Mireya Avalos:

At the beginning of my freshman year, I had a strong opinion against extracurricular activities. As the pessimist that I was, I couldn’t conceptualize being attached to something that could only last four years. As the year progressed and I was handed my first Nordic, I realized the impact this paper had on the community. On the distribution day of the infamous, “Rise of the Juul” spread, I saw students from all cliques face down in their Nordics talking with each other about the work produced by their peers. Sophomore year rolled around and my good friend and current Web Editor Tammi Tran, informed me that there was a spot opening on staff. I was hesitant at first, but I walked into class with an application in hand and set my predispositions aside. Upon joining I was met immediately with a motivated, charismatic and introspective staff that strived for perfection on every page. I have met my closest friends and favorite people on staff. In being a collaborative piece, I have had the opportunity to work closely with so many people from all different walks of life and make unlikely friends. Working with Kellen and Tammi has been indescribable. Spending countless hours has brought challenges to say the least, but Kellen’s eye for keen professionalism and Tammi’s adaptability have created an outstanding volume of five issues that are uniquely ours. They have continued to challenge me to be well-rounded, unbiased and optimistic, along with being potentially a tad too hypercritical… nevertheless it has been an honor working with them both. Nordic is a student-led paper that is honestly held together by Joanna Little as she has been the backbone of all of our endeavors this year. Alongside being awarded the WJEA Fern Valentine Freedom of Expression award, Little has provided us with support that goes beyond an award. She has been, frankly, the emotional support that has provided me with the momentum to move forward. She continuously issues honest and impartial advice both for the paper and in my personal life that has supported my success. There could not be a more fitting advisor for this paper, and I am forever grateful. And although joining Nordic was not the plan from the start, I am forever beholden to this newspaper. I am left with a melancholy feeling, leaving behind something I care so deeply for, but I am more than positive that in the hands of Jackie, Arushi, and Hope, Nordic will continue to be the institution that it is. Long live the Nord!

Kellen Hoard:

I believe that organizations are best able to fulfill their mission and expand their impact when the people running them have a clear understanding of the organization’s history. Learning about past successes and failures, good ideas and bad, historical supporters and detractors and shifts in culture within the organization across decades allow better insight into the organization as it is and as it could be. This newspaper is no different, and it was for that reason that earlier this year I launched a project to build an archive of past issues: so that institutional history could be preserved to the benefit of future generations of student journalists at Inglemoor. In order to acquire missing copies, I contacted over 100 former Inglemoor students who had worked on Nordic over its 57-year history. Many were eager to volunteer both old copies for the archive and memories of their time in the newspaper. Some reminisced about old traditions and controversial articles. A significant number had found a love of writing through the newspaper and continued writing professionally after graduating. Every one of them, to a person, said they fondly looked back on their time in Nordic — and among the Nordic community — with great happiness, satisfaction, appreciation, pride or as the best part of their time at Inglemoor. The consensus was stunning. it was these fascinating conversations with Nordic alumni across the generations which gave me a true sense of what the role of this newspaper has been and should be. At its least, it is a platform for sharing the people and events of the school. At its best, with full buy-in from its student journalists and the community at large, it is an organization that can facilitate formative experiences academically, socially, professionally, ethically and intellectually for those involved. The difficulty in creating such an environment — especially after years lost to virtual schooling — was a challenge I know Mimi, Tammi and I were all cognizant of. I hope we met that challenge this year, not only for the student journalists we led, but also for our readers. I think only time will tell. But I will join the ranks of alumni who will look back on my time in Nordic with a deep gratitude for my time involved. My high school experience would have been much different — much worse on every metric — had I not been. And I am confident that as Jackie, Arushi and Hope take on this delightful and demanding challenge, they will find great success in fulfilling Nordic’s mission and expanding its impact. I can’t wait to see what comes next. Long live the Nord!

Tammi Tran:

I have always loved writing, and as an avid reader, my collection of books taught me that stories are meant to be valued and told. I spent my childhood collecting used novels from thrift stores. In these books, I found a myriad of items left behind by their past owners. From postcards to movie ticket stubs, these small treasures told the stories of those I would likely never meet. These findings sparked my interest in telling stories myself. My decision to join the Nordic staff was one of the most spontaneous things I’ve ever done. In room 122, I found myself in the most familiar environment surrounded by the most understanding group of individuals. Not only did my teammates offer me support in journalism and all things reporting, but they also held my hand when I needed it most. There, I strengthened my ability to write, my ability to comfortably meet new people and my ability to represent myself in my community. Although learning to master Adobe products such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign overwhelmed me in ways I did not know possible, the determination to produce a quality paper pushed me through our many long nights in the computer lab. After spending a year and a half attempting to publish a whole paper from our own homes, the opportunities we had received this year were like a breath of fresh air. Advancing to web editor was daunting, but working with Mireya and Kellen made things incredibly easy. The three of us stepped into our roles with little to no idea of what the rest of the year would look like. Kellen did an amazing job with promoting our paper, scoring business deals that jump-started a perfect chance for us to branch out. Mireya pushed me to be the best writer I could be, and her undying support helped me get through a busy year. And I can’t forget the woman who made Nordic feel like such a loving community—Mrs. Little. She continuously extended her hand to whoever needed it most and offered us all of the care in the world. Nordic News would not be what it is today without her. With a heavy heart, I am so sad to be saying goodbye to my wonderful staff. I can’t wait to see all that my fellow Nords will accomplish next year. I am more than grateful for my time here in Nordic, but I am thrilled to hand off the reins to Jackie, Arushi, and Hope next year. Without a doubt, I know that they will work together to carry on such an amazing paper. Long live the Nord!