As the school year comes to a close, Spyglass waves goodbye to four seniors whose strong leadership, ambition, and commitment to journalism have left an impact on the newspaper. Over the years, members of the Spyglass Class of 2026 have contributed countless hours of writing, editing, and designing. 

This year’s staff included four dedicated and talented seniors: Editor-in-Chief Valentina V., Editor Kristin C., Design Team Co-Head Isa H., and Staff Writer Keira K. Spyglass’s seniors have contributed deeply to Spyglass as editors, staff writers, and designers, with 80 total articles and seven design contributions between them.

Kristin C. joined Spyglass in Middle School, excited to improve her writing. Over the years, her favorite part has always been the community and the afternoons leading up to COPY deadline. “There’s a sense of excitement when you’re so close to the finish line and like a sense of community when everyone’s together, eating snacks, talking about the articles,” she said.

Over her six years on staff and three as an editor, Kristin has published over 30 articles. Not only was she one of the first to launch large-scale data-driven articles for Spyglass, but Kristin also attended three National High School Journalism Conventions and co-presented on data journalism at two of them, being one of the first to represent Spyglass at the convention. 

Editor-in-Chief Valentina V. joined the staff her freshman year, became an editor her sophomore year, and was elected Editor-in-Chief her senior year. She shared that her favorite memory was from the National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville, where she also co-presented on writing strategies for collaborative articles. “I also loved getting to know some of the staff better, especially the younger newer staffers who went on the trip,” Valentina V. said. “We got to bond while eating meals or going to the same sessions as each other.”

The seniors shared that a common theme of curiosity sparked over their time on Spyglass. For Staff Writer Keira K., she will carry her ambitious curiosity after Westridge. Keira joined the staff in her junior year, and shared her favorite articles as being her investigative feature on student concussions and her personal OP-ED about being a twin. “I gained a better understanding of Westridge through Spyglass, and especially when we talk about different stories and the inner workings of Westridge,” Keira said. “I have more sympathy, but also deeper understanding, more curiosity about what goes on beyond the scenes of our school.”

“The biggest thing I’m taking away from Spyglass is a larger sense of curiosity about the things going on around me… I sort of look at everything with this lens of asking ‘why is this happening?’ or wanting to know the story behind it,” Valentina V. added.

Isa H. joined the Design Team in their sophomore year, then became a Design Team head in their junior year. Isa has contributed four edition posters and three thumbnail designs. “My biggest takeaway is that teamwork and communication is so essential to any big project, especially when leading a team,” Isa said. “My favorite part has definitely been seeing the improvement in the members. Critiquing their work and seeing them improve and grow every edition was so gratifying to me and I can’t wait to see what everyone does next and what new members will bring to the team.”

Whether it was through data journalism or creative edition posters, the Class of 2026 has redefined the possibilities for future staffers. As they head into the next chapter of their life, their impact on campus will not be forgotten. Kristin C. said, “I’ve become a lot more confident in myself and really realize the importance and power of my writing and journalism… That’s something I’ll always have with me.”