Dedicated students and staff,

I have begun writing this the night of September 19, 2023, and I have, already, the trepidation of how I will feel once this is all said and done. 

One month into my last year at Ayala High School, my last year with the Bulldog Times, I have caught myself drifting and wandering into muddy creeks deep within my mind—as I write my final staff biography, as I scan the class I will soon leave behind, as I sit idly on my couch chair as afternoon sun tickles my Nordgreen wrist watch. I fill with dread for the day I must bid my farewell to what truly embraced me first.

I know not yet what this year has for me. It’s already been more stress-inducing than the last. I believe, as of September, that I actually love the stress. I love having meetings and pending matters race my heart and fill my mind. I love the sigh of a long day and the feet-aches of long paces across campus. I love what it means, and how it feels, to be someone. 

Because of the Bulldog Times, I have become someone.

That someone, now, has taken the bountiful experiences enabled through journalism and has forwarded them towards something new and worthwhile. The lessons and experiences that I’ll carry to the University of California, Irvine will be a valuable tool in a career that I plan to take by storm.

He was once an idle, directionless pigeon who couldn’t call a spade a spade nor lead an entire publication became a focused person, and I would fail to attribute this self-revolution to anything but the Bulldog Times.

—

I often found myself in the sullen daze of muddled evenings, usually carrying no more than my name and a tired camera. I would sit, rather throw, myself against my gray couch and, after the undulating pulsations in my forehead died down from exhaustion and stress, I would continue again. I did so happily; I did so with purpose.

Walking into B103 every day at 11:44 AM, I learned to actually believe in a cause, one that I could lead myself, and I never took that for granted.

It’s still fresh in my mind, the first time I was recognized for my work. A menial MLB postseason article that was longer than it needed to be, had an egregiously-long lead, and riddled with AP-style blunders—but it was good. It was mine. And I wanted to do even better. By year’s end, I was preparing for a Sports Editor position. By next year’s end, I was preparing to be Editor-in-Chief, with an entirely new editorial board by my side.

The year was far from perfect, but it worked. With my amazing department editors and writing staff, it worked. I am especially grateful for them.

—

For those who truly needed me, through your writing journey in the class or through your desire to be seen in the sandstorm of a student body in my articles, I hope you know that it was beyond a pleasure to serve you as the Editor-in-Chief of the Bulldog Times. 

The efforts made by students, staff, and community members who truly radiate their passions deserve praise regardless of whether or not they’re featured in an otherwise-well-intended school newspaper, but I tried my best to make people feel as seen as possible.

If nothing else, I did all that I could in the pursuit of one journalistic constant: the truth.

And an equal debt is owed to those that challenged me and the personal indignations that have taught me great lessons. Though your cannons have fired, I thank you, even now, for the tenacity you’ve bred within me. Your resounding, piercing voices have, if nothing else, taught me peace.

I will carry peace within me in the endeavors that I’ve yet to encounter. In a diluted, stress-inducing high school experience that I simultaneously hated and adored, I found peace.

For a life saturated with monumental successes and horrifying blows, I submit everything that my life has become to the Bulldog Times and all that it represents. 

A special thanks to some of my journalism peers, past and present:

Katie Cheng, Katelyn Jimenez, Bailee Alejos, Isabel Sim, Elisabeth Lee, Madeline Khoo, Kim Flores, Sohan Raval, Trina Lizama, Olivia Mendoza, Ryan Wu, Ian Gonzalez, David Rodriguez, Wren Bulawin, Trinity Phillips, Annie Kim, Maximus Hemming, Jessica Rios, Pooja Singamsetty, Jacob Harper, Logan Hugo (DLHS), Alexzander Reedy (DLHS), Roxy Kalantari, Kaylani Hsu, Aniya Grant, Jiaying Hou, Janelle Lim, David Kim, Kaitlyn Luu.

To adviser Ms. Eileen Tse, the Bulldog Times staff, varsity baseball, United Student Body, Associated Chino Teachers, the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association, Ayala administration, the Chino Hills community, my parents, my family, my dear friends, the students, and you—our faithful readers.

Thank you.

~~

This publication was the house that I built; I do not live there anymore, but the roses still bloom. I am still there.