I walked into Ms. Tabor’s room for the first time as a bright-eyed, intimidated, eager-to-get-involved freshman. When my “Weekly” career began, Ms. Tabor’s room was the place to be. I remember the editors at the time – Avani, Alex, and Ian – would host bi-weekly meetings where they taught all of the staff the proper ways to write, integrate quotes, and craft catchy titles. These skills and the lessons taught in that room formed the foundation of my “Weekly” career. And, as enticing as these skill-based workshops were, what truly attracted me to the “Weekly” was the passion that filled every crevice of Ms. Tabor’s room. 

I had never seen people so passionate about the Oxford comma. I had never seen people so passionate about what they received on the “Which Science Teacher Are You?” quiz. I had never seen people so passionate about being the “Hot Weekly (wo)Man” of that issue (which by the way I have been honored with a few times). I knew that I wanted to be a part of that. 

I looked up to these upperclassmen in more ways than I can count, and this was one of the first times I realized the community that can be found in extracurricular activities. As a new-to-Parker freshman, this was particularly comforting. 

However, what is so unique about the “Weekly’s” community is that it expands further than just the members of the google classroom. By nature, a newspaper’s role is to report on a community, so through interviews, I was able to cultivate connections and build bonds with the individuals who I was interviewing that spanned outside of the interview itself. 

Really quickly, while I am on the topic of interviews, I have a quick confession that I would like to make. For the first semester of my Weekly career, I did not understand that you actually had to quote word-for-word what the interviewee said. So, I would conduct interviews and then make up my quotes. Not my finest moment. I am happy I got that off my chest. Regardless, I was still able to forge my way into the Parker and Weekly community. 

The next year, when my involvement with the Parker community changed to the tabs on my computer screen, “The Weekly” remained a constant connection. From Zoom interviews, to email exchanges, and even Ms. Tabor room-esque online meetings, I was able to continue writing and stay connected. 

As we transitioned as a community back from online to in-person, I transitioned from underclassmen to upperclassmen, and with that came new responsibilities. It became my job to give the underclassmen the same constructive-criticism, support, and care that I was treated with. 

There is a saying in Judaism, “L’dor v’dor,” which translates to “from generation to generation.” I believe that this quote encapsulates the culture of “The Weekly” well. From grade to grade, there are relationships formed, role-models created, and stylistic choices mimicked that are influential in the success of “The Weekly.”

Not only am I thankful for the community that I have been a part of on “The Weekly,” but I am thankful for the opportunity to learn more about the different exciting events and people in our community as well as the ability to become a more empathic person.