Margaret He:
Room 122 is a special place. It’s where I learned how to interview and how to write a feature. It’s the room where I learned the wonders of InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, the holy trinity of the Adobe Creative Cloud. It’s where I made lifelong friends and became part of an amazing team. Room 122 showed me teamwork, stress, gratification, and of course, panic and frustration, in ways that no other room could have.
I initially joined Nordic because of my love for writing and the feeling of voicelessness I had found myself experiencing. Nordic gave me everything I had been seeking: a voice, a deepened appreciation for the art of storytelling, and an ardor to continue to learn and grow into the unknown. Simultaneously, it gave me so much more. Nordic imparted to me a love for the creative chaos it’s so defined by, and it showed me the power of optimism and resilience. It taught me to cherish the strength that words can have in bridging seemingly insurmountable divides between people, places, ideas, and beliefs and empowered me to begin to see the world through new perspectives.
This year, I was continually impressed by the dedication, determination, and drive of the Nordic family. I was humbled by the promise and growth I saw in the newbies and how incredibly quickly they blossomed into strong reporters, editors, artists, and photographers. Despite facing such a difficult year, we printed vibrant and beautiful papers filled with informative and insightful articles that resounded throughout the community.
So, thank you room 122. Thank you for the unforgettable memories that continue to make me smile, laugh, and cry. Thank you for introducing me to my fellow editors and favorite people, Minita and Rory, as well as a staff full of people who are kind, compassionate, and brave, and who inspire me each and every day. Thank you to the true heart of room 122, Mrs. Little, for all of your love, kindness, and support. I have full faith that the spirit and essence of room 122 will continue in the capable hands of next year’s staff and under the leadership of Mimi, Kellen, and Tammi. I’m beyond excited to see all that you will do in Volume 51. Long live the Nord!
Minita Layal:
All my life, I have been fascinated with stories. Ask anyone: if you can’t find me, odds are I’m behind a book somewhere. Soon after, writing became my voice. Yet, as I sit here trying to compose this goodbye, I find myself at a loss for words. How do I say goodbye to something that has played such an integral part in my high school experience?
Nordic News is more than just a class for me — it’s a community. I’ve spent more days than I can count in Room 122 working on the latest edition of the paper with my fellow staff members, and, after three years, I am still amazed at how we as a staff come together and pool our skills to create something incredible. The work is never easy, but I can confidently say that it’s worth it.
This year we faced the monumental challenge of continuing to produce content through a pandemic, and I often wondered how we would be able to manage it. Despite the challenges, we set high goals at the beginning of the year for our publication, and we achieved most of them in spite of the obstacles in our path. We couldn’t have made it through the year without the hard work and dedication of the staff, and I am thankful I got the opportunity to work with all of you.
Additionally, I am so grateful for the chance to work with Margaret and Rory. No matter how challenging this year got, their optimism and energy never failed to motivate me. And, of course, Mrs. Little’s continual support kept us going through the hardest of times. I learned so much from her, and I will always be grateful to have her as a teacher and advisor.
As this year draws to a close, I am filled with hope for the future and pride in all that we were able to achieve. Most of all, I’m filled with gratitude for my time at Nordic, for the lessons I learned, the friends I made, and the memories I will carry with me forever. While I am sad to leave, I have no doubt that Mimi, Tammi and Kellen will do an amazing job, and I can’t wait to see what new heights Nordic will reach in the future. Long live the Nord!
Rory Knettles:
I’ve always had an immense appreciation for all types of literature. Before coming to Inglemoor, that appreciation primarily resulted in me reading the Harry Potter series over and over again. I had never truly appreciated journalism, but my enrollment in Nordic changed that. Within the newspaper, we were able to amplify student voices, bring awareness to prominent issues in society and connect with the school every time we wrote a new piece. I have never felt prouder to be a part of something than I do now with Nordic.
I would not be able to feel that pride without seeing the impact we have firsthand. Hearing just one person say that an article made them feel appreciated and heard is enough for me to want to keep writing despite the lack of appreciation we writers get. Nordic, for me, is all about giving people a voice and a platform to be heard, whether that be one person from the student body or a group of people across the world.
But something even more meaningful to me was watching new writers turn into passionate journalists. At the beginning of this year, most of our staff had never written an article before, yet they have all developed into some of the best and most compassionate writers I have ever encountered.
My friends and fellow editors, Margaret He and Minita Layal, have been the most incredible people to work with this past year. Their strength and passion inspires me daily and I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors. Working with Mrs. Little has been a great privilege: she consistently makes students feel welcomed and loved, and her genuine empathy for others is what keeps me passionate for journalism.
For me, Nordic is a comfort and a safety net; Nordic is a home. I am excited to pass the reins to Mimi Avalos, Tammi Tran and Kellen Hoard, and I have full confidence that they will carry on the incredible work the entire staff did this year. I have no doubt that their enthusiasm will motivate the students of the future to be the best they can be.
Long live the Nord!
