Most of the Journalism students graduate and leave journalism in their past lives. Typically we don’t know that much about what happens after they graduate and move on. In this case we are featuring a few past students from journalism to see what their lives have turned into post high school and post journalism. 

Ashley Caudill graduated high school in 2021 as a journalism three Editor and Staff Writer. She was enrolled in Quill and Scroll and she also contributed largely to putting together the Senior Edition newspapers. After graduation Caudill started attending Kent State University. She is majoring in journalism and minoring in marketing. Though she hasn’t written many articles on her own outside of high school journalism, she hopes to join the university’s school newspaper and magazine next semester. Caudill is proud of herself for being able to move away from her family while also keeping up with her grades and meeting new people. 

Caudill stated, “My favorite memory post journalism and graduation would have to be when I moved to Kent, OH, I absolutely love it there. The moment was bittersweet with leaving my family and leaving the only place that I had lived in my whole life, but I was also excited to move somewhere new and make new memories and meet new people.”

Lainy Demeropolis graduated high school in 2019 as a journalism two Staff Writer and Editor. She now attends Emerson college in Boston, Massachusetts and has switched over from a journalism major to a writing, literature, and publishing major. Demeropolis is still enrolled in a journalism class but found that her heart was in book publishing. She has become the person that she has always been waiting and dreaming to be. Outside of little Ross, Ohio and into the city, Demeropolis has become a very accomplished woman with many dreams she is ready to fulfil.  

Demeropolis stated, “My best friend who was my co-editor when I was in journalism, and I got matching tattoos after graduation. I have three tattoos now but that one is the most important to me.”

Kelley Dunn graduated high school in 2021 as a journalism three Editor and Staff Writer. Dunn was enrolled in Quill and Scroll and also took part in the Senior Edition newspapers. She is now attending the University of Cincinati for Community Dietetics and Nutrition. Dunn has been a part of a growing bible study group with some close friends. They started this over the summer and she is proud of this because this is something that is very unique and special to her. She is very proud of the growth and especially grateful for her surronding circle. Dunn has become herself fully without letting anyone hold her back, especially her fears, and she has become a better and more established woman because of it. 

Dunn stated, “These past two years have definitely been a growing point. I can’t say that there was a certain one thing that changed it all, but I used to be a huge people pleaser in high school. It dulled my real personality and left me broken in a lot of ways. I fell into an eating disorder and lost a lot of self esteem. But slowly I started to realign my values and got closer to people who truly cared about me. Their belief that my life was more than my fears took me out of that dark place. So I would say I’m really proud of the growth, but especially grateful for my surrounding circle.” 

Becoming the person you want to become is something that all three of these women have done. They all have waited to do this and they all had to go through some serious things but where they are at now is a great and accomplished place in life. They are all proud of themselves for something. They all have become someone they have wanted to become and yes they waited but they all became something wonderful. Though this is an article about growing up and going off to college, it is also about personal experience and being proud of being who ‘you’ truly are. So don’t be afraid to become the person you truly are and let your colors shine through.