This year’s seniors will be the last generation of students who founded The Echo in 2022. It’s one thing to start a newspaper; it’s something else entirely to keep it going and to have the expertise, wisdom, and generosity of spirit to train a whole new generation of writers, editors, artists, and layouters. Their collective hard work has made our newspaper a place where fresh perspectives, hilarious takes, and the exploration of important issues thrive. Their whiteboard Kermit-graffiti may fade, but their vision for our newsroom never will. 

And yet, they haven’t only started an award-winning newspaper—they’ve cultivated a community embodying MSE’s talent, heart, and passion. They made a home for all of us in the middle of our days and our STEM classes, so our newsroom wanted to dedicate a section to them in recognition of their hard work and incredible characters. Surprise!! We’ll miss you dearly, but we can’t wait to see the great things you’ll accomplish beyond the dungeon. 

—Ms. Hesseltine and the Editorial Board

Addison Saji

Addi!! Your positivity and contagious laughter always brightens up the room. You are so crazy talented and every piece of art you make—whether it’s a doodle or a spot the difference masterpiece—never ceases to amaze me. Beyond your beautiful art and super creative games, you are so funny and inspire everyone around you to work hard and have fun at the same time. I can’t believe you won’t be here next year—because what will we do without your beautiful stickers, amazing energy, and endless talent? We will all miss you dearly; please come back and visit!

—Audrey

Hey Addison!!! You are such a joy to sit next to—our table is going to feel so empty and sad without you next year. Your work is always incredibly creative, and honestly, you’ve written some of my all-time favorite pieces. The Hershow interview will probably go down in The Echo’s history as the funniest teacher interview of all time. The newsroom is going to miss your irreplaceable presence, but we’re all rooting for you as you go on to do amazing things at UPenn!! Please visit!!!

—Willow

Addison: You are fearless in your writing and in your drawing—taking on tricky interviews and topics with a smile and determination. The flowers will always be blooming in the dungeon thanks to your multifaceted presence in our newsroom.

—Ms. H

Arianna Bassini

Dear Arianna, 

What are we ever going to do without you?!?! You are truly one of the most kind people I know and every second spent with you always makes my day. You bring such a lovely, happy, helpful presence to The Echo’s newsroom; we are going to miss you so, so, SO much. Your true leadership capabilities inspire me every day! I’m so excited to see all the amazing things you are going to accomplish. 

Have the best time at Northwestern!

—Willow

Dear Arianna,

It’s hard to imagine The Echo without your infectious energy. Throughout my time here, you’ve been a radiant role model, bringing such care to both your craft and your mentorship of others. I still remember you teaching me the “sh*t sandwich” of editing when I first joined club in Fall 2023—I never expected to follow in your word limit–exceeding footsteps! Your encouragement and generosity helped me realize my passion for journalism. We all love you so much and will be cheering you on from Baskerville in your next endeavors.

—Ocean

Arianna: I will miss your optimism and silliness; your ability to plumb the irreverent has always kept our newsroom laughing and prevented us from taking ourselves too seriously. The enthusiasm with which you encouraged everyone to pursue their article ideas and the way you always gave special attention to newbies will forever be unmatched.

—Ms. H

Astrid Clayton

Astrid,

You’ve left me with such big shoes to fill as head-ditor! I’m not worried, though, because your attentive and thoughtful leadership has fostered a community of people who are always doing their best to pick up the slack for one another. I’ve always admired your ability to have open discussions, deliver thoughtful critiques, and stay organized. You always hold yourself accountable and take the brunt of the load for yourself, and I can see the influence that has on those around you every day in our newsroom. I’m sure you’ll bring that same energy with you in college and beyond!

Thank you!

—Oliver

Astrid! What would this newsroom be without you? Thank you for always being so kind and caring. You have guided me through so many obstacles and I’m so grateful for all your help. You’re an incredible writer and editor with excellent problem-solving skills. I can’t wait to see everything you get to accomplish! Maybe you’ll come back to the newsroom for a visit (or the softball alumni game). 

