As my time at Wantagh High School comes to an end, I want to take a moment to say goodbye—and thank you—to the place that helped me find my strength in writing journalism class.

When I first joined this class after being asked because of my love for writing I didn’t fully know what to expect. I thought we’d just be writing articles, talking about the school news, school sports and town events. I ended up finding a space full of creativity, and a sense of purpose. I learned how to ask better questions, how to pay attention to detail , and how to tell stories that mattered,not just to me, but to our entire school and community.

Journalism with Mr. Rafferty taught me to be brave. Strengthen my interview questions , take criticism to help my writing, meet deadlines, and dig deeper even when things get hard. As I move on to the next school chapter of my life, which I will be continuing at Farmingdale State college for dental hygiene. I’ll carry everything I’ve learned here with me. Writing will never go out of style and I thank everyone for helping me find a passion and creating great memories with me.