Getting a text of recommendation of joining News was one of the best feelings I have ever gotten at ADM. It felt great knowing that my photography skills were taking me somewhere, and I could step it up at the next level. But before joining staff I didn’t even know what it was. All I was ever interested in was taking pictures for the sports teams so they could post on their social media pages.

Once I got into the classroom I could already feel as if I was at home already, and this was going to be the best class I would ever take, which it was. The staff room is a family type of room, you will instantly build friendships. This year I had the time of my life doing Teck Talks as I would give real news and sometimes goofy videos that would hopefully put a smile on my 30 viewers.

With News, I also felt as if people knew me more around the school and I was involved with everyone. I would either interview someone or they would see me doing dumb stuff on the Friday Flash. That felt good to know that as if I could be anyone’s friend, because they would know me from something. People being lonely has always been a struggle for me. I have always had friends because getting friends is easy for me to do. Looking at someone sitting alone at lunch or someone not being involved in a project always makes me feel sad, knowing that they would do anything to be sitting at a table laughing having fun with their friends. Being on staff has helped me able to interact with people I have never met or talked to at school and be more involved at my school more than ever.

But some of my success in the newsroom wasn’t all me, I had many people help me through the process. The first person that comes to mind is Zoe, she had helped me so much with Teck Talks with all of the editing and filming I wouldn’t know what I’d do without her. (I’d have barely any stories.) The other person that comes to mind to me is Max, he was truly the leader in the classroom and helped me with ideas for stories and handed me the torch to edit the Friday Flashes, that I will be doing next year and I’ve never been so excited. Without his help and guidance, I wouldn’t know If I would be in the position I’d be in right now. He also told me one of the greatest lessons I’ll ever get, ¨Be the slide not the pole.¨ Only people in the newsroom would get that line.

Thank news for Friendships, Self-Confidence, Leadership and my newest Passion. See you next year.

– Aaron (Teck Dad) Teckenburg