Truthfully, if you had told me back on Aug. 31, 2020 that responding to an email from my bedroom desk would completely change the course of my high school career, I would have stared at you in disbelief and called you insane. But alas, here I find myself four years later, writing my very last NSN article and reminiscing as my time as a member of the North Star News team reaches its bittersweet conclusion.

Ever since I can remember, creative writing has been at the forefront of my life’s passions, as evidenced by the dozens of short stories I composed during my elementary and middle school years. When I entered high school however, I set out with the goal of expanding my skill set, and at the time, joining the North Star News team to experiment with journalistic writing for the first time seemed like the perfect opportunity to reach this goal of mine. So as soon as my freshman self received an email from North Star News adviser Jean Ordonez asking to reply if interested in attending an NSN informational meeting back in fall 2020, I was all hands on deck – blissfully unaware of the whirlwind of an adventure I was about to get myself into.

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I initiated my first interaction with North Star News adviser Jean Ordonez on Aug. 31, 2020 in response to an email I received at the beginning of my freshman year asking students to fill out a poll about their thoughts on remote learning. Little did I know that this seemingly simple decision would lead to the start of one of the most rewarding endeavors of my high school career.

Unlike almost every other journalist that has opted to join our publication staff over the years, my experience was quite unique by comparison. For starters, I was never able to take Journalism, the standard prerequisite course designed to introduce students to the basics of the class. Instead, I was thrown headfirst into the deep end, with my first two articles, “Ways teens too young to vote can get involved in the 2020 election” and “The 19th Anniversary of Sept. 11: How are we commemorating it?,” being published remotely during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, the core of our humble staff was composed of just myself as a reporter, Editor-in-Chief Nicole Nantz, Managing Editor Liv Frey, and fellow reporter Hannah Freireich. Together, we would meet via Zoom on an inconsistent schedule, rushing to put together cycles even without the assistance of an established editorial staff. Despite our limited resources, I am grateful that we managed to make the most of what was available at our disposal and keep our publication afloat during an otherwise isolated period of quarantine.

When I became a sophomore, I graduated from reporter status and was given the honor of serving as an editor alongside Editor-in-Chief Nicole Nantz and fellow editor Stavros Hatzopoulos. Working on the other side of the publication gave me a newfound appreciation for just how much hard work and sacrifice happens behind the scenes to keep this operation running successfully. In addition to writing my own articles, I was now tasked with editing and providing feedback on other reporters’ stories as well, which taught me the importance of establishing effective time management skills. Stepping into my first leadership role however, was admittedly quite scary because by nature, I am an introvert who tends to prefer spectating as a follower as opposed to exerting authority. That being said, as I felt myself starting to grow into my new position, I slowly began to develop the confidence needed to fulfill my editorial duties and recognize that I do in fact have what it takes to be a leader.

During my junior year, the face of our staff underwent its first major transformation when we attended our first NSPA/JEA conference in St. Louis. Stepping out of my comfort zone and getting the opportunity to be exposed to the world of high school journalism was truly an experience unlike any other. The conference was also special in that it allowed our staff members to bond closer together and learn about one another as individuals outside the walls of the classroom. In the spring of 2023, at the NSPA/JEA conference in San Francisco, we witnessed our publication gain recognition on the national stage by taking home seventh place for Best of Show in the country. By this time, I had come to the realization that we had the potential to become much more than just an average high school newspaper. Entering national competitions allowed us to learn to thrive under pressure alongside other student journalists and implement the skills we had been taught into real world practice.

By the time senior year came around and I was given the coveted position of Editor-in-Chief, I felt like I had inherited the responsibility of a lifetime. How was I ever going to meet the seemingly impossible task of filling the shoes of my predecessors and continuing to steer the NSN ship in the right direction? Fortunately, through the expertise and guidance of adviser Jean Ordonez and assistant adviser Jason Mormolstein, I had been equipped with the perfect resources to help me to achieve just that. In a way, I can say that I have learned to become the leader I am today from watching each and every one of our staff members grow in their abilities over the years. By participating in competitions such as IHSA, NISPA, and IJEA for the first time, we proved that we had the ability to produce meaningful stories that resonated with an audience far beyond the realm of our school community. Likewise, winning tenth place for Best of Show for a second consecutive year meant we had the consistency and the skills needed to uphold our blossoming reputation. When it comes to the individual awards won by our reporters during the 2023-2024 school year alone, the breadth of names and stories that earned accolades is far more than I could have ever previously imagined.

Looking ahead to next year’s staff members, I urge them to push themselves to never settle for quality that can be described as merely “good enough.” The reason why our staff have achieved such success up to this point is precisely because of their determination to continue to improve their craft. Being a journalist means not shying away from controversial, hard hitting topics and learning to accurately account for all perspectives on any given issue. This also means taking whichever steps necessary to get to the heart of a story by asking the right questions and taking the time to speak to the right individuals. The world of news is constantly evolving and in an age of growing misinformation, it has become all the more essential to be able to properly distinguish fact from fiction. Most importantly, I would advise reporters to always be willing to listen to the advice of those around them because one may never realize the lasting benefits these words of wisdom will have on them later down the road.

Ironically, my departure from the North Star Journalism team comes at a time that also marks the retirement of the publication’s adviser Jean Ordonez, who has tirelessly served our school community for the past 33 years. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to express my gratitude for the countless hours of sacrifice she has invested into our publication to elevate its status to where it stands today. At the same time, I acknowledge that I would not be here without the hard work and heavy time commitment made by every reporter on staff, which has collectively contributed to our team’s unprecedented success. 

Moving forward, I will never forget the laughter we shared and joyful memories we created during the time we spent together. From our White Elephant gift exchange to ring in the holidays to our vigorous rounds of applause to celebrate our fellow team members during award ceremonies, to even our modestly organized Food on Fridays, these experiences will remain stored within a special place in my heart for years to come.

Admittedly, I find myself a bit jealous to think that I will not be around to continue to witness the tremendous growth of our staff. For the first time since the beginning of my tenure, we have been granted the opportunity to diverge into two separate classes, Journalism and News Production, which better accommodates the diverse needs of our students according to their skill level. In addition, next year’s JEA conventions will allow students to travel to both Philadelphia (fall 2024) and Seattle (spring 2025) to further immerse themselves in the hands-on world of journalism.

With great power, however, comes great responsibility, and I am confident without a doubt that our staff members will be able to rise to the occasion of whichever challenges they may encounter. Above all, I can rest assured knowing that the North Star News family I have called home for the past four years rests in capable hands that will continue to nurture its flourishing legacy.