Ripples seniors recall favorite memories
June 8, 2021
Abi Knox
Editor-in-Chief, Sports Editor
10. Unwittingly having an email conversation with myself.
9. The single editorial staff gift exchange I participated in, in which I received a book titled Soccernomics: Why England Loses; Why Germany, Spain, and France Win; and Why One Day Japan, Iraq, and the United States Will Become Kings of the World’s Most Popular Sport. Name a book with a longer title. I guess it checked off both the “I like sports” and “I like books” boxes.
8. Spending way too much time trying to solve the crossword and sudoku, and looking up a good 30% of the answers with Laura sophomore year.
7. Running around campus the week before the start of junior year, working to collect interviews to finish my three last-minute articles. This included ambushing all six new teachers to feature them on the first spread of the year. Welcome to Shorewood, I hope I wasn’t too awkward!
6. All of Laura’s witty one-liners: the anti-lorax, “It’s a halloween prank!,” “There’s a pond right over there if you’re going to be a silly goose,” etc. Literally anything that came out of her mouth after 7 p.m.
5. “Is there a tractor in your room?!” The ghost noise that occurred at least twice every online layout, where my computer would apparently make a lot of noise for anyone else in the Zoom, and yet it was perfectly silent on my end.
4. Coming up with hilarious headlines with Laura and Ella sophomore year. For three hours of “honest” work, we could proudly say that we had completed five headlines and nothing more.
3. Saying, “We’re not staying up until 1 a.m. this time,” and then proceeding to stay up until 3 a.m.
2. Ordering from Lisa’s Pizza and then giving the driver the wrong address (SHS just doesn’t feel like a 1701, you know? More like a 1401).
1. All the editorial meetings that I occasionally talked during, but more often than not just sat silently during and listened to everyone else’s incredibly intelligent comments and well-informed opinions. Also, successfully avoiding writing an editorial on my own has got to be another highlight of my four years. Opinion writing isn’t my thing, what can I say?
Laura Oldfather
Managing Editor of Staff, Opinions Editor, Social Media Editor
10. During my sophomore year a panel of professional journalists came to speak to the editors and staff. I didn’t think their stories and experiences would inspire me and stick with me, but they did and I’m grateful to Cela for organizing it.
9. Adults in the community coming up to me and complimenting my journalism. You could always be sure to find student copies of Ripples on the floors of homerooms on Wednesday afternoons, but I got a lot of support from people’s parents.
8. I didn’t even know it until this year, but before we went virtual we used to finish layout so early! I thought staying at the school until 11 p.m was bad, but that’s nothing compared to being up on Zoom laying out the paper at 3:30 a.m.
7. Sundays with Abi this year. She would come to my house every week to tutor me in calculus (and get those NHS hours), an event that would inevitably move into full-blown Ripples planning.
6. Writing with others. A lot of times I enjoy working alone and going through the process exactly how I want to, but writing with others teaches me a lot, and it’s always more fun than I anticipate.
5. All the information I was privy to and the opportunities I got as part of the editorial staff. A true highlight was traveling to Madison with Sophia to report on a student event and interviewing Governor Evers for the article.
4. People who are professional musicians or Olympic athletes talk about getting in “the zone” with their craft. For me, that is brainstorming headline ideas. As copy editors my sophomore year with Abi, Ella and Naomi we would spend hours perfecting our titles for the paper. Few times in my life have I been that aware and engaged in a task.
3. The advisors. I’m so grateful for the leadership and guidance I’ve had these past four years.
2. The people of the editorial staff.
1. Actually writing and being an editor. I was mildly interested in the school newspaper when I joined, and now I’m going off to college for journalism, a path I’m sure my life wouldn’t have taken if it weren’t for Ripples.
Shannon Carlson
Features Editor, Business Manager
10. Peeking my head into Room 216, Halloran’s classroom, at the August assignment meeting my freshman year. The school seemed so big back then, and Ripples, so intimidating. I had no idea back then how much Ripples would shape my time at Shorewood High School.
9. The metro card debacle during the NYC trip freshman year. As well as the journalism conference in its entirety, like accidentally walking into a session for yearbook editors, but being too afraid to walk out again; the eccentric professor teaching us about photography; #DogsOfNewYork.
8. Mr. Halloran and Laura consistently being the same person. One day it would be matching outfits, the next, strikingly similar profile pictures on Slack. I’m not sure how or why it happened so much, but it did.