—Annalie

Astrid: You have been our “managing everything” for the past two years and I could always count on you to be thoughtful and intentional in all your tasks. Thank you for all the ways you kept club and elective in step with each other and encouraged each group of people to do their very best.

—Ms. H

Ella-Devi Weerackody

Dear Ella-Devi,

How do I even begin to thank the loudest, proudest, best-dressed legend of the senior class? Seriously—your ability to say exactly what’s on your mind (with the perfect amount of sass) has been nothing short of iconic, both in the classroom and in your journalism. You’ve made The Echo elective a whole lot brighter (and way more entertaining)! So, thank you for being unapologetically yourself, for making me laugh, and for proving that confidence is the best accessory. Wherever life takes you next, one thing is for sure: It’ll never be boring!

—Taha Usha

Dear Ella-Devi,

I’ll never forget the exhilarating feeling when we first met in the newsroom. Since then, our adventures across the city to capture stories and seek justice have brought some of the most fulfilling projects of my life. You’ve inspired me to embrace the bold, messy parts of myself and always write with conviction. Thank you for your endless support, from the near-freezing photoshoots to the Cafe One mental breakdowns. The Echo will miss your creative genius and fiery spirit, but we’re grateful you’ll be just a train ride away, diva-ing it up at Parsons. Ocella forever.

—Ocean

Ella-Devi: You have long been our engine for outrage in the face of injustice. I will miss your fearlessness (but be careful!) and your passion for giving a voice or an image to the causes that the world needs to pay better attention to. KEEP FIGHTING! (But please don’t get a tattoo.)

—Ms. H

Eli Gologanova

Eli Eli Eli!!

I’m going to miss my music buddy. You’re so cool, but also authentic, and funny, and nice. Your fashion is wonderful, as well as your music recommendations (I was so desperate that I screen-recorded “All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun” so that I can listen to it with ease). Thank you for sharing that song with me; it’s really special. Let’s go to a Car Seat Headrest concert someday; I’ve still never been, and even if it’s 20 years until the timing is right, I know that 35-year-old me would be more than happy to go because we’ll be bound together forever by our article’s Tumblr hashtag. (I hope I used those en dashes correctly).

Sending all the good music vibes your way,

and many good times in college,

Esther

(#Esther Gould and Eli Gologanova)

Hey, Eli!

You’ve been such a great mentor throughout my time at The Echo. I’m going to miss gossiping about writers, procrastinating during elective time, and coaching new editors on the intricacies of em dashes with you. The Echo won’t be the same without your contributions; you founded the editing department and taught all of us the fundamentals. I’ve learned so much from you that I’m eager to pass on to the next head-ditor when the time comes. I just hope I can live up to the standards you’ve set with your “Eli checks”!

I’ll miss you!

—Oliver

Eli: Your passion for precision and clarity in the written word has built an army of excellent editors for our newsroom. Next year, we will try every day to live up to your belief that there is poetry in good editing and we will think of you with every em dash we deploy.

—Ms. H

Emily Dow

Hi Emily!!!

I’m gonna miss you soooo much. You were so kind and welcoming when we first met at softball. Not to mention the fact you are such a good mentor to Taha and I as the new Art Directors! We wouldn’t be able to do it without you (and your candy)! Not to mention your absolutely HILARIOUS articles; it’s my guilty pleasure to read your articles before they’re officially published. You better come back and visit…

Have so much fun at college!!

—Aidana

Emily!!

You’re without a doubt the funniest person in The Echo and I’m so glad I got to know you both in the newspaper and on the softball team. What will we do without your amazing satire pieces?! I hope your writing and art are appreciated at college; the newsroom won’t be the same without you next year. 

Thank you for everything you have contributed to The Echo; we’ll miss you so much!

—Sawyer

Emily: Your articles have made me belly-laugh out loud more times than I can count; I will miss your unique humor and perspectives on display daily as you sat in the desk right behind mine. (P.S. No one will ever realize just how often you ran interference for artists and writers who were late with their illustrations and art requests.)

—Ms. H

Jayden Cedano

Jayden, thanks for being the funniest member of The Echo and the best first webmaster it could have. I still remember the slideshows you made for your webmaster presentations last year; the animations it had really inspired me to get better at making slideshows of my own. Your energy really helps light up the room, and I know that you’ll carry it over wherever you go! 

