Hi, if you are reading this then you might be aware of all the other stories posted recently by seniors with the same title. Don’t worry, this is a different story, and, it will be filled with inside jokes and sentimental newspaper stuff, so you probably will not understand half of this if you are not part of the staff.

To start off my last story, I would just like to say how much newspaper has changed me during the two short years I have been a part of it. I knew it would be a lot of fun, but I didn’t realize just how close I would become with all of the other staff members. As an underclassmen, I would always anxiously scan the newspaper to see if there was any glimpse of me in a small picture about the musical. Once I joined the staff, I fell in love with taking those pictures that appeared there, and instead of anxiously looking to see if I made an appearance, I would excitedly flip through the pages counting all the pictures I took in each issue (that also includes the five cover photos I took this year that I am very proud of).

Before I graduate and move to Lawrence next year, I just want the other staff members to know how much they have impacted me these past two years.

Camryn, Hayley, Justine and Maggie, it seems like every time I went to your row to ask for edits all three of you were jumping on the chance to edit. I loved how you guys were not afraid to try doing things like taking pictures by yourself and designing your own pages as staff reporters. All of you are great and will do great things.

Ella, I remember writing your first print story with you at the beginning of this year. It was kind of a mess, but I am glad that I got to see how much you improved as a staff reporter and as a writer.

Alicia, I loved doing interviews with you, especially when we interviewed Mr. Hardwood, because you always asked really good questions and were able to laugh off all the bad (and very long) quotes we sometimes received.

Keegan, Rose and Peyton, we didn’t talk much this year but I always appreciated how hard you worked and am very glad on what the video department has become. Daniel, I guess you’re on video crew too, but I feel like even though you spent most of the time watching soccer videos and playing computer games, somehow you were still able to make great videos, and I know I could have never made videos like that if I played slither.io as much as you.

Sam, I was kind of jealous when you won sports writing at Regionals and I didn’t place, but I wasn’t surprised because you probably know the most about sports out of the entire staff and you’re also such a great writer.

Ally and Maya, I kind of hate grouping you guys together so much but I feel like if I separated you I would be saying the exact same thing. Thank you for always telling me when you were leaving class to go to the bathroom everyday, I probably would’ve had no idea where you went. Also I like how while the rest of us were goofing off you were working the hardest some days, even if you were working hard on APLAC and not newspaper.

Alyse, I really enjoyed bonding with you this year, especially when we would just start talking about random stuff like actual haunted houses and your pet snake.You are a great writer and while you can be overshadowed by the extrovertedness of other staff members, your stories were always some of my favorite ones to read.

Abby, in addition to being a great cartoonist, you are also really good at designing pages and fitting your awesome cartoons into the page. Also, I like bragging about your cartoons to my friends at other schools because I haven’t seen any cartoons in a newspaper that were better than your Rey.

Clara, I’ve always been impressed with how hard you work in class while also participating in off-topic discussions. Usually I do either one or the other for the class period, but you always seem to be doing both and I wish I could be half as efficient as you and be able to design and write stories as well as you.

Ellie, what you did with the web this year blew my mind compared to last year. It felt a lot more organized and the home page seems so much nicer now and you play a big part in that, so thanks.

Lizzy, I will always have more cover photos than you! In all seriousness, you are such a good writer and I always envied your ability to be so good at everything newspaper related. Whatever you end up doing, I know it will be great and I can’t wait to see it.

Kelly, thanks for letting me use your blanket sometimes to sleep. Also, thanks for talking to me when I got bored and didn’t want to bother the EIC’s. I’ll probably see you around Lawrence next year (most likely in a library), and I’m glad we got to become closer this year through newspaper and being Hamilton’s TA.

Reaghan, do you work at Pizza Shoppe? Thanks for putting up with being the only person next to me all class and having to hear all my dumb problems that could have been solved with one click. I learned a lot about designing from you and can’t wait to see what you design for the newspaper at Bradley in the coming years.

Rylee, you probably deserve an award for having to deal with me the most this year. I loved sharing five to six classes with you all year and think that, even though we’ve known each other since like fifth grade, this is the most we’ve ever bonded. Good luck in Iowa, I know you’ll be a great addition to that school and its journalism department.

Micah, I feel like I haven’t annoyed you enough this year, so I decided to room with you in college and annoy you some more there. In all seriousness, I really enjoyed our car rides together and can’t wait to take you to some fraternity parties next year. Also, I will never give up on trying to convince you to start a YouTube channel, so be prepared.

I will miss DHS and The Green Pride family next year, but to be honest, I’ve been checked out since spring break so goodbye y’all, it’s been real. ✌✌

Sincerely,

Johnny (yonny) Meehan