Elizabeth Eck ‘22
As the year draws to a close, I want to take a step back and examine all the events of the year. I can’t believe it’s been almost one full school year since we came back to masks and plexiglass. We had Stronger Together out on the turf, which allowed us to be together as a community, we did our Oak Knoll Christmas from home, and we’ve been taking classes in two brand new trailers. If you had told me when I came to Oak Knoll in 7th grade that I would be doing all this, I wouldn’t have believed you. We’ve had to adjust so many adaptations of a traditional Oak Knoll School year that, sometimes, it didn’t feel like a true school year. But I know that the school spirit is still alive and well in everyone’s hearts. It certainly helps that millions of people are getting vaccinated in our country, and social distancing and masking requirements are being reassessed. We are going to return to some semblance of true normalcy soon, something that comforts me personally.
In this edition, you will find the Untucked staff looking towards the future as well. There are volunteer opportunities, summer jobs, as well as interviews with various employees. We also have taken on the bittersweet task of saying goodbye to several long standing staff members, whose effects on Oak Knoll have been immense. There are also several articles looking at how Oak Knoll may change yet again next year, and of course, pieces on summer entertainment as well. All of these reflect the optimistic outlook of the Untucked staff, and the school at large.
With that being said, I am so excited to take on the role of Editor-in-Chief for the 2021-2022 school year. I have always had a passion for journalism, and I hope to communicate that in my running of Untucked. I would also like to thank Jodie DeJesus for being an excellent Editor-in-Chief for this school year. She has adapted wonderfully to the new online format, and has offered me so much valuable advice on how to run the paper. We wish her the best of luck at Princeton, and thank her for her leadership this year!
Perhaps next year will be normal for Oak Knoll again, but I’m truly grateful for the lessons that this school year has taught me in resilience and fortitude. I am sure that many other students have come out of this year stronger and ready to take on whatever the world will throw at us next year. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this final edition of Untucked!
Have a happy summer break!