As my time as the 2017-2018 editor-in-chief for Hawkview is slowly coming to a close, I think it’s only right to reflect on all the marvelous work I’ve done this year. At the beginning of the year, my goals were to increase our readership, and I like to think we went from three readers to eight!!! (A big shout-out to my friends and boyfriend for always reading the newspaper just because I’m the editor; love you, all.)

Not only do I want to thank all our readers, but also my awesome co-editor BAEly Franklin. Without her, the class would just be me yelling at everyone to do their stories, but she managed to nicely make sure everyone got their stories on time… most of the time. 

Now most importantly, I want to thank the best adviser in the entire world ever, Ms. Jennifer Cortez!! Without her, I would be nothing!! ….literally the class would not exist. She always believed in me, supported me through the late nights, and stressful deadlines. Everything we have accomplished this year is thanks to her.

I think this year was the prime of my “What’s Up With?!?!” column. For those of you who may not know, I have been writing “WUW” for three years now!!! I’ve always known people enjoyed this section in the newspaper, but I feel as though more people paid attention to it this year… so, you’re welcome.

As my reign as the world’s best editor in the world comes to an end, I just want to say… you’re welcome for the best newspaper in the desert. Emily and John, you have some big shoes to fill…. but I know you guys will accomplish everything you want to and more. ❤

Mariana Escatell served as the co-editor-in-chief during the 2017-2018 school year of La Quinta High School’s student-run newspaper, the Hawkview. 

So here it is, y’all. I have been given the opportunity to write whatever I want in a column that will (maybe) be read by many. Here, of course, I say my thank yous.

Thank you to my parents, of course, for raising me to be the amazing, strong, independent woman that I am. I am forever grateful for your strict, but loving parenting because (no offense, y’all) I turned out much better than most (imo).

Thank you to every single one of my friends from birth to now who have also shaped who I am as a person. I would like to thank my siblings; my older brother for making it easy not to be like him, my sister for criticizing everything (it’s okay she’s pretty great…don’t get cocky now), and my youngest brother for being so much like me, but also not.

Thank you to my coaches, my teammates, my teachers for teaching me discipline and how hard work pays off. I love every single one of you (some more than others) and all y’all have played a large part in how I want to live my life.

Here I present my call to action, for those of you well-versed in literary essay techniques; this is where I call my audience to go out and do something. My challenge to you, my dedicated reader, is to be a positive influence, like every person I thanked in this column. Be inspiring and hardworking; be better, be kinder. Be more than who you are today.