and going through everything with me since we joined the program together. You are my partner-in-crime, support system, and I am so blessed to have you in my life. This is not a goodbye because we will see each other so much in the summer but please know that I am forever thankful for you.

 To Sarah, thank you for being such a good friend and going through everything with me. We have basically an endless number of memories in this class together and to have you by my side for everything is something I treasure greatly. From all the mukbangs, to ASMRs, to TLC shows, to different journalism groups over the years, you have been there through it all and I am so grateful that it is you I get to experience it with.

 To Michelle, thank you for being literally my favorite person ever. I’m not sure if this is something to be happy about but you make me laugh so much to points where I can’t even breathe or I feel like peeing my pants… In all seriousness, you are such an amazing and unique person and I am so happy to have you in my life.  Thank you for being everything that you are to me. OKAY! GOOD!

 To Charley, thank you for being the most amazing co-Editor-in-Chief and working through everything this year with me. I can’t imagine handling this year without you and having you every step of the way is a blessing in it of itself. We are so compatible together, whether it be bouncing ideas off each other, managing stressful situations, or even just building each other up, I am forever grateful to be able to work with you.

 To Justin, thank you for always making me laugh and helping us out whenever you can. Not having you in the program this year was a big downside but I am glad that you were able to contribute wherever you can. You are such a great friend to me even though you are kind of weird but it is ok. I wish you the absolute best in college and in the future when you are making bank with a six-figure salary.

 To Sidney WONG, even though I don’t show it much, I am extremely grateful that I got to know you better this year because despite all the times you ridicule me or just TRASH me, you are an amazing friend and I appreciate you so much. You always manage to make me smile when I least expect it and we have had so many memories together with Reese that I will never forget and I hope to make many more this summer.

 To Simon Yu, thank you for being the kindest and most down-to-earth freshman I know and I am so happy that we were able to become close this year. We have had so many funny and memorable conversations and your advice is just sometimes so hilarious but at the same time very helpful HAHA. You are such a talented and dedicated individual and I already know that you will accomplish great things in your future. I wish you the best in your water fasts and know that you can come to me if you ever want to talk or need anything.

 To Emma, thank you for being the best co-editor ever. Your first year in the program, I saw a lot of potential in you for your ability to write for sports and that talent transitioned into your superior skills as an editor. Thank you for all your hard work and immense dedication to this program, we all appreciate you beyond words.

 To Vincent, thank you for all your energy and knowledge about horoscopes… You basically seem like a senior to me because your knowledge is so mature. I am so thankful I got to know you better these couple years because you are such a wonderful person and I’m going to miss you so much. I wish you the best in your senior year and remember to not stress too much because you are such a capable person and I already know that you will be accomplishing great things in the future.

 To the staff of Paw Prints Weekly Volume 51, thank you for all your hard work and dedication this year. I know at times it may not be easy especially with everything going on, but all of you managed to work through it and work together to create a fantastic paper.

 And last but not least, thank you to Ms. Robles for everything that you do. This program is so fortunate to have someone who cares deeply for not only its success, but the students in it and our individual successes. You have taught us so much, not only about journalism, but about growing up and handling all the curveballs that life can throw at us. Thank you for being so good to Charley and me this year and I am so happy I got to work with you as EIC.

Melanie will be attending UC Santa Barbara in the fall as an actuarial science major. She would like to shoutout Victoria Kuang, her predecessor, for introducing her to bomb acai bowls.

 This is it.

The end of so many last minute ledes, almost-late drafts and endless laughter, but I don’t know what to feel.  

 On the one hand, the weekly marathon of cycling through writing and editing draft after draft has finally come to an end.

 On the other, however, my two years of amazing, supportive friends and family in an organization on campus that is absolutely unparalleled in energy and team dynamic has suddenly halted. And so, it’s finally time to say goodbye.

 Time to say goodbye to an organization that has shaped and pushed me to be the person I am today, and the person I never thought I would become just a mere three years ago. Through this program, I have forged lasting friendships with people who share my passion for writing, my interests to inform others and, most importantly, my sense of humor.

