Staff Goodbyes: Victoria Newell

Victoria Newell, Managing Editor

I’ve written a lot of stories for The Dispatch over the past three years, but writing this senior goodbye has definitely been the hardest, except for maybe the stories where I got bad interviews, those were pretty difficult. There are a lot of things I could say here, and while my high school experience wasn’t always dandy, there are a lot of people I’d like to thank for making it a time I will remember through the good and the bad.

I would like to thank my grandmother, Nancy Bahm (Nanna B), for being my late night phone buddy and my continuous cheerleader. As well as buying almost my entire back to school closet.

A thank you to my newspaper advisor Michael Reeves. For being an incredible teacher, and educating all of us on what it truly means to do ethical reporting. For giving us guidance in putting out a fantastic paper, and for encouraging me to be the best I could be. For raising me to leadership positions, putting me outside of my comfort zone, placing difficult stories on my shoulders, and for instilling a love for journalism in me. Because of the newspaper program at Bowie, I have found my passion and I plan on majoring in Journalism Mass Communication at Samford University, with hopes of pursuing a journalism career in my adult life. Without The Dispatch and The Dispatch Staff, I have no idea what my future would look like. Of all the things at Bowie High School, the newspaper  is the thing I will miss the most. In addition to my teacher, I would like to thank Mia Barbosa for helping me navigate being Managing Editor, for putting up with my many, many questions, and for always being really awesome and kind.

I would also like to thank my family, my Dad (Bob), Mom (Alexis), my two sisters Elisabeth and Mary Margaret and my puppies Henry and Louie for always wanting to hang out with me, and for your encouragement and continued support.  As well as my best friend Hannah Behan. Even though we live twelve hours apart, she has always been there for me and is always just a call or a text away. She showed me that real friendship is not bound by distance.

I’d like to thank Kanakuk Kamps and my grandfather Sandy Bahm (BB). A thank you to my grandfather for sending me to Kamp, being continuously supportive and my biggest fan, and being the most wonderful grandfather anyone could ever ask for, and Kanakuk for installing a love for Christ in me.

I love you so much and I can’t wait to see how far you go!