The Portola Pilot has and will always hold a special place in my heart, and the experiences that I have had throughout this year can never truly be expressed with any other words except “extraordinary.” This year has been a tumultuous journey filled with ups and downs, new surprises, old friends and a dysfunctional yet amazingly talented family of staff members.

Room 310 holds fond and nostalgic memories for me, and although there have been times when I wanted to pull my hair out of my head, I am positive that this year’s Modern Media class has been one of the most exciting parts of my life. I know that I will be forever grateful for having such a positive, welcoming and chaotic environment that allowed me to develop the person, writer and leader I am today.

From the first online posting to our most current newspaper, the Portola Pilot’s tremendous growth makes me incredibly proud to have been one of this year’s Co-Editors-in-Chief. After pouring my soul into this publication, I am reluctant to bid farewell to the position, but in my heart I know that whoever I pass the torch to will only grow the journalism program from here.

Thank you to my fellow staff members and friends, who have made me laugh harder than ever before, Maya, who has kept me sane throughout this rollercoaster of a year, Ms. Rapp, who has been an excellent adviser and mentor, and the readers, who have been our support throughout these past two years.

I look forward to coming back to this family in the fall, so see you all then.

Sincerely,

Annie Qiao

It was sometime in early September of my freshman year when I somehow stumbled into Room 310, finding myself at a casual interest meeting. Little did I know that when I entered the heart of the Portola Pilot, it would be the beginning of an amazing adventure, full of headlines and deadlines, late nights, staff meetings, calendars and spreadsheets.

Best of all, I found myself in a room full of laughter and support, of team bonding and encouragement. I have learned that I will always have a home in Room 310 with my fellow staff members. The camaraderie and passion that I witness on a daily basis resonates with me and makes me realize how fortunate and deeply proud I am to have been one of this year’s Co-Editors-in-Chief. It was in Room 310 that I had some of the best experiences in my life and where I learned a few pretty important life lessons.

For one thing, I have learned that the core of the Portola Pilot, or any team for that matter, is composed of a network of interpersonal relationships among staff members, where communication and collaboration strengthen each strand of the web. My experiences at the Portola Pilot have shaped me into the person that I am and have helped give me the mindset and perspective to continue to grow into the person who I constantly strive to be. I will forever be grateful to those who have joined and supported me on this journey to each new horizon.

I am incredibly excited and relieved to know that I still have two more years ahead of me on the Portola Pilot – two more years to leave my mark and make a difference as a student journalist.  This publication will always hold a special place in my heart, and I dread the day when I have to really say goodbye at the very end of senior year. Farewell ‘till fall!

Sincerely,

Maya Sabbaghian