02/08/2026
๐๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ฅโ๐ฆ ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ | ๐ป๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐.
I always believed I would write this message after graduation. Instead, I find myself saying goodbye while the school year has only just begun.
My journalism journey began in Grade 8 when I joined Bambino out of curiosity. At the time, the publication was still finding its footing, and so was I. In Grade 10, I became Bambino's only Science Writer, a role that challenged me to grow both as a writer and as a person. Representing our school in the Division Schools Press Conference gave me unforgettable experiences, lifelong friendships, and lessons far beyond the classroom. Then, in Grade 11, I was entrusted with the greatest honor of allโbecoming Editor-in-Chief. It was never just a title; it was a dream I had carried for years. From that moment on, Bambino became more than a publicationโit became my home.
Many people only saw the finished articles, the published photos, the completed layouts, and the successful events. What they did not see were the countless nights I spent editing article after article while everyone else was already asleep. They did not see the deadlines that stretched until dawn, the meals I skipped because another story needed to be finished, or the moments when exhaustion brought me to tears. But somehow, I always kept going, because every article mattered to me. Every event mattered. Every journalist mattered.
Whenever there was an event to cover, I never thought only about the stories we had to write. I cared about the people writing those stories with me. I wanted to make sure everyone was supported, every responsibility was fulfilled, and every challenge was faced together. Watching my fellow journalists grow, gain confidence, and create memories alongside me became just as meaningful as seeing another article published.
Being an honor student while serving as an officer in different organizations and leading Bambino was never easy. There were days when I felt overwhelmed and nights when I questioned if I was doing enough. Yet, despite all the responsibilities I carried, I never allowed Bambino to be left behind. No matter how busy life became, I always gave this publication my time, my effort, and my whole heart.
There was even a time when I dreamed that someone else had already replaced me as Editor-in-Chief. I remember waking up feeling relieved because I thought it was only a dream. Looking back now, I realize how much Bambino meant to me. It had become so important that even in my sleep, the thought of losing it found its way into my mind. I never imagined that one day, that dream would quietly become reality.
When the policy was announced, I understood why the decision had to be made. I respect it wholeheartedly because rules exist for a reason. But understanding something does not always make it easy to accept. The truth is... it hurts. Not because I lost a title, but because I was not ready to let go of something that had already become part of me.
The school year had only begun. There were still stories I wanted to write, journalists I wanted to mentor, projects I wanted to finish, and memories I still wanted to create with the publication I learned to call home. Perhaps that is why this goodbye feels heavier than I expected.
Still, if Bambino has taught me anything, it is that leadership is never measured by how long you hold a position. It is measured by the lives you touch while you hold it.
Journalism changed me in ways I never expected. It taught me to listen before writing, to observe before speaking, to remain calm under pressure, to lead with patience instead of authority, to accept criticism with humility, and to serve before expecting recognition. Most importantly, it gave me confidence in myself when I had none.
Everything I have accomplished todayโthe opportunities I received, the lessons I learned, the courage I found, and the person I continue to become โ was shaped, in one way or another, by Bambino. For that, I will always be grateful.
To our School Paper Advisers, thank you for believing in me, trusting me, correcting me and allowing me to lead. Thank you for seeing potential in a student who simply wanted to write.
To every staff member who became part of this journey, thank you for every deadline we survived together, every coverage we shared, every laugh that made stressful days lighter, and every memory that will forever remain close to my heart.
And to the next Editor-in-Chiefโplease take care of Bambino. Love it the way I didโor even more. There will be days when the work feels endless, when the deadlines seem impossible, and when the responsibility feels heavier than you expected. But never forget that Bambino is more than a publication. It is a family, a home, and a place where students discover their voices and grow into the people they are meant to become. Protect it. Nurture it. Believe in it. Lead with integrity, write with honesty and always put your people before yourself. Take care of Bambino for me, because it will always have a special place in my heart.
Today, I may no longer carry the title of Editor-in-Chief, but no policy can ever take away the memories, the friendships, the lessons, and the love that this publication gave me.
๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ, ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐, ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐จ.
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐. ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Editor-in-Chief, Bambino-BSNHS
2025-2026
