A grievous goodbye

Editorial Staff • May 29, 2015

The Red Ledger’s 2014-2015 editorial staff in a cafe in Washington DC, along with Brian Higgins, who was not there physically at the time of the picture, so he has hence been photoshopped in.

News changes, the weather changes, bacon changes, the seasons change, and alas- now a major change is upon our very own Red Ledger. After announcing his resignation last month, our fearless, bacon-loving leader Brian Higgins is actually leaving us. Though the thought of Frisco makes us editors cringe, we know he will do a great job doing the things he does best; instilling an amazing journalistic platform, teaching kids, and most importantly; loving bacon.

We will miss our dear Higgs immensely, however his traditions will live on. The reign of Baconfest shall never end, and neither will the awards that the Red Ledger wins. The memories we have made will sit sunnily in our minds, as we reminisce on when he spilled an entire Route 44 Coke Zero (which he drinks every day), when he forced us to wear a bacon costume the first week of school, when we went and filled three shopping carts full of snacks and chairs at Walmart, when we went to DC and ate at the world famous Ben’s Chili Bowl, and finally; when he cried about Zayn leaving One Direction. All of the jokes, the memories, the good times will forever be ingrained in us just like the fat we have gained from the snack cabinet.

Below are some of these memories, captured digitally, because we are journalists, and that’s what we do. (When Higgins spilled his Coke Zero, we took a picture first, then helped him. Love only goes so far when news breaks.)

Brain (no typo) Higgins,
We all are so grateful for everything you’ve done for The Red Ledger. We have made so many memories and no matter what you say, The Red Ledger will forever be better than whatever site you go to. Thank you for everything.
-Julia, Jillian, Hallie, Caroline, and Michelle

About the Contributors

Alexa Mapes, Staff Reporter

Alexa / Lexa Mapes is senior who will fall asleep in the most inappropriate of places—including the Coliseum in Rome. In a Hard Rock Café in Paris, she was locked inside a bathroom and forgotten. After the third time you've repeated yourself, she still hasn't heard you. Once, upon forgetting Michael Koval's name, she caught his attention by shouting "eyebrows!" Half of the time she asks a store employee for help, they are not a store employee. Alexa is constantly saying goodbye to someone and realizing they're going in the same direction. Her immediate go-to in awkward situations is to pretend to be texting the "friends she has, but just aren't there." She has successfully walked into an automatic door on multiple occasions. She is, the most awkward girl in the world.

Caroline Smith, Editor-in-Chief

Caroline Smith is a senior who loves to travel, drink coffee, and eat snacks. Her favorite hot tea is Harney and Son’s “Hot Cinnamon Sunset,” which she loves to enjoy while wrapped up in a warm, fuzzy blanket and eating a blueberry scone warmed up. This past summer, she lived in Swaziland for a month and had the adventure of a lifetime (even though her house was ant infested). She has two rabbits, two puppies, and three siblings, so rest assured that her home is never boring. Ever. Caroline hates free time, so she instead fills her days with choir, newspaper, Younglife, PALS, her part time job as a barista at Saxbys, and Netflix. Previously known as the glorious managing editor (and eternal freshman) for the past three years, Caroline is super excited to return for her final year on staff as the Editor-in-Chief of this lovely website.

Jillian Sanders, Editor-in-Chief

Jillian Sanders is a senior, 18 years old, and a lover of many things. She loves writing, playing the piano, reading, being outside, Younglife, and choir. She was born in Arkansas, but got out of there and moved to Texas as soon as possible when she was six years old. At home, she has two dogs, two sisters, and two house plants. She enjoys analyzing, creating, and playing music both at home and at her church, where she plays the keyboard on Sunday mornings in the praise band. The keys to Jillian’s heart can be found in nature, (she really loves nature. It’s pretty neat.), music (she cries over pretty songs), and cozy socks. She plans to attend Texas A&M University in 2017, (whoop), with a major in environmental studies. Serving the Red Ledger for her fourth and final year as three-time editor-in-chief, she is super pumped to write stories, improve the site even further, and leave a lasting legacy.

Hallie Fischer, Editor-in-Chief

Hallie (ha-lee) Fischer is a super-excited, kinda-tall, slightly-sarcastic writer who is more than ready to start her fourth and final year on staff as the editor-in-chief of The Red Ledger. She has loved The Red Ledger ever since she was accidently put into newspaper in seventh grade, and after 12 years in the Lovejoy district, Hallie is very excited to be a #SE17IOR. When Hallie graduates, she would like to attend Southern Methodist University to study business and finance to start her career. Other than stress-planning her future, Hallie enjoys working out, being outside, doing various adventurous activities, and just enjoying life as a teenager in Fairview, TX. Although she dearly misses her 2015-2016 staff friends (Julia, CJ, & Kevin), Hallie is ready to kick butt alongside her right-hand wo(man) Mary Catherine (MC) Wells. The two are prepared to create art (writing and some drawings) to pump up 4th period newspaper and continue The Red Ledger legacy. Although they are separated by a mere 45 minutes, the three editor-in-chiefs of the greatest newspaper in the high school, Jillian, Caroline, and Hallie herself, are more than ready to make their 2016-2017 senior year one for the books.

Comments (1)

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adviser • May 29, 2015 at 12:59 pm

For the last time, I’m sitting in E103 with the minutes winding down on my time at Lovejoy High School and it breaks my heart knowing that I will no longer be the adviser of The Red Ledger. For 5 years, this publication has been my passion and there is nothing in my professional career in which I am more proud of than this site. I will never be able to express how hard it was to leave Lovejoy and I’m struggling to even say goodbye as each word that I type brings me one more character closer to ending this chapter on my life.

But while my time here is at an end, my love and affection for The Red Ledger and its staff will forever endure. To each and every staff member and especially to those that I worked with the most (Helen, Ginger, Liz, Connor, Sam, Michelle, Julia, Jillian, Caroline, Catherine, Ben, Ian to name just a few), thank you. You have no idea how much I have enjoyed my time with you and how much I will miss working with the staff.

This is not a goodbye nor a farewell, but a thank you.

Thank you for everything that you have done.

Thank you for being such an awesome staff.

Thank you for allowing me to be your adviser.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Sincerely,

Brian Higgins


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