Hi there, my name is Grace Allen and I’m proud to be a tenth grade student at Huntington High School and co-editor of the Dispatch this year. After reflecting on the events of this past year, I’m sure most of us can relate to feeling largely secluded and essentially cut off from the well known world we were accustomed to. When it comes to my experience in quarantine, I had times of difficulty and benefit, like most, however am ultimately thankful for that time period, as it allowed me to learn more about myself and allow new interests to flourish with surplus time. Nevertheless, in the midst of the emotional rollercoaster we were all put on, the thing that kept me going was my undying love to write. To me, writing is one of the most beautiful and unique ways for one to express themselves, as they can finally release whatever they’re unable to verbalize with just a piece of paper and a pencil, it’s quite extraordinary when you think about it. To better explain, I’ve been writing short stories and poems since I was little, and although they definitely were a bit interesting in the beginning, over time have allowed me to grow creatively and develop a passion for watching myself improve. Furthermore, I have always had my eye on Huntington High School’s newspaper organization, the Dispatch, as my passion for writing has been something that always fascinated me, and henceforth, I really enjoy learning from other writers and comparing ideas in order to further my skill. I hope to be a part of this club for the rest of my High School career, since it allows me to not only work on tasks I’m interested in, but additionally surround myself with a very diverse group of fierce friends and devoted students. On top of working with the Dispatch, I am also in the Drama Club, AWOD, Grandfriends, Mock Trial, Key Club, and Habitat for Humanity. To provide better detail, I also play field hockey and row crew during my free time, as I love to stay busy and interact with people. More so, some of my other hobbies include playing the violin, playing the guitar, taking part in all kinds of art from Japanese painting to book designing, and volunteering wherever my help is needed. To close, I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with such talented individuals within this program, and thoroughly hope that you’ll check out our work to consider for yourself.