Parting Words ’25
If you were to ask a 14-year-old me what he thought he’d be doing mere days before he graduated high school, I would probably have quickly redirected the question, unsure and scared of what was in my future.
Today, I am getting ready to graduate, and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s very empowering to think that a simple decision to take a journalism in my sophomore year would open so many doors. As I leave NASH, I aspire to major in Sports Journalism.
As a student, everything revolves around the rumors that spread through the school – in other words, the drama. Journalism has become such a big part of my life because it does the opposite. It provides information truthfully and ethically. In a world where misinformation and falsehoods are ever-present, journalism has taught me to always stay true.
My time at North Allegheny is quickly coming to a close, but not without hundreds of good memories and moments as a Tiger. Throughout high school, I have made so many friends, not only with fellow classmates but with teachers and coaches as well. NAI and NASH are truly welcoming schools, and there is nowhere else I would have rather spent the past four years.
Coming into high school, I was just as scared as everyone else. Everyone had to find their footing and enter the unknown. What made it all okay, though, was that everyone was going through the same thing as me. Graduation has that same feeling of walking into the unknown. We are all going to cross that stage, unsure of what our future holds for us — but one thing is for sure, we made it.
As a student I have had a few accomplishments that I am for the most part proud of, like being captain of the lacrosse team and Student Section leader my senior year.
One of my prouder accomplishments, though, has been my time with The Uproar. Although I am not going into journalism directly in college, I will never forget the opportunity to cover and report on great stories. This is a skill that will help me for the rest of my life, no matter what career I end up in.
While life after graduation is still full of unknowns, one thing I do know is that I had the time of my life throughout my four years as a Tiger, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.
I was originally planning on writing something profound and thoughtful for this, but after continually drawing blanks, I decided just to share a fun fact. Did you know office chairs can technically explode due to the pressurized air inside used to raise/lower the seat? Watch out for that, guys. Anyways, thanks to all the NA staff and most of the NA student body for helping me scratch and claw my way to graduating the public education system.
13 years, four buildings, millions of memories. I have been attending North Allegheny ever since I was in Kindergarten. Since those days, my appreciation for everyone around me has only become clearer.
Words will never be able to describe the amount of gratitude I’ve had for every single person I’ve ever met here at this school. My best friends, my favorite teachers, even some of the girls that picked on me in middle school shaped me into who I am today. Life is all about perspective, and I may not have realized it at the time, but those bullies would essentially allow me to become stronger.
That being said, there have been many ups and downs, but those have never distracted me from how privileged I was to go to a school that offered so many opportunities. This school helped me find my passion. This school helped me step out of my comfort zone. This school shaped me into the person I am today and who I will become in the future.
However, I have to extend my utmost gratitude to the NA Musical staff for providing me with a community that felt like a family. Every rehearsal, every tech run, and every show filled me with a rush that words can’t describe. I found my people there, and I will forever cherish every single moment spent on the NASH stage.
One moment I was learning how to play nicely with other students at Peebles Elementary. Suddenly, I blinked and I am moments away from my high school graduation.
Thank you, North Allegheny.
A little over four-and-a-half years ago, I moved school districts from North Hills to… you guessed it! The one and only North Allegheny. Growing up, I had only ever heard that NA is full of mean, rich, spoiled kids who are ridiculously good at sports.
I won’t deny it and I don’t think anyone else would either — North Allegheny does have mean, rich, spoiled kids who are ridiculously good at sports (though there’s nothing wrong with being good at sports). However, I believe that description applies to a small minority of the student body.
In just a few shorts years, I’ve met people who I believe will be my friends for the rest of my life. I’ve gone through many different sets of friends throughout high school. None of these friends, in my opinion, are mean, rich, spoiled kids who are ridiculously good at sports. In just a few days, when I look back on North Allegheny, I won’t think of the stereotypes that I once associated with the district. I’ll think of my lifelong best friends.
High school was definitely a roller coaster. I started out a homeschooler who took advantage of my freedom and traveled to the city once a week to do my classwork with a change of scenery. I fell in love with libraries and coffee shops, perfecting my Starbucks order. My best friends and I routinely rotated through our houses to work together. I loved being homeschooled. It helped me learn to communicate clearly with any age group, fall in love with learning, and think critically. It allowed me to travel the country with my family, and spend days in museums and at historical sites. It truly fostered a love for learning within me.
The skills my parents taught me translated so well into my NA career. I got plugged into clubs, classes, and friend groups that helped me pursue my passions. The truth is, high school, regardless of where the school actually takes place, is an incredible opportunity to grow, learn, and change. Whether I was teaching myself math from a textbook, or writing an article in the comfortable Uproar newsroom chairs, each and every experience, person, or space I learned from, sharpened my passions and strengths and lessened my weaknesses. I’m proud I took advantage of high school and the time and opportunities it offered me. There is nothing quite like it.
