I wanted to be labeled in high school. Not in a bad way, just in a way that gave me belonging. I felt like my friends already had pretty clear labels coming into high school. Alyson Rotman, the choir girl. Sam Cook, the gymnast. Allison Eichner… that one girl. Freshman year I tried to be Allison Eichner, the soccer girl, but high school sports were definitely not for me. Sophomore year I tried to be Allison Eichner, the smart girl, but looking back I was just averagely above average, not really up there with the smart kids, but not just getting by either. By junior year I had accepted high school wasn’t my thing, so I planned to keep my head down and get through the next two years as fast as possible. But that year I had signed up for newspaper class. My mom had been on the school newspaper when she went to Broomfield and I enjoy writing so it made sense to sign up. It didn’t take much thought. It felt natural. This is where I found my label.

Allison Eichner, the newspaper girl.  

I don’t know if that’s really how other people see me, but that’s how I see myself. I know it’s unrealistic to think I would be remembered for a newspaper, to think someone would actually read my name among the staff list and remember it. In reality, I know these newspapers get passed out (or most times, don’t get passed out) and the bright minds of Broomfield High flip right to the word search. (It’s on the back page, by the way.) But these papers make me think maybe these last four years weren’t wasted simply going in and out of classes. I have a thing at school. A thing I love and I’m passionate about. And what makes it worth it to me is I know hardly anyone acknowledges the school newspaper and that doesn’t change the fact that I still care.  

I care about the most antiquated form of media: print media. It holds a special place in my heart because it’s permanent. A newspaper or a magazine is there, in your hands, in front of your face. And regardless if you put it down, it’s still there, in existence, waiting to be picked up again. The insecure part of me that wanted this label in the first place finds comfort in the fact there is a chance, even a teeny-tiny one, my writing could have dramatically impacted someone else and they would remember me, Allison Eichner, the newspaper girl. Whether that is a reality or not I’ll probably never know, but I do know I’ve worked hard to leave my legacy at Broomfield.

In two years my fellow editors and I, along with some amazing class of 2017 seniors, built a program from scratch. My senior year we brought back the student newspaper (which hadn’t been around since the 90s) at such a crucial time in history for students. I was given a voice that I hope echoes yours, and I was proud to represent Broomfield in this untraditional way. It brings me joy to know high school wasn’t a complete waste of time, but it pains me to say goodbye to The Eagle Way.