I first walked into room 201 on August 23, 2021 for Journalism 1 wondering what to expect. I had initially signed up for the class because a boy I liked at the time recommended it, and I wanted to impress him. I remember signing up for the class and my mom telling me I wouldn’t regret it even though I hesitated.

   “You’ll like this class, Emma. I’m not sure how to describe it to you without giving too much away. You have to experience it,” my mom (Stephanie Franklin) said.

   I don’t think I can thank my mom enough for encouraging me to branch out and try something new, as well as the boy I was trying to impress. I have been a Kickapoo High Quarterly (KHQ) member for 865 days, equivalent to two years, four months, and 14 days. Throughout my time at KHQ, I was the feature editor in my junior year and the website manager/social media coordinator in my senior year.

   As the remaining time of my senior year dwindles and I prepare for college, it’s time for me to think back on my time on staff. Over the past years, I have worked with many staff members. While all have impacted my life, graduate and  former website manager/social media coordinator Emilia Belcolore has left the largest.

   Belcolore was always there for me in times of need and led me in the right direction in this wild world. She always had such a bright smile on her face, no matter what was going on in her life. Even today, we keep in touch and chat about life and plans.

   Belcolore taught me so much about the basics and the extremes of journalism. Towards the end of her senior year, 2023, she trained and educated me for my website manager/social media coordinator position. When she graduated, I knew what I was doing without hesitation or confusion.

   Thank you, Emilia Belcolore. You have helped me along my journey, and I wouldn’t be where I am without you. I also miss you eating whole bell peppers in the middle of class. Come back and do that sometime before I graduate so I can experience some nostalgia.

   Since day one, this classroom has been filled with giggles, full-hearted laughter, and shenanigans. It is impossible to list all the times I have sat at my desk laughing until I couldn’t breathe. Our impressive Dual Credit AP Honor choir birthday performances, talent shows, and inside jokes will forever be etched in my memory when I think of high school journalism.

   While smiles and giggles were tossed around like confetti, I also learned how to become a responsible adult. I can now talk to anyone without fearing for my life, write a proper email, and finish work while on a deadline. I wouldn’t have learned this without the help of my advisor, Mrs. Orman.

   She’s been there for me since the first day I walked into her classroom in August of 2021 when I was a J1 student. Orman has uplifted me, held me while I cried, and told me my worth. She believed in me when I sometimes thought getting up off the ground was impossible. 

   Not many teachers have stood out to me in my school years, but Orman will leave an everlasting imprint on my heart and has helped me so much along my high school journey. Her kindness has never gone unnoticed, and even after I graduate, I will remember Orman and her wisdom. Thank you, Mrs. Orman. I will miss your advice and warnings when you vacuum the rug so I don’t panic like a feral cat.

   The KHQ has helped me make friendships that will hopefully stick with me for years. I made one of my closest friends from the KHQ, feature editor Alley Ackerman. She’s been on staff from 2022 to 2023, but we became incredibly close this school year.

   The two of us do everything together, even if it’s a one-person job. I’m going to the printer, suddenly, the four-page paper I’m printing is too heavy, and I need reinforcement from Alley. Alley’s writing a story about easy recipes for people who suck at cooking?

   We’re going to Walmart in a snowstorm to get ingredients and then making the food at my house. Then, we have to clear four inches of snow off her car, and I have to stay on the phone while she drives to ensure she returns home safely at 9 p.m. The two of us are inseparable.

   We laugh like two lunatics at the front of the classroom and turn into sandworms for the KHQToday TikTok page. While I’ve talked about us acting like fools, Alley has also helped me become a better writer and person. I never thought I could say I found the person I would be friends with even after high school, but I did.

   Even with all of the shenanigans, I still had deadlines to meet. I have written over 45 articles for KHQ and on our website, khqtoday.com. I have spent numerous hours and nights working on articles, spreads, photos, and all aspects of the magazine and website.

   Since then, I have looked at my work from my sophomore year and the early portion of my junior year, and it makes me feel sheepish.

   I was this 16-year-old girl who was just beginning to dip her feet into the ocean of writing and photography. All I wanted to do was write fun and silly stories that would never offend someone or cause them to think about what they were reading.

   I had even told my advisor, Mrs. Orman, that I never wanted to write an opinion piece because I was scared of the backlash I would get. As I’m writing this, the senoritis has hit me so hard that I could genuinely not care if I provoke someone or make them feel upset. My job as a journalist is to cause the reader to think about what their eyes are digesting.

   I want them to have their thoughts and feelings about my article; it’s how we grow and develop into a working and expanding society. I don’t think I would have realized this without the help of Mrs. Orman and my mom, Stephanie Franklin. These fantastic women have inspired and uplifted me so much throughout my life, and I could never thank them enough.

   At the beginning of my high school career, I was a shy and quiet kid who was too scared to stand up for myself. They taught me that the world is rough and that I must fight to get a say in what I believe in. I am now not afraid if people don’t like me or if someone isn’t a fan of my writing.

   Guess what? A whole other seven billion humans might enjoy what I have to say. As I check my grades and count my credits, I am graduating high school with 19 English credits, the Journalism Seal of Excellence, and a Quill and Scroll Honor Society member.

   With that, I will attend Missouri State University (MSU) in the fall to become a high school English teacher.  I have always had a passion for reading and writing and want to help the next generations expand their skills. I wouldn’t have grown more in that passion if I hadn’t joined the KHQ staff.

   I was especially becoming the website manager/social media coordinator. I never thought I would have this opportunity to be placed in such a position. Being website manager/social media coordinator has taught me responsibility, respect, public speaking, classroom management, mentoring/coaching, and strategic thinking.

   I have dealt with situations I never thought I would have to solve in my wildest dreams, yet here I stand through the midsts of it all. Ten months later, I have successfully managed an entire website and social media page without it going up in flames. I have learned how to program, design, color coordinate, and do a little bit of coding, and I have learned not to give up even when it feels like I can’t do it anymore.

   I worked endlessly on the website many nights to fix errors, computer problems, stories, and SNO (our website provider) issues. With that in mind, I am ready to pass the baton on to next year’s website manager and social media coordinator, sophomore Sophie Webb, and sophomore Nyah Warren. The two of you will keep the website and social media in fantastic condition and strive to keep up the excellent work the KHQ has produced for years.

   I have seen what the two of you are capable of, and I’m excited to see what’s next for the 2024-2025 school year. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but I can’t move forward without saying goodbye to one of the most significant chapters of my life. So, goodbye and farewell, KHQ; I’ll see you next year or not.