In all honesty, it is an understatement to say that it’s insane to me that my journey is coming to an end. I will no longer be a high school student. I will no longer wake up every morning and walk through the doors of Grayslake North High School. Most importantly, I will no longer have the privilege of being Executive Editor of The Knight Times.

When I walked into this building four years ago, I didn’t know what to expect, both in general and, more specifically, I had signed up for an elective called Journalism I that would supposedly be a good choice because I enjoyed writing, but it eventually became the most important part of my high school career.

To me, high school is similar to making a pizza. You have the crust, your strong base of academics that holds your pizza, or your high school career, together. Then there’s the sauce, which represents the relationships you build to make the base that much stronger. Whether it be with teachers, peers, or other staff members in the building, the sauce is what makes the base that much closer to becoming a successful pizza. The cheese, of course a necessity, is your personality. Do you sprinkle it on sparingly, careful not to miss any inch of the pizza? Do you just dump it on and hope it turns out? Are you balanced in your cheese portioning? Whatever you do, it describes your personality and how you look at life. Finally, there are the toppings, which demonstrate exactly how unique you are.

Choosing journalism, tennis, theatre, Environmental Club and Service Club were my toppings. Prioritizing journalism was my pepperoni, because of course that’s the best topping, and then with each pizza, each semester, each year, I sprinkled on a couple of different toppings to add.

High school is what you make it. It’s your own recipe, and it’s as unique as you. As I look ahead to my future at University of Kentucky to study middle school history and English education, it’s bittersweet. I will no longer be the Executive Editor, but it’s been a journey I will never forget. It has taught me so much that I can apply to college and beyond, as has my entire time in this building. At the same time, though, I am excited to begin the journey, and I know I am prepared because of my time here. Although I’ll miss home, and I will miss the time I spent here, I am ready to begin the next chapter of my life.

There are a million people I would like to thank prior to my departure. Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Sokolowski, Mr. Lard, Ms. Sadowski, Mrs. Bott, Mrs. Remshak, Mrs. Byrne, Mrs. Heupel, and so many more. Mostly, though, I would like to thank my editors and newspaper staff for a fenomenal year. Without their enthusiasm and positive energy, this year would not have been possible. And Hannah, you will go on to do great things! I cannot wait to see the future of this paper as I leave it in your hands.

And finally, the bright side is that there is plenty of pizza to go around in college, anyway.