I’ve always been somewhat superstitious, and I wish on pretty much everything: eyelashes, birthday candles, stars, lucky pennies. Of all my many wishes, the most important one happened six years ago after an email exchange with Volume 46 Editor-in-Chief Sophia Scanlan ’18.

Sophia had interviewed me for an article, and afterward, I asked her to tell me about The Vanguard. She described this world of news and community and super cool people, and later that day, I wished on an eyelash to one day be a part of it all.

Volume 50 has been beyond what I ever imagined that wish would lead to. Over the past year, this board has navigated community responses to the Israeli-Palestinian situation, examined the Sex and Relationships curriculum, and opined on the school’s response to the Omicron variant. We have highlighted incredible students, parents, teams, clubs, alums, faculty, and staff. We have been to Upper School Director forums, Cambridge landmarks, and behind the lunch counter (see page 15). We have made it to pasteup in a snowstorm and kept a pet fish alive (beyond all belief).

But for all the places we’ve been and articles we’ve produced, I will look back most fondly on the conversations I’ve had with this board. After a year when the only wish was to make it out the other side, the Volume 50 board came prepared to have fun, join together in community, and make change at the school. I can confidently say we’ve done all three—or at least spent a lot of time trying. If you’ve ever walked past The Vanguard office, you’ve probably witnessed at least a few people in there heatedly discussing headlines, journalism ethics, or Mars and Hershey’s candy.

None of these products, ideas, and conversations could have happened without the rock stars that are the Volume 50 board. So, before I go, I’d like to make a few more wishes.

Maya, I wish I might one day find that balance you hold between being the most patient person I know and the best person to have in a crisis. I am in awe of you and will miss our thousands of voice memos. David, I wish I could wield immense knowledge and ideas in the soft-spoken, kind manner you do. Augie, I wish for your confidence in everything you say, both the incredibly moving or clever and the slightly less moving and clever. Dylan, I wish for your ability to introduce a single idea that changes
a whole concept. Eli, I wish for your laughter and joy in everything you do and the calm certainty you bring to my crazed worries. Sofia, I wish for your insane creative skills that turn my nonsensical requests into something beautiful. Saffy, I wish for your quiet diligence in making the paper shine. The talent, support, and collaboration you all brought to this board is the stuff of my wildest wishes.

Ms. K and Ms. Whitney, you both guided me this year in ways for which I am immensely grateful. Since I can’t wish for you to get back the hours spent answering panicked texts or questions in the office, I wish for Ms. K’s thoughtful and efficient responses to any problem thrown her way and Ms. Whitney’s kindness and confidence as we both learned new roles this year.

As much as I love wishes, Ford, Madera, Anjali, Danielle, Rahdin, Tess, Fatmata, Sofia, and Emmy don’t need any. I know you all will lead this paper with creativity, compassion, and courage, and I need no superstitions to back that up.

To anyone reading this, my parting wish for you is to turn the page. The Volume 50 board has put hours and hours into the paper in your hands, and our words would mean nothing without you to make something of them. So, please, go make something of them!

Thank you all for the most incredible year.
Mary Randolph
Editor-in-Chief
Volume 50