 With that said, this wouldn’t be a proper goodbye without a few special thanks to those who most impacted me on my journey on the newspaper staff.

 So, thank you Mel for being my friend in and out of journalism, always laughing with me (or at me; who knows?) Thank you for always being there for me and teaching me to be more carefree about the little things in life. You’re one of the most open, caring, and understanding people I have met, and I just know that you will succeed in all of your future endeavors, and I can’t wait to see what you accomplish in the future!

 Thank you, Vincent for basically being my co-editor this year when things got too hectic for me. Thank you for pulling through and writing and co-writing so many editorials with me. And of course, thank you for all the jokes and laughter that you brought to the class that kept the class light-hearted. As I leave this chapter of my life behind, I know that you will continue to strengthen our newspaper, and I can’t wait to read the next articles that you help produce next year!

 Thank you, Charley for the two pretzels that I ate from you while I am writing this goodbye. And, I guess you were a great EIC. I really loved your picnic table stocking, okay? Also, thank you for always stepping up during IB Biology when no one else talked.

 Thank YOU, Sarah, for all of the kindness that you have given me these past two years, from the moment I stepped foot in Mr. Pham’s Biology class last year to this very day. You are by FAR one of the kindest, funniest, and smartest individuals that I have ever met in my life. I am so glad that YOUUU made yourself a foreground in my life because I really, truly could not picture my high school experience without you in it. So, thank you for everything, first from the constant laughs in bio (“I’m gonna need to escort you out of the building,” and the safari outfits) to now, with our own way of speech that is far too robotic, but unique all the same. Like you said, WEEE need to stay foregrounds in each others’ lives okay? GOOD, OKAY, GOOD.

 Thank you, Jenibelle for being such a supportive and kind friend throughout both of these years, and for struggling through IB with me :,) You are such an amazing writer, and you are just so smart all-around. Your support and kindness every day pushed me to be able to edit weekly this year, even when I was so stressed, and I am so grateful that I got close to you through Paw Prints.

 Thank you, Chris for making the program so interesting. Even though you do not even talk and sit in the backest corner of the room you are still funny and GOOD thing youuu  did not resign okay good.

 Thank you, Simone for literally being the best freshman ever! You work so hard on everything you do, and I just know that you will achieve amazing things in the future, and you should know that I will always be rooting for you. Thank you for always having your drafts done by Monday or Tuesday. Thank you for just being the absolute kindest person ever!

 Thank you Emma and Carol for pulling through with the website and layouts each and every week, without fail. Without you guys, all of our writing and editing would have no place to go to inform our school community. Thank you for keeping the program running, and good luck to you guys next year 🙂

   Thank you Mrs. Robles for being the truly amazing adviser that you are. You always kept us in check to make sure we were still doing our work on top of all the fun we had in the program. Thank you for always looking for new ways to improve our newspaper and for being as dedicated as you are. Thank you for giving us this creative space for us to express all of our interests and compile them onto one successful newspaper issue every single week.

 Thank you to every one of my friends in and out of journalism who encouraged me to foster and develop my interests throughout high school.

 And last but not least, thank you to everyone on the staff of Volume 51 for making every moment of my senior year in Paw Prints Weekly count. I can’t wait to see the things you talented people achieve in the years to come!

 So for the last time this year, I write the conclusion of an article–this time, to end one fulfilling chapter of my life and begin another.

Michelle will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall as a Political Science major. She hopes to re-learn to talk normally so she can make friends in college, despite all the fun she had saying, “OKAY, GOOD” to everyone this year.

 What can I say? It’s been a great two years, and I can’t believe it’s come to an end this quickly.

 I still remember the end of my sophomore year, when I was struggling to plan out my schedule for junior year. Side note: wow it feels great being able to use passive tense. Anyway, frustrated with how my classes weren’t piecing together the way I wanted them to, I found myself with a hole for fifth period. Taking a leap of faith, I decided to join Paw Prints Weekly after having already thought about doing so since freshman year.

