I have thought long and hard about what I wanted my last story to be for The Red Ledger. This newspaper has been more than just a class for me for the last four years. It has given me crazy opportunities (like sitting on the floor at Mavs games and interviewing the players), made me some wonderful friends, and even chosen my college major for me. How could I say goodbye to that and do it justice?

Well, as usual, I turned to the work of my splendid co-editor, Liz Schasel, for inspiration, and in her honor, I decided to write my final thank you to Liz, Mr. Higgins, and my staff, partially in poem form. Instead of a modern epic, however, (Liz has a copyright on those), I decided to go with more alliterate classic poetry forms.

So, please enjoy my Limerick (and letter) for Liz, Haiku (and heartfelt note) for Higgins, and Shakespearian Sonnet for the Staff (Shoutout to my English teacher Mrs. Glorioso for teaching me what a Shakespearian Sonnet is).

P.S. The letter and heartfelt note were added to the limerick and haiku because it was impossible to express all the gratitude and love that I feel towards these people in a set number of syllables. Sorry for the redundancy, but it is my last story, so I am allowing myself to be a little sentimental.

Letter for Liz:

Dear Lizzard (my biggest regret of high school is that that nickname never caught on),

It is hard to express how grateful I am that you have been my coeditor for the past two years. When we decided to go online my sophomore year, I won’t lie- I didn’t want to share the position of editor-in-chief. When Higgins told us that we would both be editors, I inwardly rolled my eyes. I thought it was a cop out.

I didn’t know you very well. I knew that you were funny, popular, and smart, but I had no idea that you would turn out to be one of the most influential people in my life over the next two years. Turns out, you are funny, popular, and smart, but you are also one of the most genuine, passionate, and dedicated people I have ever met.

In the last two years, we have grown close through the shared experience of building this online newspaper from nothing. I don’t know anyone who keeps me laughing as much as you do, and I don’t know what I would have done without you to keep me sane, focused, and always smiling over the last two years.

The Red Ledger isn’t just a newspaper. It is a manifestation of our hard work the past two years, and there is no one else I would have wanted to share it with.

I quite honestly don’t know what I am going to do without you next year, Liz. The best times of my academic high school career took place in our little editor’s corner of E103, and not because we were turning our little paper into a professional website. When I look back on The Red Ledger, I won’t remember 50,000 page views in a month, or a Pacemaker Finalist, or three stories posted daily. When I look back, I am going to remember laughing with you and Higgins over absolutely nothing. I will remember bickering about which font to use on the headlines of the site, and I will remember food challenges and work nights where nothing got done except throwing ice at a cup to see who could make it in first and gossiping when we should have been working and working when we should have been in our third period classes. When I think about The Red Ledger, I think about you and Higgins.

When Higgins told us we would be coeditors my junior, your sophomore year, I thought it was a cop out. Turns out, it wasn’t. It was the best blessing I could have asked for.

Thanks for everything.

Your grateful coeditor,

Ginger

P.S. (In keeping with the alliterate poem theme, I also wrote you a limerick to lighten the mood. Enjoy.)

Limerick for Liz:

Liz, lead this staff without fear,

Though I’ll miss you when I’m not here,

Please don’t you cry,

This isn’t goodbye,

I’ll come visit The Ledge next year.

Heartfelt note for Higgins:

DJ Higgster, you have been the best newspaper adviser I could have asked for. Not only have you been the most dedicated of all of us to covering school events, winning a Pacemaker, and establishing this newspaper as a credible source in the community, but you have managed to also be one of the funniest and most laid back teachers I’ve had. I have had such a FUN time in newspaper for the last two years, and I could never repay you for all the hours you’ve spent making this newspaper what it is today.

This class is what I will miss most about high school, and a large part of that has been because of all the hilarious shenanigans that have characterized it. Food challenges, scavenger hunts, the snack cabinet, Baconfest, and many other mood-lightening tomfooleries were all your idea, and they made this class not only incredibly productive, but also a blast to be a part of.

You have helped me (and Liz) to make this newspaper amazing. You have given me a place to go at any time of day or during any dull class during school. You have even helped me choose my major, and my college. I am so grateful for everything that you have done for me over the past two years.

Next year, your class will be the first place in the school I go when I come home to visit. I hope you guys have as much fun next year as I have in the last two years. Thanks for making The Red Ledger what it is today, and thanks for making me who I am today.

Please appreciate this majestic haiku as my final tribute to you.

Haiku for Higgins:

Thanks for being the

Best teacher I’ve ever had.

Keep eating bacon.

Sonnet for the staff:

I’ve been on staff for six amazing years,

First a paper, then an online website.

So this sonnet’s my way of saying cheers

To my great staff, for all you do and write.

I am so proud of each and every one

Of you, I know you have worked hard and well.

I am so grateful for the laughs and fun

I love watching you come out of your shell

This poem is really so very cheesy

That you probably can’t wait til I leave

And maybe this year wasn’t always breezy

(Because of your mean editors-in-chief),

But just know, I’ve had the time of my life

As your leader- so good luck, and goodbye!