It never really occurred to me that, at some point, I’d have to leave NA. That might sound strange, but for as long as I can remember, the question was always, “Where do you go to school?” And the answer was North Allegheny.
Now, somehow, that question has become, “What college are you going to?” And that shift does not feel real. I know a lot of people are ready to be done with NASH, but honestly, I didn’t think it was so bad and I know I’m really going to miss it. I’ll miss seeing my teachers in the halls, waving to my friends between classes, and most of all, being part of the Uproar staff.
I only joined journalism because my sister, Kate, suggested it—and I’m so thankful she did. I loved knowing that, at some point in my day, I’d get to go to a class where I could just hang out with friends, write, edit photos, or take pictures. This year, I had the privilege of being the Photography Editor, and I loved it even more than I expected. Walking around with a camera around my neck at football games, musicals, and everything in between became one of my favorite parts of high school, and I couldn’t be more thankful.
NA has taught me so much more than academics. It has taught me to find the people who lift me up and make me feel seen and to hold on tight to them. It has taught me the power of being kind to one another, because you never really know what someone else might be going through. It has taught me to take chances, to step out of my comfort zone, and to stop stressing so much about what might happen and just enjoy what’s happening right now.
Most of all, these past years at NA have taught me how important it is to slow down and be present, to really appreciate everything around you.
I know this isn’t the end. We are still all so young and still figuring out who we are and who we’re going to become. This is just the start of a new chapter.
Thank you, North Allegheny and The Uproar, for everything. You’ve helped shape who I am, and I’ll carry these lessons, memories, and people with me always.
If someone were to tell me four years ago that a journalism course would entirely alter the trajectory of my life, I would have laughed in their face. Sure, I’ve always had an affinity for reading and writing; however, I never thought that love would extend beyond just a hobby. Well, not until an English teacher suggested otherwise. At the end of my freshman year, my English teacher recommended that I enroll in an Introduction to Journalism course for the following school year. I vividly remember her describing how my writing gave her goosebumps and that I should utilize such a rare talent. Although the decision evoked hesitation, I ultimately scheduled the class and instantly fell in love with the craft.
Once I arrived at NASH and joined The Uproar, my life took a turn for the better. While learning the ins and outs of a newsroom, journalism provided me with a platform to express the opinions and ideals I hold dear. Even though I still have much to discover, I declare with confidence that I have found my niche.
The Uproar will always hold a special place in my heart. The class allowed me to grow as a writer while fostering relationships that will last a lifetime. I owe much of my happiness at North Allegheny to Mr. Morris’s unwavering guidance and support. Thanks to journalism and Mr. Morris, I fell in love with a career path I look forward to pursuing at the collegiate level and beyond. The Uproar allowed me to feel part of something bigger than myself, and I could not be more grateful.
Coming into high school, I thought I would be stuck here forever. That it would be a never-ending loop of waking up, going to school and going home. Little did I know that those next four years would be so much more than that.
I have learned much more than I could have imagined, not just in the classroom but about myself as well. Golf has always been a huge part of that. As an individual sport, it is hard to make connections with people. In high school, it became a team sport and it quickly became my favorite part of high school.
I have made so many friends through my time on the golf team with people I would have never met if not for it. I became a leader on the team, a position I never thought I could have been in and made unforgettable memories that will always put a smile on my face.
Looking back, I realized that I have taken these last four years for granted. Some of the best moments and memories in my life have been created here at NA. The people that I have met along the way mean the most to me. The memories are good to always have, but the great friends I have made here at NA are the reason I wish I didn’t take these last four years so much for granted.
I remember watching my eldest brother at his high school graduation eight years ago. I sat in the audience and intently listened to his class’s president give his speech. “These will be the fastest four years of your life and they will come and go too quickly,” he said, referring to college..
I remember smirking and thinking to myself, “I’m in fourth grade. I have way too long to go.”
While moving my brother into college, I groaned the whole day because all I wanted to do was be in college, too. Everyone seemed so cool and old. They had their life figured out and it was all ahead of them. They seemed to know something that I didn’t.
Reflecting on that commencement eight years ago, I so badly wished I would have believed those words, “they will come and go too quickly.”
Remember to live in the moment because someday you will be looking back at right now and wish you didn’t take it for granted. Also, be kind to absolutely everyone. The way you act is the one thing people remember about you for years to come. Everyone deserves to be happy and feel welcomed. Finally, take lots of photos and videos! You will regret it if you don’t.
“I can’t wait to graduate and be out of school” is something I would say frequently throughout my journey at North Allegheny. I now realize that those are the stupidest words I have ever said.
I am now staring graduation in the face, and I would do anything to go back to doing Rocket Math, vocab quizzes, and Socratic seminars. The things I used to dread the most now seem much better than leaving.