 I still remember how nervous I was for my interview. After all, I was sitting on a tiny chair surrounded by an intimidating sea of editors and EICs. They asked me to tell them a joke, and I panicked as I struggled to run through my collection of dumb jokes, which took a while, but couldn’t remember any good ones. Off the top of my head—and I still remember this vividly—I said, “Are you Netflix, because I could watch you all day.” I took the small chuckles mixed in with the groans as confirmation that I did not disappoint.

 Flash forward to junior year. Amidst the stress and confusing nature of all the AP classes, I found comfort in the structure provided by our weekly routine of writing an article and publishing the newspaper. Naturally, as I wrote more and more articles, my writing began to improve, and I developed my own style of opinionated writing. In fact, junior year was the most I’ve ever written, which consequently allowed me to strengthen my ability to meet tight deadlines and produce quality work, and I certainly have Paw Prints to thank for that.

 Despite the workload, I’ve had so much fun during my time in journalism. I’ll never forget our “Fun Fridays” and how our EICs came up with the most random games to play. I’ll miss all the amazing memories I made, both inside and outside of the classroom, and I’ll certainly miss not being in class. Yup, you read that right: I’ll miss not being in class. Just double-registered things. I’ll miss the days of not using an Oxford comma, as well as constantly reminding writers that the punctuation goes before the ending quotation mark. I’ll miss the struggle of editing three articles every week, and I’ll miss reminding everyone to include a transition. But most importantly, I’ll miss everyone in Paw Prints.

 Thank you to everyone who has made my experience in journalism such a memorable one. From our online editors who keep the website alive to our advisor who keeps this program alive, I know I speak for all of us seniors when I say that we can leave knowing that Paw Prints Weekly will be in good hands moving forward.

 Signing off the Google Drive for now, Justin Yeh, Paw Prints Weekly Vol. 50-51.

Justin will be attending Harvey Mudd College in the fall as a Computer Science major. He hopes to create a tech startup someday, but if all else fails, he has a YouTube channel that has 19 subscribers as of now. Like and subscribe so that he can become rich and famous!

Dear Vol. 51 staff,

 Oh, hi guys! How are you guys doing?

 Throughout your high school career, you probably answered that in many colorful ways. Perhaps, you slept late the last night because you were cramming for your tests, or finishing your drafts in between mountains of homework or making our newspaper layouts for our next issue. On the flip side, perhaps you and your friends planned to rob a boba store and drink all the boba milk tea in the world. However, through all the good days and bad days, you pulled through issue after issue for our small team of journalists. Behind the scenes, you have dedicated countless hours toward perfecting your draft or artwork and editing column after column, so I just want to shout THANK YOU to all you amazingly talented and hardworking people that made Paw Prints Weekly possible.

 Now, I am at a major writer’s block. I respect and admire you all so much that I am speechless.

 In the end, I am just hesitant to say “goodbye.” I hope these are not my last words to you guys, but just in case, I prepared some notes…

 To Vincent: you are the best co-editor I could ever ask for. Thank you for working alongside me this year and for making me a better editor.

 To Kayte, Charis, Michelle and Belinda: thanks for all the love and laughs in Paw Prints hahahahaha.

 To Emma and Carol: you guys are actually miracle workers. Every Friday at 8 pm, the website is magically updated with a fresh batch of articles, and every month, a stack of complete newspapers suddenly materialize at the front gates. With each so-called miracle, both of you have sacrificed Friday nights and restful sleep, and for that, I will forever owe you one.   

 To my previous editors: you have made me into the writer and editor I am today, and I cannot thank you all enough for all your support and dedication.

 In the years to come, I hope that you will continue to grow as writers, artists, graphic designers, photographers, editors and individuals, in and out of the program. Lastly, for Vol. 52, I wish you guys the best of luck in continuing Paw Prints Weekly’s legacy of granting students a voice on campus.

 If you ever have time, please write me back. I would love to hear about all you will achieve and all the places you will go.

Best wishes,

Jenibelle. 

Jenibelle will be attending UCLA in the fall as a Biochemistry major. She hopes to help patients in a hospital one day, but if all else fails, she plans to crash at her friends’ dorms and catch up on Game of Thrones because that’s what everyone has been talking about these days.

