I could have never imagined myself here, writing my last ever article for The Explorer. I have feared this moment for the longest time. Three years, 35 articles and a lifetime full of memories in B102. Coming into high school, I didn’t even know what journalism was. I started my high school journey in January of 2020 after living in England for a year and a half. I thought coming back home was going to be easy and smooth and it ended up feeling anything but. I struggled to rebuild relationships from middle school and couldn’t find my place in the school. While all of this was happening, our world was shutting down. I had two normal months of high school before covid and was thrown into isolation.
While the pandemic was a challenging time for me, it was also a period of immense growth in my life. I learned some great lessons during this time and discovered my passion in life: journalism. I started taking journalism in January 2021 and entered the class as an unsure and lost sophomore. I had always liked writing and after writing my first article that got noticed by a local NPR journalist, I knew this was where I was supposed to be. Before I blinked, half of my high school experience was gone. I hadn’t gone to a single football game or dance, the best parts of high school. I could say my first two years of high school were wasted, but I do not choose to look at it that way. To me, the first two years of high school were the most impactful years of my life to date.
Junior year rolled around and I was enjoying the first fun moments of high school: the dances, football games and school spirit. If there was one thing I could go back and tell junior year Charlie, it would be to take it easy. You don’t need to join every single club possible and reach for the highest possible grade. Have some fun. Enjoy the time you are living in. You only get to do high school once in your life. I made my junior year the hardest year of my life, and while it was rewarding in the end, it wasn’t worth the stress.
Before I knew it, I was a senior, at the top of the food chain. This year has been a big roller coaster for me, with so many highs and lows and everything in between. As the year dragged on, the concept of leaving Hudson became more and more real. It’s a concept I still can’t accept. Leaving the place that raised me to go into the real world. I tell myself I can do it, and you can too. There will be a time when you leave this town– embrace it and enjoy it.
I’ve lived in Hudson since kindergarten, going to Evamere, Ellsworth Hill, McDowell, East Woods, and Hudson Middle School. I have many fond memories at all of those schools. I have had many amazing teachers along the way that have pushed me to where I am today.
Starting with Kindergarten, Mrs. Feskanin founded my love of learning. She made every day of school enjoyable and fulfilling. In third grade, I was lucky to have an amazing teacher, educator and person in Mr. Wilson who truly had a love for his students. I learned the importance of hard work and homework with him.
My seventh grade social studies teacher, Ms. Nemec introduced me to the idea of setting goals. From a young age, I’ve always wanted to go to Ohio State. Nearly every day of seventh grade I wore OSU clothes in hopes of one day achieving that goal. Ms. Nemec introduced me to Running Backs Coach at Ohio State Tony Alford, and from then on Ohio State was the dream (go Hoosiers). She helped me realize what I really wanted out of life and the best ways I could get myself there.
Mrs. Wilkerson has been one of the most inspirational people I look up to often. She is the kindest, warmest, sweetest person I have ever met and wants to make a difference in not only my life, but every child’s life in Hudson. I want to be able to treat people with the same amount of respect Mrs. Wilkerson shows to everyone she crosses paths with. Mrs. Scharlotte and Mr. Chiorian made my senior year the best it could possibly be. They teach the best class at HHS and I feel prepared to go into the real world now because of them. New D was everything I thought it would be and more and I cannot thank them enough for giving me the opportunity to make lifelong friends and grow personally.
Last, but certainly not least, Miss C! Mrs. Crecelius has meant so much to me– from helping me grow as a journalist to making each day better for me. If I’m ever having a bad day, Miss C cheers me up. I will miss seeing her for 100 minutes every day and all of the memories we’ve had in B102. Thank you to all of the teachers I’ve had that have pushed me along the way to where I am today. They have made the biggest impact on my life and I am forever grateful to be able to make the relationships I have with them. If there is one take away from this article, it is to make sure to thank your teachers. Forever and always.
These past four years of high school have been the most fulfilling, inspiring, impactful, happy years of my life. I am even more excited for college, but it is so important to reflect on the last four to prepare for the next four. If you would have told me four years ago that I will be speaking at graduation, my freshman self would have called you insane, yet here I am. Wherever I go and however far I leave, Hudson will always hold a special place in my heart. It will always be home for me. Thank you, Hudson, for being the best home anyone could ever ask for. Here’s to the next four!
