To be honest, I was never confident in my writing, editing, or design skills. When I joined Newspaper, I was welcomed with warm arms. Having never taken a basically student-run class before, I didn’t know what to expect. Coming in on my first day, I was thrown right into the craziness that is class, with deadlines to meet, people to interview, and infographics to make. I was met with a newfound love for ensuring everyone had a role.
I have always had a passion for leading others, but I never had the opportunity to use my skills. This class gave me an outlet for that, I was able to create unforgettable bonds with so many of the Occidentalist staff, without them, this Newspaper would not be what it is today.
I started the year off strong, having spent time at a week-long camp during the summer at the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) at Michigan State University. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I absolutely adored that camp, yes, the rooms may have been hot and the hours put in were long, but what came out of it really inspired me. Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Aubrey Lawless, Sole Demeuse, and I spent our time making a guidebook on how we wanted the class to run. It has hard, tedious work, but it not only earned us the Sparty Award (the highest level you can earn), but also set us up for how we wanted to run the class.
Once I stepped foot into the class, I took on so much responsibility, and it didn’t stop until the very last second. I have always been someone who waits until the last minute to do pretty much everything, but this class has taught me to get everything done ASAP because trust me, something will go wrong and you will have to spend hours after school trying to fix things.
There is no I in team, and I really mean that because while me and Sole ran the class, there would be no stories, pictures, or graphics without the students in this class, I am so proud of the work we have created together, day in and day out, we come into room A103 and make sure the Newspaper is the best that it can be.
This class would not have run so smoothly without the amazing advisor, Mrs. Tenbusch. She has been one of the biggest inspirations; not only is she so helpful, but is also one of the kindest people I have had the pleasure of being around. I think her bubbly personality (and just about the cutest outfits you will ever see) is why the class runs so smoothly, I could not have done this year without her. Thank you!
Being a leader is not what I expected when I joined this class junior year, but I am so happy that this is where I ended up; it brought me so much happiness to see the product that we created each month and the friends I have made.
Sole — I couldn’t have asked for a better person to help me run the class, from double-checking every last piece of writing to becoming an InDesign queen, I know you will go on to do amazing things.
Tess and Aubrey — I don’t know what I would have done without you guys this year. You guys truly saved me and Sole (and the website), and for that, I am forever grateful. From a boring foreign language class to a class I have poured my heart and soul into. I leave with great certainty that this class that I have spent the year leading is in good hands.
Signing off, your editor-in-chief, Audrey Kohler.
