As a child, I only had two goals that ran through my mind when that idea of high school was brought up: going to school with my second oldest sister, and graduating with my twin sister. Now while there are many different versions of the story of my high school attendance, we’ll just say that in the beginning, those goals were back seated.
Coming to Judson, the goals and expectations that I once had as a child came back into play. Reflecting back on it though, I also think that it was the lowest time of my life. I didn’t know anyone except my sisters, I felt misplaced and misunderstood in so many ways, and I went through so much within myself and my identity. I also think that part of it was the world getting from behind a screen and back into a “normal” setting, as well as my lack of faith in God.
I know this is supposed to be an article reflecting back on my time at Judson High School, but with me moving back to Alabama, and my Texas high school journalism journey being cut short, I don’t feel it does my time at Judson justice with me only highlighting four of the six years that I’ve spent in Texas.
Now, I don’t want to make this article too “depressing,” but if you really think about it, the thought of it all ending has some grief attached to it. After leaving choir my sophomore year, I had no idea what I would be doing with my life. I’ve always been a fine arts kid my entire life, but I lost the love for it and I couldn’t cling onto that fantasy anymore.
The only thing I knew was that I’ve always loved writing. Being enrolled in introduction to journalism my sophomore year also worked in my favor because in taking that class, I fell in love with newspaper.
Change has always been part of my life. Being raised in church my whole life from my grandpa to my parents, my family has always been the “When God says move, you move” type of people, which resulted in my transition from Alabama to Texas. At the time, I didn’t understand it because I was 12-years-old and I didn’t know that change would soon be a major part of my life.
Never in a million years would I think that I would be moving back to Alabama, let alone during my senior year in high school. But here we are. It was and continues to still be a hard thing to process because of my attachment to this school. But in the same life, I can’t claim to have surrendered my life to Yah, while also resisting his calling for me to move.
It does hurt. It hurts in many ways, but honestly I’m grateful for it. I needed the change. I knew that, God knew that, and in a way, I know that my family knew that too.
Now did I think that my change would be ten hours away, back to where I was raised? Absolutely not. But now, I know that it’s for a reason.
I am so eternally grateful for everything that I have accomplished here at Judson High School and in Texas. I know that there are seasons and specific times for people in different times of their life, and unfortunately, my time here is up.
To all of my changes in leadership here, within the choir, newspaper, teachers, principals and anything else that I was involved in, I just want to thank you all. You guys have allowed me a space where I can express myself without judgement and with full support. You guys have expected nothing but my best, and made sure that that was the only thing that I have done, my best. I am forever grateful to be in you all’s presence and hope that life treats you the way that you deserve!
To my current newspaper advisor, Mrs. Romero, I am truly grateful for you and I love you so much! Going into my senior year without the relationship that I built with my past advisor and editor, I didn’t know what to expect. Sure enough, you proved to surpass any expectations that I had for you. Your openness to explore change and new ideas that I bring to you is truly a breath of fresh air.
I wanted this year to be a year where The Fuel rediscovered things that made it such an interesting program to be a part of. You threw your full support behind me. Now whether or not those things still happen or not, only God and time can tell, but I thank you for giving me the artistic freedom to even have the tools to bring them back.
You made sure that I had everything that I needed to be successful as an editor, student and a person. I am so grateful to have experienced the first half of my senior year with you.
To my journalism family and my newspaper staff, I love you all dearly! My first staff! You guys will truly always be ingrained in my memory. I hate that I’m leaving you all so abruptly in the middle of the school year, but I trust that the staff will be in great hands with the leadership that you still do have.
You guys are some amazing people and writers. Getting to know you all through your work and just our conversations has truly been a blessing to be witness to. As stated above, I didn’t know what to expect beginning my senior year with only two familiar faces in the class, but you guys managed to prove why you deserve your spot in either of these classes. Please, take care of yourselves, along with each other. And don’t give Mrs. Romero a hard time!
Never in a million years would I think that I would be attached to football in any sort of way, but being a football manager for my senior, junior and end of sophomore year has truly been a blessing in disguise. I’ve met some amazing people and I have explored parts of myself that I didn’t even know that I liked. Doing this confirmed my future in sports media, and I am again, so grateful for the opportunity to be a manager for the Judson Rocket football team.
To Coach Lopez specifically, I’ve said this a bunch of times, you have truly been one of my biggest influences within your years of being over the managers. I know that we’ve had our shared disagreements and frustrations with certain things, but never did you make me feel less than. You’ve always strived to do your best with what was given to you and that is truly something that I admire about you. You were the starter of my nickname “KSAT” and it’s actually something that I grew very fond of. Thank you so much for being an additional male figure in my life, and I will truly miss you. Keep pushing, and know that I’ll be forever rooting for your success.
To all of my friends, past and present, thank you so much for allowing me to be in your life. I think that I’ve gone through enough platonic relationships in this season of my life to realize that people come, go, and stay in certain times of your life. You guys have allowed me to gain the knowledge of what I imagine what I want my friends and those who surround me to represent.
I truly have no complaints about high school. Yes, I’ve had my fair share of friend groups and challenges within the road, but never will I say that I hated my time. Change is inevitable, and I just so happened to have experienced a lot of it within my time at Judson, and in Texas.
Until you see my face and/or name again in the press, signing off, Editor-in-Chief, Stephan Cook.