7. Catching glimpses of sunsets through the large, west-facing staircase windows in the admin building during layout weeks. However, I will not miss the many times I went up and down three flights of stairs to unlock the door for a fellow editor.
6. Discovering that Mr. Jordan watches many of my favorite shows: Haikyuu, Avatar the Last Airbender. PSA: Only misogynists hate Korra (Mr. Jordan does not hate Korra).
5. Junior year, being chosen as the youngest Editor-in-Chief in 18 years. A truly big honor.
4. Sitting down with Halloran and Ella Kamm to talk about his 18 years on the paper. Ripples has so much history, and it’s amazing to be part of something that has been so important for so many people.
3. Every single editorial meeting. They always produced interesting conversation. Plus, I could always get the best gossip.
2. As Editor-in-Chief, I dragged the entire editorial staff to the high school on hot summer days to plan out our online transition. The energy, ideas and planning that went on in those meetings were so inspiring.
1. Being able to set new precedents: the website, the candidate forum, the newsletter. Ripples has changed in the past few years, and I know it will change even more in the coming years. I’m excited to see it.
Sophia Wiley
A&E Editor
10. Writing crossword/sudoku headlines. They are far more entertaining to write than a normal headline
9. Receiving two large bags of Takis during a gift exchange and proceeding to devour them both by the next day. It was good while it lasted… RIP my bowels.
8. Figuring out where I am going to eat dinner each night of layout week. I’ve tried to expand my horizons a few times, but the orders usually consist of poke, Noodles & Company or Jimmy Johns.
7. Failing to watch the short film that Mr. Jordan recommended. I promise it seems very interesting and I will watch it at some point, but I just can’t seem to remember what it’s called….
6. The numerous times that I fell asleep on Zoom during layout. Somehow I never seem to learn that laying in bed while doing work doesn’t end well. While it may have been pleasant for me to get my beauty sleep, it was immediately followed by immense guilt for leaving my mates hangin’.
5. Naming an opinion that Shannon and I wrote “Poop” and from then on it was referred to as such (Poop in thrice). Don’t worry, the name had nothing to do with the actual content of the article.
4. Going to the Capital with Laura to report on a story, and somehow managing to interview Governor Tony Evers. It was cool to interview someone in such a high place (I think it was the homemade press badges that got us through).
3. Our amazing idea to publish an April Fools issue. It would be filled with ludicrous stories, hidden messages and called ‘Bipples’ instead of Ripples. Although the idea was never approved, deep down I am still hoping that a future Rippler will have the guts to go through with it.
2. The Halloran photo (Iykyk)
1. Being able to get to know people that I otherwise would have little in common with. Ripples creates a unique bond within the staff. The gossip, the inside jokes and the long hours bring everyone together.
Natasha Davis
Copy editor
10. Showing up to layout week in full tennis outfits with Abi. The grind never stops. STATE BABY.
9. Spending wayyy too much time deciding on article names. The joys of copy editing pages!
8. Waiting outside in the rain for 20 minutes because nobody would text back in the group chat to let me into the Admin building.
7. Receiving an absurd amount of books and light up plastic necklaces during a gift exchange. Apparently I like to read.
6. Always getting a reliable stream of gossip about all of Shorewood at every editorial meeting.
5. Having a constant supply of Hershey kisses junior year. Mr. Carey–thank you for feeding my chocolate addiction.
4. Getting a text from my grandma with lots of exclamation points every time she reads one of my articles.
3. Writing my first article with Abi at the start of our freshman year on the opening of Corner Bakery. We had no idea what we were doing but we ate some good food and had a fun time coming up with adjectives to describe quinoa.
2. Getting my own food review column my senior year. Hands down the best job as a journalist. Food demands to be eaten. And reviewed.
1. The many, many, many times ordering from FreshFin. Poke hits different when you’re copy editing.
Evan Frank
Photo Editor
5. As someone who can struggle to get inspired, being assigned to take photos instead of relying on my own motivation and creativity was nice 🙂
4. Junior year we all got together and did a Secret Santa with the Ripples staff. I gifted Sophia two digestible bags of Taki’s and received a slinky which entertained me and my friends for minutes on end.
3. Being a delivery driver for Ripples at the beginning of this year. I can now confidently draw a map of the northwest corner of Shorewood.
2. Those layout week last minute photo assignments, usually involving a much needed portrait. Then contacting said person to schedule a shoot and inviting myself to their house the day the photo is due.
1. The satisfying feeling of seeing my photos printed out in the paper!