My four years at Dominion has been a rollercoaster, to say the least, and while it has come to a disappointing end, I have had the opportunity to learn and grow so much during this time. With the class of 2020’s graduation, I’m not sure that I have fully accepted the fact that I will never attend a normal day of classes at Dominion again. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the class of 2020 never got full closure in terms of the final months of our high school experience. March 11th was the last day that my class was in Dominion as students. Little did we know that it would be the last day we were in school as students. Little did we know that the next three months of our senior year, we would not be able to attend Dominion in person, not to mention unable to spend those last months with friends. While I do not have clear memories of my final day, I will always remember the good memories that I was able to make at Dominion. 

I entered Dominion as a very shy and nervous freshman. It was not all sunshine and rainbows, as I definitely struggled through many classes, such as AP Lang, as well as the emotional aspects that everyone goes through in high school. Yet, ultimately it left me a lot stronger and more confident than I was when I entered. Dominion connected me with people who have become some of my best friends, as well as strengthening many of the relationships I had with friends before high school. 

The most impactful thing that Dominion provided to me, was its journalism program and Mr. Schwartz. I have taken journalism classes all four years that I have been at Dominion, starting with Intro to Journalism freshman year. Since then, I have had the amazing opportunity to be on the newspaper staff for three years, editor-in-chief for two, as well as being in the broadcast class for two years. I have had the opportunity to write and produce stories that have pushed not only my journalism boundaries but my personal boundaries as well. 

DHS Press has allowed me to gain so much confidence over the years as well as helping me build a promising future for myself. Through DHS Press I have so many opportunities, including producing stories for PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL). Through SRL, our team (Alison Pataky, Karen Ramos, and I) have had the opportunity to produce so many amazing stories, some of which have made it onto different aspects of PBS NewsHour. Some of these opportunities include: attending their summer academy, interviewing political candidates, being a part of their homegrown fellowship, going to the CIA, covering the DC climate protest, being a part of multiple panels, and attending political campaigns. 

And while I am excited to leave Dominion and begin the next step of my life, my time at Dominion will always be a part of my story that I am extremely thankful for, will never forget, and will look back fondly upon. As I move on to the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State University (hopefully) in the fall, I will be taking the skills and passion that I grew at Dominion, to hopefully bigger and better into college and beyond.