Looking back at the past four years of high school, I’m proud of everything that I have accomplished, and I am eternally grateful for my teachers and friends who have helped me along the way. 

Juggling the International Baccalaureate [IB] program and managing its council along with my editor position at The Accolade and other extracurriculars has been a strenuous journey, but it has given me the opportunity to grow as both a person and leader. 

My responsibilities as co-feature editor this year motivated me to work hard spotlighting students and faculty from around campus who strove to better our Sunny Hills community. Without this experience, I never would have grown close to any of these valuable individuals who are found throughout my articles, creating a sense of community I would not have been exposed to if not for the school newspaper. 

I’m extremely proud of my Wheel of Fortune feature on Mrs. Falletta’s game show experience, along with my feature on College Essay Gals, a college essay editing startup by three SH alumni. My work is a result of the countless hours spent interviewing and getting to know those around me as well as perfecting my writing style to the best of my ability. 

Though I am thrilled about my achievements, I am well aware that this fruitful end result is not solely from my labors alone. The effort I put into spotlighting people across campus would not have ever been possible without the help of The Accolade’s editors, especially my feature co-editor Minjeong Kim, and I’m thankful that I was presented with the opportunity to grow closer and become a part of the newspaper community.

Surrounding myself with several other dedicated students, all with similar interests and goals as me, enabled me to thrive in a supportive environment, one that only aided in my personal and academic growth.

My experience as president of the IB council has taught me the importance of community once again, as I strived to connect the IB classes after pandemic learning. This year I was able to strengthen the connection between these classes and bond with classmates I didn’t know as well last year. Growing closer to them this year has been extremely rewarding.

As president, I’m proud to have hosted socials almost every month in order to foster relationships we missed out on because of COVID-19. I’m proud of the work council has done this year and am extremely grateful for our IB coordinator Mr. Wall who has given me the space to focus on promoting connectivity this year. 

I’ve found it rewarding to connect with those around me and make the best of my high school experience.

After experiencing four years of both failures and successes in my high school career, I am confident that the lessons and skills I’ve gained throughout this process have properly equipped me for whatever the future may have in store for me.

Four years of high school passed by so fast, but whether it be in the classroom or out, I have no regrets.