As the school year comes to a close, Spyglass bids farewell to roster spectacular Spyglass seniors on staff—13 seniors whose bold opinions, sharp ideas, and deep dedication to journalism have shaped the voice and culture of Spyglass over their time at Westridge. Known for being “ambitious,” “outspoken,” “chatty,” and “brazen,” the Spyglass Class of 2025 leaves behind not just hundreds of hours spent editing, writing, and designing, but a legacy of fearless reporting and critical thinking.

This year’s editorial board included five hard working and talented seniors: Editor-in-Chief Ella B., Managing Editor Tanvi C., Social Media Manager and Editor Mirella C., Website Manager and Editor Reed D., and Editor Sophene A. Spyglass’s seniors have contributed deeply to Spyglass as editors, staff writers, or designers across their time at Westridge, with 379 total articles and countless of hours of commitment.

For Ella, who began her Spyglass journey in seventh grade and became Editor-in-Chief in her senior year, Spyglass has been central to her growth as a writer and leader. “As a journalist, I was able to explore all of my curiosities, talking to administrators, peers, teachers and getting to the bottom of questions I wanted to answer,” she said. Ella ends an impressive Spyglass career with 129 published articles throughout her 6 years. “Now, as Editor-in-Chief in my senior year, this year has been the biggest privilege of my life.” 

Spyglass has been a very rewarding and meaningful experience for many seniors. Tanvi has gained many valuable insights. “Spyglass has really given me a platform to convey my opinions in a really constructive way,” said Tanvi C. “[It’s] taught me how to critically think in a way that I haven’t been able to in a more academic setting.”

“Spyglass… holds our journalists to the highest standard, so it’s a little bit different than the leadership we would hold in just Westridge in general,” said Mirella C. “I think it’s definitely exposed me to a bit more professional work environment and a professional team environment, which has helped me grow in a lot of different ways.”

For many seniors, Spyglass also provided a space to build their confidence, community, and connections at Westridge. “The camaraderie between my fellow staffers has been really, really fun, and I’ve made some of my closest friends on staff, so I wouldn’t trade those moments of friendship and time spent with those people for anything,” said Reed D.

“I met a lot of my closest friends here,” said Mirella C. “Spyglass has given me a lot of opportunities to dabble in things that I don’t normally have access to. As social media manager, I think it’s given me a lot of good skills that have been applicable to just what I’m interested in doing in life.”

Through their op-eds, features, and editorials, the Spyglass seniors are known for being “unafraid” to challenge administration and raise important questions. “We’ve written some really good pieces–op-eds and features– that I think highlight important things on our campus,” said Sophene A. “That’s been really special about us, we’re not afraid to kind of tackle those bigger pieces.”

The seniors have dedicated countless hours to Spyglass behind the scenes, from last minute layout edits to stepping in to help underclassmen finish their articles in time for publication. “The amount of time each and every one of the seniors on staff have given to Spyglass is truly remarkable, and their impact will never be forgotten, from the amazing creativity that Mirella gave to our social media account, to the pure organization of Tanvi’s mind, Sophene’s ambition, Reed’s beautiful writing [and] website [designing], and my own initiative, as well as the other contributors, copy editors, staff writers, and designers,” said Ella B.

Whether by shaping social media strategy, challenging norms in editorials, or welcoming new writers, this group of seniors redefined what it means to be a Spyglass journalist. As they head off into the world, their words, leadership, and strong sense of self will remain part of the Spyglass community for years to come.