 “I can’t believe this is it!” I say this in both an excited and melancholic tone.

 It’s been three years. I remember first getting into Paw Prints at the end of freshman year and not knowing whether I should even do it. After some debate, I ended up continuing with Paw Prints, and even though not everything along the way was perfect, I’m glad I did.

 With this being the end of my Paw Prints career, there are definitely some thank-you’s that need to be made. But this farewell and thank-you message from me wouldn’t be right without a proper thesis statement:

 Throughout Sarah Chun’s three years in Paw Prints Weekly, she learned many valuable lessons, among them being the significance of support and friendship.

 To Mel– Thank you for being not only a good friend all these years but for doing journalism with me. From fifth grade math all the way to senior year journalism, we’ve shared countless laughs. I’ll never forget all the weird videos we watched together and the mukbangs we did in class.

 Chris– Herro! It’s been really fun being your friend and fellow journalism student all these years. Your little comments were sometimes what got me through class…“And the link’s down below!” And please let me know when you choose between rich or buff.

 Hi Justin– Yeah sorry, I almost forgot about you. But nothing will ever make me forget the seven years (and running) friendship we’ve had. I’m glad you ended up joining journalism even though you double-registered this year. Thank you for copying my outfits and for being your cringe self. Harvey Mudd ABB!  

 Michelle– GOOD OKAY GOOD! I’m super thankful for all the inside jokes and memories we made through this program. Above all, we’ve developed a friendship so unique that we even have our own language dialect, and it’s something I’ll never forget. You’re one of the most talented writers I know and I’m glad and proud that you’ll be pursuing even more success in the future.

 Hi Charley!!! Thank you for letting me make fun of you non-stop for the past three years. It must be annoying but thanks for putting up with me. From government conspiracies and alien sightings, to teenage romance and family…. I could go on but you get it. —

 To Vincent– words can’t explain how thankful I am for you that I won’t even start because that’s too personal. You’re smart, talented, and one of the most empathetic and caring people I’ve ever known. I wish you good luck in journalism next year, I know you’ll do well.

 Ms. Robles– I never expressed my thanks to you, but truly, thank you for the chances and opportunities you’ve given me. I’ll never forget the words of encouragement you gave me after ELA-JEA and SCJEA this year.

 And finally, to all the rest of the staff of Volumes 49, 50 and 51– I didn’t really take the time to get to know all of you, but you all made an impact on my high school journey. Thank you for being a part of journalism.

 In the end, there were a lot of bumps not only through my journey through Paw Prints, but throughout high school. Despite this, I’m glad things turned out the way they did. Not everything turns out the way you want it to. But everything serves as a growing and learning opportunity. Paw Prints, you were honestly never my first priority. But you did make an impact on my life and I hope you continue to do the same for many to come.

 And so concludes my farewell to Paw Prints. I really can’t believe it’s over: writing on Google Docs in this two-columned, Garamond, 10-pt font format. But I don’t give a “honeyed ham” because the time I had with Paw Prints was fulfilling. So, with a light heart, I say thank you and goodbye, Paw Prints Weekly.

Sarah will be attending UC Riverside in the fall as a Pre-Business major and hopes to transfer to a university of her choice and then pursue her MBA at New York University. If all else fails, she will become a calligraphy artist.

“So, why do you want to join this program?”

 As a timid freshman, I looked at the five upperclassmen interviewing me, almost trembling because I was so nervous. I was too scared to look into their intimidating eyes. After what seemed like eternity (but in reality only a few seconds), I opened my mouth to answer.

 To be honest, I now do not remember a single word of my answer. What I do remember, though hazily, is receiving that small bottle that held my acceptance letter to Paw Prints, visiting the counselor’s office every day for a week at the beginning of sophomore year because the Journalism class was not on my schedule, and eventually making the decision of dropping one of my other classes in order to be in Journalism.

 Then came one of the most difficult challenges I had to face. Not only did I have to produce a written work in a short amount of time, I was forced to step out of my comfort zone. I became the same nervous ball of wreck every time I had to go up to a stranger and request an interview for an article.

