A Final Letter from the Editor

Entering high school, I never thought to join the school newspaper. I didn't have a particular interest in writing, nor did I ever find journalism especially appealing. Thus, when Mr. Banecker suggested that I join The Crier in front of my parents, I did it more out of desire to please my new English teacher, and less out of an innate passion. However, that decision proved to be one of the most fulfilling I have made in my high school career.When I joined, The Crier was still establishing itself back in the Upper Division on its new online format after a hiatus. Relatively infrequent articles were published by the same few people, and the content ranged from quality teenage political commentary to the results of last week's wrestling tournament. As editor, I sought to systematically release rollouts, and correct the imbalance between school and general news--bringing the focus back to Casady.This shift in focus transformed The Crier into more than just another platform for students to share their opinions. Though having our voices heard is important, we live in an age where we are bombarded on a daily basis with opinions through social media, and fact is becoming harder to distinguish from fiction. I felt it was important to return The Crier to its original purpose: to provide unbiased news about the school. Though happenings on campus aren't as glamorous as drama at the Oscars, or as controversial as Trump's latest comments, we are a school paper, and it is up to us to provide regular snapshots of the place we all spend four years of our lives.Through writing articles, I've had the opportunity to talk to faculty and students I otherwise would not have, and have gained an appreciation for the diversity and uniqueness of the people that make up our student body. Faculty spotlights have especially been a favorite of mine, as each shockingly reveals that teachers are people too, and have hobbies, and watch TV shows on channels other than the History Channel and PBS. In all seriousness, they gave me an opportunity to show who our teachers are beyond their profession, and why they chose to dedicate their lives to investing in us.Though our viewership dwindles, I strongly believe The Crier plays an important role in the Upper Division, and will continue to strengthen its relevance in the Casady community. To the staff, thank you for writing on top of your already strenuous work load, and choosing to dedicate your time to this blossoming publication. I'm so proud of all we've done this year, and couldn't have continued to grow the paper without your hard work.And to the student body, thank you to those who read what we release, and share our articles. I encourage anybody remotely interested to join, because you never know what passions you may develop, or the kind of people you may meet by trying new things. Keep reading your news (please), and go Cyclones!Sincerely,Whitney Thomas ('19)