As we near graduation and the end of the year, it is easy for seniors to look forward to the end of high school and the beginning of college, forgetting all that they are leaving behind. It’s senioritis but on an emotional front: seniors have been thinking about the day they graduate high school for years, and that day is finally here.

With this, there comes the feeling of wanting to run and not look back, but it is important for seniors to reflect on the shoes they leave to be filled and the ways they can empower those that will come after them.

We have all heard the expression “leaving things in good hands,” and most often, it is understood in its most basic sense. When students move up in middle or high school, they are tasked with finding a sufficient leader to take over their responsibilities and lead as well as, if not better than, they did. Many want to make sure that their legacy is maintained when they move on and that all their hard work while leading does not go to waste.

However, we cannot view leaving things in good hands in purely a physical sense with having someone fill in another’s shoes, as it is also important to make sure incoming leaders are ready and able to lead.

Stepping into a new leadership role is daunting, whether it be as the president of a student-run club, captain of a sports team or editor-in-chief of the newspaper. And, often, these leaders are thrown in blind with little guidance, forcing them to figure things out as they go along. The leaders before them have powerful insight and experience that can benefit their successors, but what typically occurs is the current leaders are in such a rush to be done with their responsibilities that they do not take the time to think about what will happen after them. But, it is our duty to “leave things in good hands” by passing on our accumulated knowledge to our successors, in order to ensure that the new leadership is ready to take on their new responsibilities.

We are excited to pass on the torch of The Lodge to a group of people who we have seen grow so much in this past year on staff and who we are sure will guide The Lodge to new heights! We would like to wish this editorial board, consisting of Annie Murff, Carolyn Lane, Merryn Ruthling, Annika Conlee, Caroline Zummach, Lauren Purdy, Bart Mueller, Katelyn Grisham, Emma Bennett, Kaitlyn Bowman and Will Brown, good luck in their future endeavors. We know The Lodge is in good hands with this strong group of journalists, and we look forward to all that they will achieve for you next year!

It has been a pleasure serving as your editors-in-chiefs for the last two years. The Lodge, both as our school and our magazine, will always be home to us. Thank you.

Signing off,

Annie and Miriam