Dear Verrado high school,

As I begin my final days at Verrado I’ve realized how much I have grown. Even though I have only been at Verrado for two years it feels longer than that. Verrado is where I found my love for journalism and met many amazing people. From my first day to my last I can say that it has been a great ride.

In my Freshman year I went to a school in Corona, California called Santiago High School. My first year of high school had its ups and downs. I wasn’t involved in that school but as soon as I started to covid hit. In California it was way different than Arizona when covid hit they canceled school till the end of the school year. The only thing we had to do was email our teachers the work that we had before covid.

In my Sophomore year, I honestly don’t feel like I had one because it was online except for the last half of the second semester. But it wasn’t the same.

I came to Verrado in my Junior year of high school. It was intimidating moving to Arizona at first and coming to a brand new school. It’s really hard to be the new kid but I learned to put myself out there, and getting involved helps. I joined the Journalism class unknowing how much I would enjoy it. My first article was about a TikTok trend I reviewed. Honestly, I didn’t think it was very good but it was trending on the Vipertimes for several months.

Eventually, I got to write an article about student behavior and how to improve it. That got me to be able to help the Vice president of Stugo, Mr.Showman, and Mr.Lees to improve the Stay Gold program. I got help coming up with a way of rewarding good behavior. We had meetings every few weeks to discuss ideas and their outcome of them. This got my blood flowing for journalism.

Knowing that I can help make a difference in my school motivated me so much. The Verrado sticker, bracelets, and pin that many teachers have passed out to students were part of the Stay Gold program I helped to endorse good behavior to students. Not only that but interviews made me learn something about myself I never knew, such as meeting new people. I am an introverted person but once I am out of my shell, I am very extroverted and interviews allowed me to break out of that shell.

In my senior year of high school, the editor at large. Which was exciting. I wrote many articles this year regarding teen substance abuse, cyberstalking, a news article about a Glendale school district, and odd jobs. The journalism club was also started my senior year so I got involved in that.

I plan on going to Arizona Christian University and I am majoring in communications. I plan on living on campus. I am incredibly excited to be going there. To start a new chapter in my life. I would like to become a journalist and an author. As I am near the end of my senior year I have realized how much your high school teacher makes a difference in your life. The number of lessons and growth I have experienced in not only writing but in life that I will take throughout the rest of my life. Thank you, Verrado for teaching me along the way to high school! Stay Gold Vipers!

Sincerely,
Abby Williams