—Jason

Salutations Jayden!

Thanks for being there for me at The Echo, especially when I was starting out in the club in freshman year! Your support has helped me be a better writer for the elective for whenever I think of ways to improve my drafts. Your advice and feedback have truly been invaluable and helped me to grow as a writer. Your contributions as the webmaster have also helped not just me, but the entirety of The Echo as a whole. Handling a website for the newspaper helps us not only keep up with modern technology, but also keeps The Echo more accessible and contributing greatly to our community. For that, I thank you.

Glowing regards, 

Isaac Kim

Jayden: Our very first webmaster! It’s hard to imagine The Echo ever making it online without your vision, and your subsequent patience in training the rest of us will keep us digital long after you’re gone. Thank you for being someone I could always count on to alert me to issues before they became problems. You are a natural leader and I have no doubt you’re going to find your perfect spot soon.

—Ms. H

Julian Nguyen

Julian, your innovative, funny ideas always impress me, whether they be suggestions for the class or creative additions to an article. I still remember cooking up the intro to my textbook article with you and that was one of the most fun writing experiences I’ve had in this elective. I know that your personality and humor will continue to shine wherever you go. 

—Jason

Hi, Julian!

Thank you for keeping me up to date on all of the recent Survivor seasons! You’ve always been such a creative and outspoken voice in our newsroom, and I appreciate the new and innovative ideas you bring to the table during discussions. Your energy will be sorely missed when you graduate, but you’re always going to be welcomed back for a visit with open arms!

—Oliver

Julian: You will always be my first pick to move on to the next challenge in Survivor (VR or IRL) and in the lesser-known spinoff: Senior TA. I will miss the passion and attention to detail you brought to every story—in an issue or in conversation. Keep telling stories!

—Ms. H

Kevin Sim

Kevin!! It’s been such a pleasure to work alongside you in The Echo. What are we going to do without our train and transport expert next year? I always enjoy reading your work in the paper and finding out such niche, yet important information about our wonderful city! I hope you continue to chase your passions throughout your future. Come back and visit!!

—Willow

Salutations Kevin!

Thank you for all you have done for The Echo! Your articles, all centered on New York transportation and sights, show a clear passion in this topic that is very relevant to many students here at HSMSE. Your focus on a topic not only shows your ability to write what you care about—an important skill to have as a writer—but also that you want to utilize this skill in order to have an immediate impact on readers and their knowledge of the world they live in, something I think is truly inspirational. I thank you for using your passion to benefit the lives of others, something I think is an important lesson for all of us here at The Echo.

Glowing regards,

Isaac Kim

Kevin: You demystified the transit system for our readers with diligence and thoughtfulness; and in doing so, you showed us the human connection facilitated by the subway lines. I will really miss your smiling and gentle presence in our newsroom.

—Ms. H

Phoebe Fried

Hi Phoebe,

There’s absolutely no way you’re going to Columbia next year—so close, yet so far. All jokes aside, I genuinely don’t know what I would have done this year without you. You’re such an amazing and talented designer, and I wouldn’t have learned half of what I know now if it weren’t for your mentorship. Keep being the sarcastic, patient, orange-hating (maybe not that one…) person that you are!

~Ariam

P.S. PLEASE keep your email inbox open; we’ll definitely need layout advice next year…

Hi Phoebe!

Thank you so much for being so helpful and teaching me so much about layout. You are a very kind and supportive lead designer and editor and have helped me so much with my articles and layout, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without all of your help. And thank you for always answering my questions about layout or just anything that I’m confused about. I really enjoyed getting to know you this year and The Echo won’t feel at all the same without you next year. 

Have a great time at Columbia and come back to visit us next year!

Neve

Phoebe: We will miss your genius on display in layout and the way you fit all the pieces of an issue together with a vision. But most importantly, I will miss you as the steady moral compass of our paper. You routinely engage with difficult issues in measured and reflective ways that get to the heart of what is most compassionate and ethical in any situation; the world at large, and higher education specifically, needs minds like yours more than ever. 

—Ms. H