As we approach the last few days of senior year, it has been easy to forget the whole point of why I joined the newspaper staff. However, looking back at this past semester, I was reminded of the reasons I participated in The Orbit.

If I had to sum up the reason why I joined, it would be this: I firmly believe that sharing someone’s story is crucial to being more empathetic and understanding towards someone’s perspective. As I started to write for the newspaper at North Polk, I was able to express this belief. Even more, I’ve learned that the act of storytelling holds far more gravity than the story being told.

Though my time writing for The Orbit has been short, it has taught me how to share stories in impactful, thoughtful and meaningful ways, as well as different writing styles (though I never got used to not using the Oxford Comma).

When newspaper editor Zoe Marquez, finally convinced me to join the newspaper (after three long years), I quickly learned how important it is to share stories in one’s community, because that is one of the most direct ways to connect with others.

I am so grateful to have the opportunity to write for The Orbit. Thanks to the patience and thoughtfulness of Marquez and my teachers, Jessica Trier and Tia Stubbs, I was able to improve my skills and knowledge drastically.

The journalism classes taught at North Polk did not spark my passion for writing, but they supported it. All in all, I hope this convinces someone to join the journalism team and find out more about the community built through the class.