  Over time, I questioned myself. Why did I want to join this program? It was terrified freshman me all over again, sitting in front of the upperclassmen, struggling to find words to justify my  thoughts and actions.

 Yet I did not notice that I was changing. I did not notice that there was a little less butterflies in my stomach every time I talked to a stranger. I did not notice that I was voluntarily striking up more conversations with people I was not close with. I did not realize that class presentations were getting less nerve-wracking. Most importantly, I did not realize that I was changing: I was no longer afraid to talk, to converse, to enjoy my interactions with other people.

 Before I get to my conclusion, I would like to thank a couple of people first because without them, I would not even have a conclusion.

 Thank you Charley, for being the coolest co-editor I could ever ask for and for believing in me as an editor.

 Thank you Jenibelle, Kayte and Simone for being the best table mates and for making Paw Prints fun and for making Journalism one of the highlights of my high school years.

 Thank you, past editors, for teaching me, for being patient with all my mistakes and showing me how to fix them. I will be forever grateful to you guys for the writer I am today.  

 Thank you to all the staff members for your hard work and for coming up with all the creative ideas that make our newspaper special.

 Thank you to all my fellow editors for always putting in the most time and your best efforts to make our newspaper what it is today. I admire all of you for the all the special flairs that you guys bring to Journalism.

 Thank you, Mrs. Robles, for always being there to support us. Thank you for your dedication and the encouragement you give us.

 And just a quick word of advice to the Paw Prints Weekly Volume 52 staff: Write as you. Take it from me; I have changed this draft numerous times in the past couple of days in an attempt to make it unique, but finally settled on simply writing words from myself. Trust me, it works.

 Looking back, I see my timid freshman self, not only looking at the upperclassmen, but looking at present me, begging for an answer. I still cannot answer my freshman self. But what I can do is answer the question I have to my present self: “Was it worth it, joining Paw Prints?”

 Yes, it was. Paw Prints has not only changed my writing for the better, but has changed me for the better.

 Thank you, Paw Prints Weekly, for all the great memories these past three years. And thank you, for allowing me to find myself along the way.

Charis will be studying as a linguistics major at UC Davis in the fall. One day she hopes to become a teacher or speech therapist. If nothing works out, she will live with all her rich and successful high school friends.

 This might sound cliche, but despite only joining Paw Prints Weekly this year, I would not be the same person without it. Paw Prints has been the most unique, enlightening and overall fun experience of my high school life, and I would not trade it for the world.

 I vividly recall seeing a giant poster advertising Paw Prints Weekly, and being impressed by an actual application process, with an interview and everything. I still recall desperately trying to fish a joke out of my shallow repertoire, and landing on something along the lines of this: “A guy in the soviet union was thrown in prison for criticizing Karl Radek. He is in the cell with two other men, and asks one: ‘What are you in here for?’ The man replies: ‘I was thrown in here for supporting Karl Radek.’ Confused, both men turned to the last man in the cell, who said: ‘I am Karl Radek.’” The execution was not very good.

 Despite my botched attempt at humor, I was pleasantly surprised to be accepted into the program with open arms. The first few weeks were a struggle, trying to keep up with the interviews, the edits and all of the other work involved with Paw Prints. But I quickly adjusted to the weekly publishing schedule and it became the cornerstone of my senior year experience.

 The hard work everyone put into Paw Prints Weekly was evident from my first day. Never have I seen a group of students so committed to a project like this, and I was impressed. I wanted to be a cog in the well-oiled machine that was Paw Prints Weekly.

 I still recall how excited I was to write my first editorial article, and how anxious I was to present my topic to all of my peers on the editorial board. I remember shifting through previous editorial articles, examining their structure and the intricate detail put into every one of them.

 Obviously, my writing skills and work ethic improved tremendously throughout the year. Writing a new article every week does that to you.

 But more importantly, I made an unbelievable number of new friends in the program. My senior year would not have been the same without you guys.

