As a rising senior, I am both shocked and excited at how rapidly my time at NDB has flashed by. As cliche as it sounds, it truly feels like yesterday that my classmates and I were scared freshmen, getting lost on our way to class during the first week — though, in all fairness, I did this during my junior year, too — and feeling intimidated by what the next four years might hold.

For both wide-eyed freshmen and returning students alike, the beginning of the school year is an intimidating time. The nine-and-a-half-month-span from mid-August to the end of May when our days are shaped by hours at NDB, sitting in classes, doing extracurriculars, and working on homework and other assignments is also a period of immense change in many of our lives. During every year of high school, I have made new friends, discovered new passions, and grown as a person through my experiences.

My junior year was perhaps my most influential year so far — which also happened to be the year that I discovered my passion for Journalism. In the midst of an immensely rigorous year, it was an escape where I was able to channel my passion for creativity and writing into an outlet that also contributed to the community. Last year, I wrote over twenty stories in all sections across our seven print issues and two online issues and, at the end of the school year, learned that I would serve as this year’s Editor in Chief.

Our goal at the Catalyst and my ambition as this year’s EIC is not just to provide NDB with an outlet to accurate and current news about the many events taking place in our community, but also to bring us closer together. When picking up a newspaper, you may read a story that lifts you or upsets you, that you can relate to, or that opens your mind. Journalism is a more powerful medium than many people may realize because stories about others have the power to evoke strong emotions and a sense of connection between people.

I hope each and every student who attends NDB is able to take advantage of our school’s many unique opportunities to discover and develop their passion — and that perhaps some of you will join the Journalism class or club. It truly takes a village of reporters, writers, photographers, and designers to produce our papers, and I would also like to extend my gratitude towards the staff, the school, and our readers for your continuing support.