This isn’t goodbye. Not with a track recap and the year’s biggest sports moment still to be posted. 

But I only added that caveat because I’m being torn in two. One part is in denial that such a definitive and transformative experience is days away from drawing to a close. And yet, another is chomping at the bit to graduate.

What I’m not conflicted about is what’s next. This fall, I’ll be attending the University of Oklahoma, continuing my journalism studies as a member of the honors college.

Another thing I wasn’t conflicted about was joining Wingspan as a guest contributor my freshman year. I’ve had an affinity for writing as long as I can remember, and had heard great things about the program, so such a move was to be expected.

In hindsight, I was wrong thinking I knew exactly what I was signing up for. The easiest explanation for this is that Wingspan isn’t a class. It’s a family, one united not by shared blood but shared interests and shared culture. It’s something you have to experience to truly understand, and I’m eternally grateful I got to do so.

I also couldn’t have foreseen that months into my tenure on Wingspan, adviser Brian Higgins and then-sports editor Haley Ward would approach me about becoming a sports reporter. I knew little about sports then, but they believed I had the skills to be successful. They had faith in me when I didn’t have faith in myself, and it paid off. 

During my time on Wingspan, I grew from a sports reporter with only a basic grasp of the source material to a sports editor with a vastly expanded knowledge. I grew as a person, too, learning how to better manage my time, communicate and coordinate with people more effectively, and how to use several different websites and programs.

When you’re in something like Wingspan for as long as I have been, you’re going to make plenty of memories to carry with you long after graduation. During my time on Wingspan, I’ve witnessed softball make its first three playoff appearances in school history, volleyball shatter district records by advancing to state semifinals, our three-time state champion girls’ basketball team play a team from Australia, and football snap losing streaks in consecutive seasons, just to name a few. Another personal memory was having Haley write a story about the more unique aspects of my life.

Before I say goodbye, some thanks are in order. Everyone on Wingspan has had their own impact, but certain individuals and groups stood out. 

Thank you to Mr. Higgins for your unwavering support and commitment to upholding the standard of excellence that defines Wingspan. You were the first to realize my untapped potential and gave me so many life-changing opportunities.

Thank you to former editor-in-chief and longtime sports guru Addyson Schick. Not only were you a fantastic colleague and friend, but you also taught me that struggles don’t define people like us. 

Thank you to Haley for laying the foundation of where I am today. I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor, and am extremely grateful that you took the time to write that story. 

Thank you to the sports department for everything. I owe all of you more than can be put into words for the last four years. You’ve helped me grow both as a writer and a person, and it has been an honor to help instill that same growth in some of you. I know our department will be in good hands in the future.

Thank you to all of the uber-capable athletes and coaches who took time out of their days to graciously shed light upon what it’s like to represent our school in their respective sports. You are what truly makes all this worth it. Special thanks to both Caitlyn Ruback and Gilbert Aluga for also encouraging me to embark on my own athletic journey. 

In short, everything I’ve written above comes down to this: thank you so much for everything, Wingspan. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. 

With that being said, it’s time for the one word that I always dreaded the prospect of. Even if it’s not true yet, it will be soon enough.

Goodbye.