 To Adrian, thank you for being the best friend a journalism student can ask for. I enjoyed our goofy ways of passing the time, including our terrible renditions of “How Far I’ll Go” and “Let it Go,” as well as quizzing each other on the countries of the world every day. I think I doubled the number of countries I can name off the top of my head this year. Don’t let some minor failures take away from all of the hard-work I’ve seen you put in this year, keep your head high and persevere. I hope to see you at UC Santa Barbara in two years!

 To Tiffany, Annmarie, Candice and Alex, thank you for brightening up my day, everyday in the class. I had fun at ELAJEA, and despite saying the opposite, I am still proud of you all for the effort you put in daily. A special thanks to Rani, for always cheerfully greeting me, your small acts of kindness really made my day.

 To Sarah and Michelle, thank you for being the most diligent and hard- working editors a writer can ask for. Hanging out with you guys all day at SCJEA was perhaps the most fun I had all year, and really changed my perspective on the editors in our program. Thank you so much for being so supportive through our college admissions decisions, I will always remember face-timing you guys right before the UCLA decision released, and having my anxiety fade away under all of our goofiness. Michelle, you think yoooooouuu can just place second at SC-JEA? And to Sarah, you really inspired me to work hard and persevere this year, watching you join Gil Cisneros’ campaign and receive a scholarship from Ian Calderon was a wake up call for me to try my hardest as well. Thank you for always making fifth period my most exciting period of the day. H, pump it up pump it up, E-N, keep it going keep it going, R-Y, what up what up, H-E-N-R-Y. I would not be where I am today without you, and I am certain that your disappointing college results are not indicative of the bright future you have.

 To Ms. Robles, thank you for being such a great advisor and staying on top of us when we get complacent. Thank you for all of the time and effort you have sunk into the program, journalism wouldn’t have been the same with anyone else!

 To Justin Yeh, thank you for being the most diligent and helpful news editor an aspiring staff writer can ask for. No way could I have gotten 4th place at ELAJEA without you.

 To Vincent, thank you for being an inspiring perspectives editor and a good friend. You gave me a different perspective on haircuts, and I am sure you got that 5 on the APUSH test!

 To Melanie and Charley, thank you for being the most capable Editors-in-Chief I know. I really enjoyed being Editor-in-Chief for a day, and wish you the best of luck on your future endeavors.

 And of course, how could I forget Colleen and Emma? Journalism wouldn’t have been the same without our friendly banter, nor would have watching Avengers: Endgame been the same. Thank you Colleen, for reminding me everyday that I got rejected from Washington University. But don’t worry, there are plenty more movies I can spoil for you in the future. Thank you Emma and Carol, for being such diligent and vital components of our program, we wouldn’t know what to do without you two! And finally, thank you Emma for being such a supportive friend. I love all of you 3000.

 My senior year experience would have been truly incomplete without all of you at Paw Prints Weekly. I will finish my tenure as a staff writer with a quote from one of my favorite speeches. “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” Never be satisfied and continue pushing yourself forward. Always be willing to do what others say can’t be done. Thank you all for everything!

 Henry will be attending UC Santa Barbara in the fall as a Economics major, and hopes to change the world as a lawyer. Or maybe just change the way you binge watch YouTube as a computer scientist. He hopes to stay hungry and foolish, and will always enjoy an overly embarrassing rendition of your favorite Disney song.

Without realizing, my senior year has already reached its end. As graduation draws nearer, I cannot help but reflect on my high school experiences, one of which is my time at Paw Prints Weekly.

 Although I joined Paw Prints for only one year, this program is one I hold dear to my heart. As someone rather shy and reserved, I loved having a platform to express my thoughts and concerns that others may relate to. Despite staying up until odd hours to finish an article, I not only learned how to write better, but I also became more willing to step outside my comfort zone and learned more about myself than through any other program.

 Although daunting at first, Paw Prints taught me that interviewing different people for news or writing about sports is not as terrifying as it seems. In fact, I learned that I could talk to other people outside my friend group and I could write a whole three columns on a sport I could barely understand. I learned that communication between writers and editors is very important, and that editors aren’t as scary as they seem.

