It’s that time of year (not Christmas) and it’s time for our seniors to say goodbye. With a bright future ahead of them, seven of the staff members of Trojan Times will be graduating.

Jacelyn Hamamoto

Congratulations seniors! You’ve made it through all four years of high school, and are ready to step out into the real world. Doesn’t it feel like it was just yesterday we were learning how to spell, and count? Oh, how time flies. I hope senior year treated you as well as it did me. It was one of the most fulfilling years of my life, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end my 12 years of education. I joined the Trojan Times staff, and learned a lot more of what it is to be responsible and what it takes to be a better writer. I was also a part of Central Theatre Arts Academy (CTAA) for the past four years, and have created many amazing friendships that I hold dear to my heart. I have become a more well-rounded person due to these experiences, and I hope you too have experienced change and knowledge throughout these past years that have shaped you into who you are today. I wish all of you seniors, and underclassmen, the best of luck in the future!

Jesika Henson

So this is it. My final year of high school is now coming to a close. How insane is that? It went by too fast, I’m not ready for it to be over.  High school, as stressful as it was, has given me opportunities to do so many things that I never thought I would do. Take being on the newspaper staff for example; I never thought that this would be something that I wanted to do or even would enjoy doing. But in the two years that I’ve been a part of this, I’ve made memories that will last a lifetime and I can’t thank you all who read the paper enough. My fellow staffers – my friends – and I all worked so hard because we love this program. Thanks for making this experience worthwhile! So long everyone!

Jacob Balatico

It’s been an interesting four years of high school to say the least. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it (yes, even the work) because high school has taught me so much. But, I’ve learned most of my teachings over the last three years of high school as a member of Trojan Times. Being a part of creating the school paper taught me valuable lessons about responsibility and what it means to work with a team. It’s taught me how to conduct an interview and how to maintain correct body language. But the most important thing it’s taught me is about the duty and honor of a reporter to be a gateway of information for the people. It has truly been an honor to serve my fellow students and to work with my staffers and I’m sad it has to come to an end. But all good things must come to an end as long as time still affects us. All I ask is to use your time wisely. Live life, spend time with your families. Use your time to make a difference in the world and together we can shine as the students who left behind a good legacy for others to follow. The time is near now. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Trojans and goodbye.

Lauren Barbour

Ever since the calendar rolled over to May, I’ve been stuck in an odd sort of limbo where I haven’t been able to wait for the arrival of summer but also find myself dreading the passing of time. The truth is, with graduation only a few days away, it’s starting to sink in that after four years of walking around the same campus with the same people, I’m really leaving high school behind.

It’s been an experience. Not the best, but not the worst either. My high school life was far from perfect but looking back on it now, I can say I’m proud of it. And that’s because I feel like I’m leaving this school a better person than the one that entered it. Even though technically the transition from high school to college is just a step from one school to another, because of the friends I’ve made and the things I’ve learned, I feel like I can take a few steps on my own now. So, thanks, is what I’m trying to say.

Hina Neill

I’d be lying if I said I am going to miss everything about high school, because I’m not, but there are definitely aspects that I regret having to leave. I’m sure I could name a bunch of small things I will miss, but what I will miss most comes down to this: the friends who first took me in when I moved here sophomore year and showed me around, the newswriting program and all the people I met because of newswriting. For the last two to three years they have been an enormous part of my life and I am so thankful and lucky to have come across them. My fellow newswriting seniors and I knew this day was coming, when we would have to leave the days of spending hours upon hours together mornings and after school working on the paper behind us. I am going to miss the exhausted feeling that comes a week before release when we are just trying to finish on time. And to those who will return next year to get the job done, good luck and have fun.

Timothy Leoncio

The end is in sight, seniors! Believe it or not we have made it all the way to the pinnacle of our high school careers. What a truly incredible journey it has been. Let us not, in our relief and bewilderment, forget the friends, family, teachers and mentors that have spurred us on and contributed so much to our steps and successes. Now is the time to reflect, relax and most importantly move ever onward, because despite our longing for infinite summer, life goes forward. Graduation isn’t an end, but a beginning (of more work and stress, granted, but a beginning nonetheless). So turn over that new leaf and do something inspired, something that really matters with that shiny diploma. Good luck, all, and I hope we meet again!

Ireland Castillo

To all the seniors: Congratulations! Wooooooop! (I encourage all of you to drag out that “woop” because you deserve it). It has been a long four years (and if you don’t think so you’re just in denial…just kidding). I find it important now (especially now) to reminisce with friends and other people about things that have happened starting all the way from preschool. Oh yes, the good ol’ times.

So end your senior year with a smile and don’t cry because ending high school isn’t the end of the world, it’s just the end of one chapter in our lives. One chapter of many. See you later.