But leaving here is just putting a period on the last sentence of this chapter in the book of life. As I look back on writing this chapter, I realize the amount of fun and good memories I made along the way. All of these memories could not have been possible without all of the great students and staff at North Allegheny.
When I tell people from other schools that I go to North Allegheny, they usually roll their eyes. I am and will always be proud to be a Tiger.
Now that I’m living in the moment I always wished for, I realize I was wrong, and that leaving all of my friends and stopping all the things I did at North Allegheny is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. As we turn the page on this chapter, may we carry the lessons, laughter, and memories with us, ready to write the next part of our story in the book of life.
North Allegheny has been a great environment for me to learn throughout my years at Ingomar Middle School, NAI, and NASH. I’m not much of a sentimental person. I have no ambition to say that I loved everything about it, but it was a good place for me to make friends and explore my interests.
Moving here from Michigan taught me how to flourish in a new place while holding onto my roots back there. I will miss the people I’ve spent years with, but I understand that change is necessary, and that new memories and friendships will come in the near future.
I will be attending Central Michigan University in the fall, which I am excited about. I hope to continue my education and personal journey in Mt. Pleasant. This past year has gone by so fast, and I’m sad to leave behind my NABA career so early, but I have no regrets as I’m about to graduate from North Allegheny. I’ve learned so much, and I give thanks to the whole school district.
“You still have so much time.”
Out of everything I told myself throughout high school, that was the most recurrent phrase. From the first day at NAI after losing half of my middle school experience to the pandemic to the last day of my exhausting junior year, I kept reminding myself that I had so much time left to be a kid.
However, one of the first times I felt grown up was when I took over editing my middle school newspaper, the Carson Chronicle. I had submitted several articles the year before, and was then reviewing them all and piecing the paper together as a 7th and 8th grader. I didn’t get a chance to fit journalism into my schedule for most of high school, but I’m very grateful I had the opportunity to join the Uproar for my senior year. Writing has always been a constant in my life since I started when I was four years old, and I think it’s crucial to find a hobby like this that brings you joy. However, for me, writing is more than just a hobby. If you were to look through the shelf next to my bed, you’d find about thirty journals and notebooks filled with personal entries and fictional stories from the last 12 years of my life. Throughout high school, writing has helped me stay present and not fear the future by allowing me to continuously document and journal my thoughts and feelings. It has become my voice when I don’t know how to describe my emotions out loud. This summer, I look forward to writing a novel I’ve been conceptualizing for years.
With graduation just moments away, I finally see growing up as a gift rather than something to dread. I look forward to writing for Chatham University’s newspaper, the Communiqué, and to everything else that is to come.
Welp… here we are at the end of all we’ve ever known. For starters, it’s really weird to write in first person for journalism class. Second off, no need to take any of the following advice that I didn’t realize I had bottled up until now. This is for me, a reflection, more than anything. Here goes nothin’:
I had this thought that the end of high school would feel like solving a maze. With one last clever turn and a triumphant dash through the exit there would be freedom. Fireworks. Cue the credits.
I used to think mazes were most elegant when they had no mistakes, a single squiggle running straight from start to end. I used to think that every choice locked a door behind me; if I turned left when I should’ve gone right, I’d never find my way back again. Now I recognize that there is more beauty in exploring every possible path. In this maze of life, you can join as many clubs as you want. You can take an elective because it sounds interesting.
This year, I learned that curiosity isn’t a detour from success. It’s the path. It’s okay to love “too many” things. It’s okay to not know what you want to do with each little moment. And it’s certainly okay to not know what to do with the whole rest of your life!
So, here’s what I’ll say: stay open. Chase what makes your brain hum. Ask better questions. Thinking deeply is its own reward. Don’t rush to define yourself. Learn weird things. Be proud of what challenges you. Laugh when plans fall apart. Cry when they matter. And remember, stress does not equal significance.
Live in the uncertainty. Realize that nothing is under control, and embrace it. There’s beauty in that. Not in knowing what comes next, but in caring enough to wonder.
Keep choosing to step into the maze. Not because you have to find the exit, but because the path itself is worth walking.
Thank you, NASH. Thank you for being the strangest, most wonderful maze I’ve ever gotten lost in.
Looking back, the past 12 years have felt like a dream. In elementary school, we would talk about high school and I remember thinking to myself, “I have such a long time until I get there.” Now, I’m about to graduate.
Being able to be in a district such as North Allegheny always reminds me to never take anything for granted and to always live in the moment because time moves by so fast. All the memories, opportunities, friendships, and lessons are things I will never forget. I’m so grateful for all the teachers that have helped me through the years and all the support I have received from people at school.