 With that said, I would like to thank my editors. Thank you Melanie and Charley for running this program. You are amazing EICs and editors! Thank you for acting intimidating and making sure we all get our work done. To Charis: thank you for letting me write my K-Pop articles and for keeping me updated with what was happening in class. To Emma: thank you for editing my sports articles so my lack of understanding of sports is not as obvious. To Justin: thank you for making writing for news so enjoyable and efficient. To Carol: thank you for updating the articles every Friday at 8 PM. I always look forward to refreshing the page and finding all our hard work from that week. To Michelle: thank you for making me sound smarter than I am in my editorials. I loved co-writing with you and I hope we have a chance to co-write again in the future. To Jenibelle and Vincent: I will miss writing perspectives articles for you guys. Thank you for letting me write my heart out in topics that are dear to me and letting me heal in the process. Thanks to you amazing editors, I survived writing with all the workload and chaos in my life.

 Most importantly, thank you everyone this year for an unforgettable experience. I never pictured myself joining Paw Prints senior year, but my high school experience would not be complete without it.

 In retrospect, joining Paw Prints was one of the best decisions I made in high school. Even though it has only been one year, I have become so much closer to people I never would have talked to and am so thankful everyone in Paw Prints. I loved being a part of an amazing group of photographers, artists, writers and editors. I wish Paw Prints the best of luck for next year and years to come!  

 So I guess this is farewell. Thank you all yet again and I hope to see you again very soon.

 Belinda will attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall and will be studying Business Administration. She hopes to create her own entertainment management company some day. If that doesn’t work out, she will ask her friends to swipe her in with their meal cards and binge-watch Netflix shows in their dorms.

Journalism for me was… quite an experience. Yet, my high school year is finally over. And I am really grateful for my peers in dance team and my coaches for pushing me on this journey. Dance team instilled in me the values of communication and organization, but it most importantly taught me leadership. I never had a real leadership role until my time on dance—where I worked my tail off, like I do in all my extracurriculars.

Moreover, my time in dance fostered a sense of respect for my advisor. There I was taken seriously, and I was seen as a real contribution to the dance program. My advisors also garnered my respect because they were always honest and fair with me. I’m going to miss Glen A. Wilson and the lessons I learned along the way. Thank you journalism and Mrs. Robles and the friends I met along the way!

Chris will be attending Mt Sac and plans on pursuing business accounting.

It’s almost time for the senior class to graduate.

 I’m finally saying goodbye to this school and, of course, to Journalism. I was only in this class for two years, and for one of them I never even spent time in the classroom, but when I say that I had fun being a part of Pawprints I mean it.

 This isn’t just a goodbye, it’s a thank you message.

 Thank you, Journalism, for giving me an experience no other class could ever provide for me, for giving me the friends I made through this class, and for rekindling the love I had for art. I could have gone through high school without joining Paw Prints Weekly, but my high school experience wouldn’t have been nearly has fun as it was now. Journalism has helped shape me into the person I am today: someone who can make her deadlines and draw a black and white illustration in under twenty minutes.

 Jokes aside, I really am thankful for the way Journalism has tempered my work ethic. Drawing quickly is a skill that I am glad to have obtained, and the satisfaction of turning in my work on time and seeing my finished art published and distributed is what really endeared me to this class. Being an artist for Journalism has turned me into a better artist in general, and I’ll definitely use the skills I’ve gained here to help me in the future.

 Of course, I’m also extremely thankful for the people in Journalism.  In fact, though I’m thankful for Journalism itself, it’s the people that really shaped the class for me, and I want to put my gratitude into a visible message.

 To Michelle: YOUUU have been one of my CLOSEST friends this year, so I am thanking YOUUU in my SENIOR GOODBYE. I’m glad you came from Troy because that led to us becoming friends and being able to graduate together, OKAY. I made a lot of good memories with you and I’m glad you ended up joining the friend group we have now. If I wasn’t double registering I would’ve had a lot of fun in class with you! Thanks for being my friend!

 To Jenibelle and Charis: thanks for being my friends during these four years of high school! We don’t talk as much as we did when we did badminton together or when I actually showed up in the classroom for Journalism, but I still consider you guys my friends and hope that you both have fun in the future, after we graduate and split up.

