I have been at the Crescent Crier since the very first meeting of my freshman school year. I began as a writer on international relations, politics, and school sports. I had the absolute privilege of being trained by Kate Voltz and Maya Schwartz. Despite many gafs, errors, corrections, administrative concerns, the Crescent Crier has continued to be a staple of the Crescent Valley community (and now broader) under my leadership. 

As Editor, I led the change from a literary magazine to a more traditional newspaper. We have grown the leadership board to include more people in the process of creating an edition. I also created a new website which to date has attracted 28,787 unique visitors from Corvallis and beyond. However, my biggest impact has come from the editorials, informative, and opinion pieces I have written while Editor in Chief. From the dire situation the school sees itself in, to the math curriculum which is not serving students, to district communication, I have written about the problems I see in our systems. The support from these articles has changed my mind about a future in journalism. They have been shared far and wide in Corvallis and have led me to connect with hundreds of staff members and parents that I would never have met otherwise. It even kickstarted me into running a campaign! – something I thought impossible for a 17 year old. The countless staff members who expressed appreciation for the way I chose to use this platform only hardened my resolve and made it easier to take the hits, arrows, and barbs as it was never about me or my “15 minutes of fame” as some called it. It was about you. It was about your teacher. And most importantly about allowing the students who walk the stage after us the same opportunities.

It wouldn’t be a personal message for me without a look to the future. I am severely concerned about the future of the Corvallis School District and education nationally. Student dissent is often met with private meetings, internal discussion, and disavowment of the dissent instead of addressing the concerns that they brought up. Writing my editorials, I received many staff messages asking for personal contact information because they felt surveilled on school channels. I’ve written about it before but we have a serious issue of comfortability of criticism and dissent in this district. Some seem to take such as personal attacks rather than moments for growth.

 Additionally, sweeping changes to math and language arts curriculum in the middle and elementary schools have been made without clear data and scientific studies to support their methods. Our curriculum evaluation needs reform. While districts across the country are moving toward science-based math instruction, we’ve doubled down on an unproven and increasingly discredited approach.

And then there’s artificial intelligence. Yes, it’s here to stay. But our district is moving at a reckless pace, prioritizing convenience over education. AI is already eroding foundational learning and weakening students’ work ethic. Some district leaders have gone so far as to say that any assignment AI can complete just isn’t “creative enough.” That mindset is dangerous. The lack of clear policy, support for deterrence, and AI literacy education has left teachers scrambling. 

This paper, and specifically in my senior year, gave me a platform. The largest platform I have had. With that comes responsibility and trust. I am not regretful of anything I have put into print. Sometimes, my writing falls on the deaf ears of those who most need to hear it but that’s the nature of journalism. I don’t know exactly where journalism fits into my future, but I know I’ll keep writing, questioning, and fighting for the kind of schools I believe we should build.