Maliah Miskiewicz
The time has officially come for the seniors of Wheeling Park High School to bid farewell to their highschool journey. For some, the journey has been long and difficult, and for others it has gone by too fast. Nonetheless, the seniors have purchased their caps and gowns, got their last school lunch, and have expressed many goodbyes to their cherished programs and teachers.
Among the graduating class of 2025 is Evan Border, a phenomenal student whose contributions to the Park Press specifically sets him aside from the rest of the class. Evan works as a dedicated copy editor for the Park Press, where he helps ensure the quality, clarity, and impact of every article published.
During Evan’s time on the Park Press, Evan has published many insightful articles, including his most recent article “Critical Thinking With Political Content.” This article expands upon the pressing issue of misinformation and the importance of critical thinking when navigating political disclosure. Not only has he shown perspective through his articles, but he also explains how being involved with the school paper has helped shape his perspective on both communication and advocacy.
“Being involved with the school paper has changed my perspective on how important it is for people to be able to voice their concerns. It’s crucial for people to put their ideas out there and advocate for change when needed. Before I started writing for the school paper, I did not really put any value into this, but now I think it is probably the single most beneficial thing about journalism,” said Border.
When discussing the role of journalism and its effect, especially on high school students, he described how journalism is there for clarity, and it is very important for people and students to understand pressing topics.
“I think journalism should play a role in giving people clarity on difficult and important topics; it should spotlight achievements while also giving criticism when needed. This is especially crucial when it comes to high school students because a lot of problems we face today affect young people directly. I think the role it plays in today’s world is increasingly important, and it is necessary that people have the freedom to write and voice their concerns,” said Border.
Generally, Evan shared how the experience has been writing for the Park Press, and how it has helped him grow as a writer and overall communicator in day to day life.
“Writing for the school paper has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my high school journey. It allowed me to develop competent writing skills. I have always been a pretty quiet person, so I was pushed out of my comfort zone, which was a good thing. It helped me become a more effective communicator, and I am much more comfortable talking to people I do not know that well,” said Border.
As graduation creeps up, Evan, like many of his peers, reflects on the experiences that have defined their four-year school career. While all things do come to an end, and as much as the seniors are happy to leave, it’s sentimental to leave the place you have spent so much time in. As the seniors get ready to start the new chapter of their lives, there are always challenges of letting go. When asked what he will miss about high school, Evan explained how, when you finally arrive at the next chapter, it’s harder to do things like keeping up with friends.
“Keeping up with friends you are close to is not always easy or realistic, so that will be a challenge that I will have to deal with. I will probably miss the people that I will not be able to keep in contact with the most,” said Border.
While that lesson takes time, Evan has learned invaluable lessons through the programs offered at Wheeling Park. Through these programs, he not only has learned lessons but also has set realistic expectations.
“I have learned to have realistic expectations when it comes to academics, sports, or any other activity,” said Border.
Evan’s commitment to various extracurricular activities and programs includes: Wheeling Park’s CTE engineering program, the soccer team, and the bowling team. All of these have helped him enrich his overall high school experience. Other than helping the experience in high school, the Wheeling Park engineering program has helped Evan not only learn and apply skills, but also opened the door to his future ideas.
“The engineering department at Park has allowed me to develop skills I could not have learned in other classes, and it has helped me decide what career field I want to go into after I graduate,” said Border.
Evan was also recently inducted into the National Technical Honor Society, which is a great accomplishment. However, he expressed advice to incoming freshmen about how he wished he had gotten more involved sooner.
“I think most of all, I wish I had participated in some activities sooner than I did, like the school paper. Along with that, I wish I had gotten involved in more clubs,” said Border.
Looking ahead, Evan plans on attending West Virginia University to study engineering; more directly, he is interested in civil engineering.
As Evan leaves Wheeling Park High School, along with his peers in the 2025 class, he carries with him a wealth of experience and lessons that will ultimately help him. Evan will be greatly missed from the Park Press, but we all wish him luck in the new and exciting chapter!