Here’s my advice for future seniors: Don’t look back on all the times you have missed out on or did not participate in — just go to what you can and try your best to involve yourself more often. I’ve loved mostly all my time at North Allegheny and I’m so beyond lucky to have amazing memories to remember.
Thank you to all my friends, family, teachers and staff that have given me strength, confidence, independence, and responsibility. I can’t wait to go on with my future and pursue my college plans, and I wish the Class of 2025 all the best.
Perspective escapes life if it isn’t paid any attention. If there is any takeaway from the dozens of classrooms I have spent years of my life in, it’s that. Obviously, they have provided more than that realization, but that is one lesson I’ve been taught repeatedly.
Perspective in a social sense (i.e., the awareness not to put yourself above others) is vital. Wonderful people exist all around you, but the assumption that they’re worse than you squanders any odds of a potential friendship or a nice conversation or an opportunity to learn something. The dismissal of what others have to say because they’ve been preemptively placed in a box in people’s minds is all too common. When looking past assumptions, appreciation for others and their ways of life becomes a much easier task. This leads to the expansion of your mind and the lifting of the weight of judgment that looms over lots of interactions.
However, perspective is paramount for reasons beyond better understanding of others and insight into the feared and unknown; it is the building block to a good life.
I have been told many times that certain things “aren’t that big a deal” or that “it’ll seem like nothing in five years,” and I have responded to such remarks time and time again with nothing but a sigh of annoyance. But these statements oftentimes hold truth. Of course, situations really can be as awful as they seem and truly can overwhelm one’s life, but most of the time, sources of frustration are not everlasting. They all pass, some more quickly than others. Such truth must remain at the forefront of one’s mind lest they stay a boiling pot ready to tip over with the smallest push.
A skewed lens can lead to the idea that everything is working against us. In reality, it is simply happenstance. If such shortcomings are all one focuses on, that is all they will see. For a long time, such a lens was what I viewed the world through. Things would pile up and overwhelm again and again, and trying to do anything about them seemed a fruitless endeavor. But seeing things in such a way is not sustainable, and I eventually cracked. I cannot say for certain what cogs started turning for me, or if that is even an accurate way to describe what has helped me slowly get out of the cycle, but that’s what happened.
The most meaningful advice I can give from my experiences so far is to try and move those cogs before you are forced to. By that, I mean do not let life trample you before you do anything about it. In whatever way you can, give your life meaning in your own mind, do what you love, and keep everything in perspective.
Nothing will beat the feeling of achieving the perfect camera shot for your film project. Many times in the last two years, I’ve found myself lying in awkward positions, face down in the snow, standing half sunk in mud, or halfway up a 50-rung ladder carrying several different pieces of video equipment.
Unfortunately, the second I import my videos into Premiere Pro, I start to see the problems. A camera bump here, audio crackling there, a clip suddenly missing. Thus begins the lament of staring at my monitor with my head in my hands.
This vicious cycle has occurred many times over the last two years, especially when burning the midnight oil. I am a self-proclaimed master procrastinator (just imagine when I’m writing this right now!).
Despite my tendencies to produce content late at night, I have always enjoyed making media in an environment that lets me fully explore my creative talent to the fullest.
I worry that when I go to college, I won’t be as free to express my creative ideas as I am in NASH’s Film Productions and Honors Journalism classes. With all this great equipment at my disposal, I will never take what I’ve been provided for granted.
For what has been the busiest year of my life, it has also been the best. I can’t help but already feel something is missing despite having a few days left before I leave. It pains me to think how many friends I will never communicate with again after I have my diploma in hand. However, I am ready to combat the challenges that higher education poses as I fervently dive into my future.
For as long as I can remember, I have been captivated by stories–reading them, telling them, writing them. I learned to read early, sometime in my Preschool class at Eden Christian Academy, and from there my entire life became centered around them. My heart was set on becoming an author before I could properly compose a complete sentence.
In sixth grade, following my English teacher’s suggestion, I began to write for the Carson Chronicle. With no real direction, I wrote about whatever interests I had in any passing moment: exoplanets, books I had just read, the latest set of holiday decorations in the library. When COVID brought my 7th grade year to an abrupt and premature end, I spent the next year and a half writing for the short-lived NACA Newspaper with more urgent questions about how to process the total, physical isolation I found myself in. I became an editor for the NAEye in my freshman year, and across both years I spent there I discovered how my classmates were driven to writing by their own passions (and that some people are really, really confused about how semicolons work).
It was only natural that I continued to pursue journalism at NASH at the same newspaper that I had once looked at regularly on my school iPad. The Uproar has given me a place to gush about my passions and inquire about my concerns, trivial or urgent. I have learned from my classmates about the change that writing can make, and I hope I have taught others about the changes they can bring through the stories I’ve told. I still have plenty of stories to tell, and I will continue to find places to write them.