This past year has been a juggling act of grades, social lives, jobs, and contributing to the news magazine.  We have spent hours pouring effort into our newsmagazine, and it’s been an honor. Below are reflections from this year’s seniors about their best newsmagazine memories, and advice they have for forthcoming students.

                      From left to right: Ray Brett, Heather Monks, Megan Kemper, Jett Goldsmith

Jett Goldsmith

As co-editor of the View, I got to experience a lot of really great things that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Working with the staff this year was incredible, and I got to meet many people from other schools and share their experiences as well.

To students, my advice is to put in work. High school may be set up to provide a support net for your success, but the real world isn’t. If you don’t take responsibility for your work and effort in life, nobody will be there to stop you from failing.

Heather Monks

My time with the newspaper was a short but great experience that has taught me a lot about how to function as team and also about the journalism industry as a whole. We had fun, like the time we randomly got coffee during class for the entire staff. Or the one time where we stood in the pouring rain after a journalism conference. Or the one time we wrote the most dramatic piece of writing after our pizza would not be delivered because the pizza oven was broken at Pizza Hut. There are so many unique and fun memories that I can’t recall them all.

During every high schooler’s experience, there will be times they question their purpose or question why they have to take that wretched government class. Stick put. Work through it, you will pass through that one class with some time, and friends will come. You will find that what are interested in is entirely different than what you thought. Take me for example. I was dead set on being a Genetic Researcher, until I couldn’t deny how much I just loved the camera. Going to art school is never where I would have seen myself, but now it makes all the sense in the world. You will figure it out, I promise. High school isn’t fun for us, the underdogs, but it will eventually be over. Four years seems like it’s forever, but the next thing you know graduation is upon you, and you have no idea what to do with your life now. Enjoy it now, the simplicity. The best advice I can give: Make sure to actually pass your classes, get a job, find your passion, make some friends, take some AP classes, challenge yourself, and everything will be ok.

Ray Brett

I joined the news magazine halfway through this year and my favorite memory is when I was tasked with taking the picture for “short girl problems” for the last magazine. And I just went up to a table full of girls and asked who was the shortest one there. They all looked at me with a puzzled look but then they all looked at one person. So then I was like, awesome, and asked her to kindly grab me a book from the top shelf. And for another idea I also had her climb into her locker, because she fit. That was just one of the things that I was able to do as a newspaper photographer. If I was to do that in any other situation I would be labeled as “creepy.” So bit of advice: if you want to be creepy and not be labeled as such, join newspaper.

Megan Kemper

I have been a part of the newspaper for three years now and I can honestly say it’s been an honor. It’s exciting to say my work has been published and people are reading and enjoying it. With the help of Mrs. Healey I’ve been able to grow in my writing and become so much better. She is one of the best advisors out there.

I have absolutely loved getting to work with this staff, it is full of the best kind of people. You all have made me laugh so many times and you are each so intelligent and talented.

These past three years there have been so many days of running around, getting quotes, writing, getting more quotes and then editing and reediting. This experience has been crazy and a bit messy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

To students, work hard and never let other people, grades, or circumstances define you. You do you, boo.

We would like to thank the staff of the Castle View News Magazine for supporting us, putting up with our nonsense, and making this year so much fun. We would also like to extend a very special thank you to Mrs. Ann Healey. You have supported us, pushed us, and made us better. We can’t thank you enough. You have taught us so much and we will continue to carry those lessons as we go on to college and beyond that. It’s been such a blessing to have you as our advisor and mentor.

From the seniors of the Castle View News Magazine,

Jett Goldsmith, Heather Monks, Ray Brett, and Megan Kemper