Commentary: End of year wrap-up

As a student who has been a lifer at Fresno Christian, one who has been at the school from kindergarten to 12th grade, I have fallen in love with the school and the culture here.

Although small and sheltered, I feel that FC has been a great environment to grow in most aspects and especially faith. I have been readied and well equipped by my time and experiences here and await the next chapter of my life.

I have countless memories of FC and many good times to remember and even some bad ones. From dressing up like pilgrims in kindergarten with Amy Witters to winning Senior Athlete of the Year, there are so many things that I will take with me forever into the next stages of my life.

The high school experience at FC is different from the “normal” high school experience shown on t.v. and in movies. Everyone knows everybody and teachers actually want students to succeed, especially one teacher, Greg Stobbe.

I met Stobbe, the publications adviser, my freshman year back when he used to teach freshman English. From the beginning, I could tell that this guy knew what he was doing but was also a little crazy. In his English class, he did a great job of instilling me with the tools I would need for when I would join The Feather, even though I was not planning to.

I went a whole year without seeing Stobbe and, after being with him two years now, I can not remember the days without him. I joined publications my junior year as a writer. From the beginning, I was faced with challenges. I not only learned a new skill but also dealt with a broken ankle. Getting around to interviews was difficult, but Stobbe believed in me and pushed me to do my best.

Being a writer for The Feather taught me so much that I can take with me when I go to college. However, the most precious skills I attained were when I became the social media editor my senior year. I, with little-to-no training, took on the role of being the Twitter guy for a national championship journalism team. Something that at first was very frightening.

Along with the help of Kori Friesen, I was able to learn the ropes of Twitter very soon and run with it. Constantly I was running around campus to get photos of different events or classes and then going back to the journalism lab to show Stobbe and post it. But I really enjoyed my job.

One of the best things about running The Feather Twitter was being able to speak at Columbia University and then later winning a Columbia National Press Association Gold Crown. I treasure this because going to New York alone is a wonderful life experience and to win a national award with my teammates was the icing on the cake.

I would like to thank my advisers Greg Stobbe and Kori Friesen for helping me throughout my two years on The Feather and teaching me so much. I would also like to thank my editors this year Phillip Christopher, Jenny King and Nick LeBlanc. Not only did they make my time on the team more enjoyable, but they also helped me do the best job that I could.

Along with competing in journalism, I continued to compete in sports throughout high school. From a young age, I have always been interested in all types of sports with football being my favorite. While in high school, I played four years of varsity football, four years of varsity tennis, three years of varsity soccer and one year of junior varsity basketball with future editors Christopher and LeBlanc.

Football was my game and I loved it from the pros to the cards to the game itself. As a member of the Fresno Christian football team, my passion only grew. Not to mention that our team all four years was quite the competitor. Every year we achieved a championship game appearance and my junior and senior year we were able to take back-to-back victories in the championship.

Giving blood, sweat and tears on a grass field with my teammates is just one of the few things I will never forget. I am so thankful for my coaches and all those who helped me through my football career. Although my 5’7’’ figure and I will not be taking my talents to college sports, I look forward to partaking in intramural sports and looking to enjoy those activities just like the way I did in high school.

As I head into college, I look back at my high school and elementary days at FC and am very thankful. I could not have asked for a better school to go to. There is no better place to get involved in activities, excel in school and grow your faith in Christ than Fresno Christian.

I am forever thankful for this school and each and every person that has been there either for me or to teach me. I am excited for my future and will take it on in stride.

Julian Castro will be attending Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga, CA, and will major in business management.