It has been a tradition for the outgoing Editor-in-Chief to write a final farewell on their last day of school, so here is mine.

I’ll be honest, when I took Journalism 1 freshman year, it wasn’t out of interest in the field of journalism, but simply to fulfill a graduation requirement for performing arts. However, what I found in these last four years has been not just a graduation requirement, but a home away from home.

The memories and friends that I’ve made throughout my time here will last forever. The bond that our class has is like nothing else. We celebrated birthdays, holidays, and random days of the week with goodies and little parties. Not one day felt like work in that class, because how can you feel worked when you’re doing something you love?

My time with the Revolution has been one of dramatic change. In my freshman year, we adopted an online format, dropping the old print format. In my sophomore year, we nearly doubled our staff and I was named to my first editorial position as Sports Editor. With my junior year came much more change. We received a new advisor, Mr. Dan Sidwell, and I was given the title of Editor-in-Chief. These past two years, myself and Mr. Sidwell built the foundation for a program that drastically increased viewership as well as awareness of the newspaper. I would like to say that Mr. Sidwell has been the best thing to happen to this newspaper program in my time at Freedom High School. His new perspective and “suck less” mentality have transformed both myself and my program into something I could only dream of in the past. He may get aggravated or annoyed with certain events, but Mr. Sidwell genuinely cares about this program and I believe he is the best advisor for the job.

The Freedom Revolution Newspaper used to be a powerhouse, winning anything and everything in its sight. However, in past years the program had been left to flounder and collapse. It has been my goal to restore the Revolution to its former glory. While I cannot say that the Revolution is back to its former days, I can say that it is on the right track and that I am honored to have been a part of righting the ship.

I would like to thank my peers on the Editorial Staff, Tori Chin (News Editor/Public Relations) and Catherine Weng (Assistant Editor-in-Chief), for their hard work and dedication to the program. We have grown close over the years and it has been an honor to watch them grow both as writers and people. Without them, I probably would have gone insane and definitely would not have been able to serve the program to the best of my abilities. I would also like to thank the staff writers for their fantastic contribution to the website each and every week, and bearing with us as we continue to learn and grow together as a class. Also, I would like to personally thank my Co-Editor from last year, Megan Ghillyer. She taught me how to work with someone even if I didn’t see eye-to-eye with them. Even though we often fought and generally didn’t get along, we both wanted what was best for the program and I hope that I made her proud this year. I have learned a lot about leadership and myself as a result.

At this time, I would like to announce my successor to the title of Editor-in-Chief, Catherine Weng. I believe that she will take good care of the program in her final year and will continue the Revolution on its path to greatness. I have watched her grow as a writer in my four years, and I feel as if she is one of the most talented writers ever to participate in the program in my tenure with the newspaper. Additionally, I would like to name Drew Meyerson as her replacement to position of Assistant Editor-in-Chief. Drew has shown exceptional growth as a writer, and in the short time I have known him he has demonstrated his responsibility and ability to maintain journalistic integrity even in the most challenging of circumstances. Sitting in on interviews this week, I am confident that next year’s newspaper will be even better than this year’s, and the new class of writers will bring improved morale and story quality.

So now, my time is coming to an end. I have enjoyed the ride, but my journey is wrapping up. However, I am not sad. Being on the Revolution has definitely been a defining point in my life, one that has taught me many lessons and has gathered me a lot of valuable experience. I highly recommend participating in newspaper, it is a program at this school like none other, and will provide you with friends and experiences also like no other. For the future journalists, don’t be afraid to dig around when the story doesn’t add up. As long as what is written is the truth, then there is no need to worry. Those who criticize the truth only have something to hide. For the rising seniors next year, savor every moment. As cliché as it sounds, time moves SUPER fast. Enjoy the moments you make with your closest friends, be nice to everyone, but cut out the people who don’t treat you right. Make responsible choices, but don’t be afraid to have a little fun once in a while. Most importantly, never forget who your best friend is, they are the one who you will go through thick and thin with, and will be sitting together in 20 years remembering all these fun times you once had. When one door closes, another one opens. I will be attending Florida State University starting in the fall and majoring in Political Science, pursuing a career in national security/counterterrorism.

Warm regards and a happy summer,

Tommy Capobianco – Former Editor-in-Chief of the Freedom Revolution Newspaper