Dear Natalie,
The Tattler has been incredibly fortunate to have you these past three years. Your presence on the Editorial Board has made me feel welcomed and valued, and I’m so grateful to have had the chance to serve alongside you.
Throughout my freshman year, you were always quick to respond to my article drafts, offering thoughtful, constructive feedback that pushed me to improve both my writing and my perspectives on reporting. Writing articles can feel daunting, but your warmth and support make the process feel approachable. You always went out of your way to reach out with article ideas, some of which ended up being my favorites that I’ve ever written.
I’ve always admired the clarity and creativity you bring to the board. In meetings, your insight always brings innovative ideas that give our editorials greater depth, and your arguments are compelling and convincing, even to people who may have initially disagreed with them. Your ideas shaped many of the editorials I helped write, and I hope that I can grow to be just as persuasive and eloquent as you are.
Your commitment to our community extends far beyond your role in The Tattler. Whether it’s playing card games, being a section leader in pep band, or creating beautiful artwork for IHS’s showcases, you always go above and beyond to inspire others and make people feel included. Everything you do reflects your thoughtfulness and kindness.
Thank you, Natalie, for everything. I admire you and your devotion to everything you do more than I can say, and I’m so glad I got to work with you this year. Every person and newspaper deserves someone like you. I hope wherever you go in life, you will continue to spread your dedication and compassion to others.
~ Cornelia ’27
Dear Taran,
The years have really flown by. It feels like yesterday that I joined the board and wrote my first editorial with you. You were in tenth grade, going on eleventh, at the time. You told me you already felt like you had Senioritis and I laughed. You made me feel welcome on the board. For the first time—in a year of turmoil—I felt like I belonged somewhere. Thank you, Taran.
As a member of the Editorial Board, you encouraged us all to dig deeper. You asked questions about things we took for granted and revealed angles and truths we hadn’t seen before. You are not the first person in my life to openly disagree with others, but you are the only one to do so with such grace and such little judgment. You exude confidence without arrogance. You change your mind, but never your values. You challenge others, no more or less than you challenge yourself.
When I was elected for News this past year, you were not bitter, although you had a right to be. You told me I deserved it, fully appreciated the work I did, and also suggested to me, as no one else did, ways to improve. You are passionate about journalism, about telling stories that matter, and you have held me accountable to this. You are serious about this newspaper and its mission, and I hope to make you proud.
I have never met a person like you before, Taran. I’ll miss watching you light up when you talk about something you love. I’ll miss spending days pondering your philosophical poetry. I’ll miss your funny little Google Docs comments on news articles.
I’ll miss you—we all will—when you’re in college. But, it’s also been a long time coming. You’ve made the most of your time in high school—and it has not been easy—but you’re so clearly ready to bloom in college, just as you did at PROMYS.
You might view yourself as a little science person in a big science building, but to me you are a star.
~Ace ’26
Dear Valentina,
When I think about The Tattler, one of my fondest memories is you coming over to tell me you agreed with what I had said. It was probably the first time I had spoken up, and it meant so much to me that you were supportive even though we had never talked. You’re such a strong voice during editorial meetings, and even when we disagree, I always find that my opinion is swayed a little when you argue your point.
Your piece on the 2005 controversy was exactly what I always imagined The Tattler to be, an IHS story both quirky and interesting. I really admire how you worked to bring that story to life and the passion that you always spoke of it with. Seeing an article with your name on it is always a treat.
I hope I can help your legacy of cool and interesting journalism live on, and we will certainly miss you a lot. I can’t wait to see you bring your talents to the next chapter.
~ Kate ’26
Dear Phoebe,
Your legacy at IHS, which I know can hardly compare to the legacy you’re now set off to begin, embodies everything one aspires to achieve. I can’t comprehend your capacity to balance so much. You define what it means to be a student athlete–playing sports year-round, and still acing every AP. I have watched you lead the varsity soccer team, a role you took so seriously, and watched you inspire and uplift every player around you. Meanwhile, you have built incredibly strong friendships that will surely set you up and support you in the next journey you now embark on at Georgetown.