 And finally to Ms. Robles: thank you for supervising Journalism for all these years! This class has come to mean a lot to me and I’m glad I could be a part of it with you!

Kayte will be attending California Polytechnic State University as a Computer Science major in the fall. She hopes to make money while pursuing her hobbies at college and enjoys drawing with digital art programs.

 A picture can tell a thousand words, and yet words could paint the most vivid image and tell a story. Whether that’s a good story or not though…that depends of course, on the viewer.

 Since I can not use my pencils or graphic tablet, my words will have to suffice. The first stroke of the pencil reveals the scene of a young girl drawing in lined notebooks and doodling her vivid imagination into reality. A messy, silly girl who explored the depths of her mind to create whatever she wanted. Always drew as a hobby, yet a part of her would strive to do something more. Always wished to participate and do something beautiful with that pencil, but too afraid to take that step forward. Always watched as her high school years passed by, one color at a time.

 Junior year came to a close, and her friend Christina Quach convinced her to take a risk and join Paw Prints Weekly. Of course, that fear crept in again and doubt whispered in that sensitive heart that she could never be good enough. Another stroke, and yet her steps brought her into that interview room.

 Shaky hands and jumbled thoughts collided as the chaotic sketch filled the scene. A conflict of ideas clashed in her mind. The girl presented herself as best she could amidst her fear, and eventually that acceptance letter fell into her hands. Suddenly, the colors blended into a beautiful scene.

 One by one, the details all fell into place and the strokes began to connect into something  beautiful. She found her place in a quaint little table of friends. Annmarie, who was warm and easy to blend with like a vibrant yellow. Adrian, who was awkward but friendly like a cool shade of blue-green. Henry, who always had a snarky retort and insult to share like a shade of black.

 A single year, a final year, a memorable year was finally added into the blends of her painting. Carefully folded into the intricate details, memories capture her nights spent with the RWMA. Stories were being told from the carefully crafted friendships that were lost and gained. Happiness being framed by those who support and love her.

 Joining Paw Prints Weekly was perhaps a delayed inevitability, yet in her eyes a memorable experience. Finally, she could be proud of the things she could create as she spent hours on art or the occasional article if up to the task. A fitting conclusion for the artist with a desire for  challenge. Her palette finally came to a rest beside her as she admired the art that resulted from her high school experience. As her eyes shifted to the blank canvas next to her, she was ready to start her next masterpiece.

 As a final note, genuinely thank you to every single friend I’ve made through my high school career! In particular, Anabelle Solorzano is the real MVP who always puts up with my limitless energy and is the best homo homie a girl could ask for. B) Brianna, Anna, Matt, and all the others who have the unfortunate responsibility of spending time with me, thank you for dealing with my stupidity. :’)  Not forgetting those in the RWMA who I’ve quite literally shed blood, sweat, and tears with, Michelle Young, who’s going to be a great leader next year! Andrea Gregorio who’s always a warm addition. Emily Plascencia, and of course every other person I’m missing I’m extending a big thank you to!

 Big shout out to my teachers as well, especially Mr. Torres for always being lots of fun and supporting the band, as well as believing in me. Ms. Rouw for teaching her students all the important things in life (and English, of course)! Also, Ms. Robles for hosting Paw Prints and granting me and the others a wonderful experience!

 Finally, I want to thank my family and some of my closest friends. My best friend L.E. that, despite being separated by a state border, still managed to take the kids. Thanks to them, anyways, for always giving me so much support and being my safe haven. Lydia, who sends me the most cursed images to make me laugh and always being a lovely person.  My group chat friends Kate, Rin, Charlene, Sapir, and Lea who will always love me and help me when I need them. Lots of big love to everyone who have brought happiness to my life! It’s been a very, very beautiful yet chaotic four years, but thank you! 🙂 

 Tiffany’s next stop is Mt. Sac to start her path towards being a high school counselor and perhaps continue pursuing art as a minor. She hopes everyone reading this will find their way through life and have happiness! 🙂