You clearly surround yourself with passion because it is visible in every facet of your life. You are nothing but idolized in this school and on The Tattler, and your name will not be forgotten. There is no one who isn’t touched by your enduring smile and positive spirit, and isn’t inspired by your work ethic and determination. There is no doubt you will carry all of these traits that undeniably define you into your next phase in life. It is these that make you stand out in a crowd and will bring you all the success and happiness in life you could ever desire.
~ Corallus ’27
Dear Claire,
My first memory with you was at a Tattler picnic a couple of years ago. This being my first time meeting the board, I was pretty shy and was having trouble approaching new people to make conversation. But I remember that you came up to me just to talk. Unfortunately, I kind of forgot what we had talked about, but I left the picnic happy I had just met someone new.
Little did I know that you play such a huge role in The Tattler and the IHS community. You’re an athlete, musician, academic weapon, and I’m pretty sure you’re involved in just about every club there is at our school, yet you still put so much passion and care into all of them. I can tell that so many people look up to you and your leadership in all of these pursuits, and it’s hard to imagine what it’ll be like once you graduate.
On top of this, you’ve helped me tremendously since I’ve known you. I know I’ve texted you a lot of different questions these past couple of years, Tattler-related and not, and somehow you were able to answer all of them. Additionally, you were always encouraging of all of the ideas I had for the Opinion section, which has really helped me become more confident in my writing. And while I don’t think I turned in an article before the writer’s deadline this year, you still worked around my schedule, despite your own busy one.
You are truly a one-of-a-kind person that one doesn’t get to meet every day. But those who meet you should be blessed and grateful to get to know someone like you who’s so passionate, uplifting, and caring in all that you do. IHS won’t be the same without you, but I know you will be wildly successful and have a major impact on your next endeavors. Thank you for all that you have done for all of us—I wish you the best in this next chapter!
~Mia ’26
Dear Max,
I’ll be honest, I don’t know you well. But from what I hear, I wish I had gotten to know you better. What I do know is that every time I’ve seen you at a Tattler meeting, you’ve had a smile on your face and a calmness in the eye of a storm of opinions. You had plenty of thoughtful, valuable opinions to give. Particularly, though I never saw it come into full fruition, I was excited about the idea of the potential science section you proposed. I’m sorry it didn’t happen during your time on the board.
I also admire your ability to wear so many hats, so to speak: from athlete to musician to journalist, you fill an important role in every community you belong to. I often see you as the “glue” of a group, holding together conversation in the back of the room at Tattler meetings and representing your peers. As your brother Zach put it, you are “a collaborator through and through.”
I envy whichever communities you come to next; I’m sure you’ll continue to be a fantastic mediator, collaborator, and communicator down the road. And I’m not sure what the future holds for The Tattler, but I know your calm, thoughtful, and positive presence will be missed.
Best of luck in your future endeavors,
~Julia ’27
Dear Jennifer,
My first year on the Tattler Editorial Board has been an incredible experience, and I can’t begin to imagine the board without you. You have made The Tattler a welcoming environment, and I always feel comfortable talking to you, whether at meetings or our back table in German class. Stepping into the Layout position proved to be harder than I had anticipated, but you were always ready to support Corallus and me in any way you could, and I have been able to learn a lot from working with you. You were always more than ready to answer any questions I had, and I thank you for helping me to grow into my position this year.
Your work as Graphics Editor has been an inspiration to me and was the reason I applied for Graphics next year. Centerspread has quickly become one of my favorite sections of The Tattler; your graphics are always so artistic and make the section one of the most fun to read. As Graphics Editor next year, I am confident that your work will continue to inspire me. I am grateful to be following in your footsteps, and I hope I will be able to become even half the Graphics Editor you were.
There is no doubt that the Tattler Editorial Board will feel your absence next year, and I am sad I won’t be able to get to know you more. I hope you will continue to use your artistic talents, and I hope you will find people who appreciate you as much as the Tattler Editorial Board does. I wish you the absolute best and will miss you!
~ Lea ’27
Dear Shaine,
I don’t even know how long I’ve known you. I think we met sometime during elementary school at the STEAM camp Northeast used to host. Fast forward to now, more than ten years later, you’ll be graduating! I’m going to miss you so much next year.
In my first year on the board, I was intimidated by all the upperclassmen board members. You helped make the board meetings a lot less scary. You were so supportive and open to everyone’s thoughts and ideas during each and every Tattler Board conversation, even when some of them lasted for hours…
Having worked on Layout with you during my sophomore year, I got to know you so much better, both in and out of Tattler meetings. I am very thankful and appreciative that you never got upset about having to add in the Backpage every month, because I always forgot to add it in.
I got to see another dimension of you this past year when you worked on Centerspread. I loved seeing your creativity flourish and how you showcased a piece of your personality in every single Centerspread topic.
You excelled not only within your role on The Tattler Board but in everything you do. Whether it’s TSA, teaching swim lessons at the Y, or just being a good friend, you always make sure everyone is supported and inspired.
Thank you for everything you’ve done over the past three years in supporting me both within the Tattler and out of the Tattler. Duke is lucky to have you next year! I know that you will continue to support each person you meet wherever you go in life. Best wishes for college. We will all miss you!
~Lily ’26
Dear Ruby,
I don’t think the fact that you’re leaving has quite sunk in yet. Getting closer with you this year has been such an amazing experience, and I can’t believe I’ll have to sit through next year’s Tattler board meetings without you. You always brought fresh, new ideas and a unique perspective to our meetings, and you inspired me to speak up on more than one occasion.
Sorry for the clichè, but you genuinely light up every room that you set foot in. I have no doubt that whatever you choose to do, or wherever you choose to go, you will excel and inspire (and take amazing photographs).
Goodbye and good luck, you will be dearly missed!
~ Coco ’26
Dear Caedmon,
I know I’ve said this a million times, and I know you’ve laughed it off a million and one, but I truly will miss you next year.
Coming into Tattler meetings and seeing your endlessly expressive face has never ceased to make me smile. From singing the national anthem at meetings to riling us all up during Coolness Spectrum curation, you’ve always radiated genuine excitement and energy for The Tattler.
Although I have always admired (and often been incredibly intimidated by) you, my respect for you has only deepened after everything you’ve done for The Tattler this year. You’ve been eager to share your own thoughts, but you’ve also been keen to include others in the conversation. You’ve made the board laugh, think critically, and listen to each other. And, even though you don’t give yourself enough credit for it, you’ve been a damn good friend to everyone on the board. Thanks to you, the legacy of The Tattler as a pillar of student voice still holds, and perhaps stronger than ever.
Among the many things you’ve taught me during your time as Editor-in-Chief, the most important by far is to love The Tattler with my whole heart and to show it with every fiber of my being. You’ve run through the halls to Tattler meetings and checked in on the board amid your exciting college tour adventures, truly exemplifying what it means to be dedicated not only to a project, but a mission. You have loved this paper, and it shows in everything you’ve done to make it better than before. I can only hope that I’ll be able to love the paper half as much as you do.
To borrow some overly sentimental wisdom from A.A. Milne: “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” You, my friend, make saying goodbye so hard. I will miss your dozens of texts in short succession (although I suppose I can’t escape those quite yet). I will miss reading your poetry about God and capitalism and acorns. I will miss your discipline, your grit, and your kindness. Tattler meetings are not going to be the same without you.
I wish you nothing but the best for your next chapter, Caedmon. The University of Chicago is onboarding a spirited and dedicated student, and the Chicago Maroon is gaining an exceptional journalist. Both institutions are so dearly lucky to have you.
So, farewell, my friend. May you always have an exciting place to which to run.
~Zadie ’26
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