Another year has passed and it is time to bid farewell to the senior reporters on The Bullseye. This year we have the most seniors we have ever had. I have taught many of you in other classes and watched all of you grow as reporters and people. I enjoyed dropping in on your conversations (even if I wasn’t invited) and debating the merits of articles you all felt very strongly about writing.

I know you will all be successful as you move into the next stages of your life. Thank you for you passion and enthusiasm for journalism. Best wishes and bon voyage!

Mrs. Rosenblum

Gabriella Zarubinsky

Entering high school, I craved the ability to speak my voice and be one for those that couldn’t.  I sought out activities such as public speaking through debate, activism through my non-profit, and advocacy through internships. However, I knew a voice didn’t need to be spoken out loud. Being passionate about writing, The Bullseye was the perfect place for me to share things I didn’t have the opportunity to say and have it be heard across the WBHS community. 5th period newspaper became a constant amongst the stress and uncertainty of Junior and Senior year. 

I plan to continue my journalism journey through The Emory Wheel and my law school review as well, aspiring to become Editor-in-Chief. As an editor here on The Bullseye, I realized how much I love the process of perfecting our staff’s writing to be ready for publication. This resonated with me because beyond just writing what was on my mind, I had the opportunity to make sure articles conveyed exactly what the author intended. 

Although my time here is coming to an end very soon, I believe the newspaper prepared me and solidified a passion for writing that I will undoubtedly pursue through the rest of my future.

Isaac Edelman

Wow, where has the time gone? It seems like my first day of high school (which was online due to Covid-19) was just yesterday.

It has been an honor to be editor-in-chief for The Bullseye this past year. As I am sure you know, I have loved sports media since my early childhood. Newspaper has given me the opportunity to strengthen my love for sports media, while providing a voice that represents West Boca.

When I joined newspaper my sophomore year, I immediately knew what I needed to do. In addition to covering the school’s sports teams, I saw the need for a social media account, especially with the landscape of technology drastically changing.

I created an Instagram account and unofficial TikTok page for The Bullseye, and in just two years, I amassed over 4,750 followers on Instagram and 9,500 followers on TikTok. I even posted an Instagram reel that recorded over 1.1 million views. On TikTok, I posted five videos that recorded over 700,000 views. As you could tell, I found a way to post engaging content that would draw followers from not just West Boca students and family. Through the posting of entertaining content, I gave a reason to non West Boca students to follow a West Boca page.

Do not worry, I did not just make my impact on West Boca via social media.

I became the adored team reporter for both the baseball and football teams. I spent months honing my craft as I did a variety of media work that would benefit both me and the school. From postgame interviews to in-game live tweets to photography to postgame articles… I did so much in such a short amount of time. Due to spending hours at night editing and sharing a variety of content, I was able to gain major experience doing what I love.

And the crazy thing about this all: I never got burnt out.

If this was not the industry for me, I would have gotten burnt out long ago. Luckily, that has not happened, showcasing what my future holds in this industry. Many students pick a major in college and soon find out that they don’t like what they are doing. Many find out that their major is not for them after an internship or after shadowing someone/doing an immersive experience. Luckily, all of the work I have done at the high school level replicates what a journalism student would do in college. So what have I learned? This is what I want to do in the future.

On The Bullseye, I have posted over 50 articles and edited over 250 articles.

I want to thank my newspaper adviser Mrs. Rosenblum for allowing me the platform to cover the school’s sports teams and run The Bullseye’s social media accounts. Mrs. Rosenblum truly trusted me on my preferences and style of posting content.

I also want to thank all of the coaches and athletes who have allowed me to cover them. As much as they thank me for showcasing their talents and stories, I want to thank them even more. They have provided me with content to post, which has showcased my journalism skills and has provided me with crucial experience that most high schoolers don’t get.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has engaged with my content. Even if it was as little as a like or comment, my audience has motivated me to continue to post and cover West Boca.

While my time here at West Boca is over, I will never forget the memories I have made at West Boca and my contributions to The Bullseye.

Once a bull, always a bull.

Emma Lawman

Senior year has been, for me, the transition into the next part of my life. Applying for college, deciding where to go, studying for the SAT, thinking about what part-time job I will get, etc. As we started to approach the end of the school year I became very reflective. I started to think to myself, what have I gotten from this experience?

My high school career began online. Sophomore year began with wearing a mask. We all remember Covid. When I came to West Boca after being online for a year it was a little nerve racking. I decided that I needed a point of consistency. I chose one of the benches in front of the school. That is pretty much where I have sat from sophomore year to senior year in the mornings. It did help calm my nerves. This is where I learned that it was not the end of the world to sit by myself. It has been a very valuable lesson for me, and is an ability that I am glad I have. I think everyone should be able to sit by themselves.

It was Junior year that I joined the Bullseye. I had Ms. Rosenblum, the sponsor of the Bullseye, for English my Sophomore year, and I decided to put in an application. I am sure that Ms. Rosenblum can attest to the fact that I was somewhat opinionated and could use the outlet. I can honestly say that it was not what I thought it would be. Ms. Rosenblum and I have had our share of disagreements on what type of articles should be posted on the Bullseye. I thought I was just going to write whatever I wanted. This definitely taught me something. It kind of taught me what it was like to have a boss. Of course not in the traditional sense, but someone who could tell me what to write and when to write it. I had to learn to pick my battles and how to negotiate. I am happy that I had this experience because it helped me determine what type of job I want in the future.

Something else that I learned from the Bullseye is that putting your voice out there matters, even if not a lot of people see it. You should put effort into your work even if peers or readers do not feel the same way about the issue. Not everyone is going to be passionate about what you are. So, to quote the Eagles, ¨Just find a place to make your stand, and take it easy.¨

To end this farewell letter, I would like to thank all of the teachers who encouraged me. I want to thank the teachers that were kind. I would like to thank the school police officers for our lovely morning conversations and greetings. And, of course, for keeping us safe. Finally, I would like to thank West Boca for teaching me lessons that I will never forget and making my values and beliefs even stronger.

Evelyn Garcia

This year now marks my second and last year on Bullseye News. My journey in joining the Bullseye began with my love for books and writing. I met Mrs.Rosenblum during my sophomore year of high school and I loved that she was able to connect well with students and share my love for books.

Newspaper provided a lot of opportunities, my favorite memories were being able to interview one of my favorite authors and even being recognized by multiple authors who read my article about their event. But I will never forget the friends that the Bullseye gifted me and the memories that we carried from class parties and enjoying a snack while connecting with the other writers. I was able to improve my skills in writing and will forever be grateful to Mrs.Rosenblum for a wonderful high school experience.

Rebecca Kittay

Hey! I am Rebecca Kittay signing off as reporter and photography editor. The past two years on The Bullseye were filled with fun and has been eventful. Between going to sports (golf, football, volleyball, basketball), events (airport field trip, band concerts, dance concerts and more) and being a reporter/ writer I have had the opportunity to grow. Being the photographer editor for school events and sports it helped my company’s portfolio for my outside school events.

Because of the newspaper, Mrs Rosenblum and the class helped push me to be more involved in the school. Thank you Mrs. Rosenblum for all of your tips and tricks in writing and editing, this class would not be the same without you. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the newspaper staff and excited to see what the future holds after being a West Boca graduate.

Alexandra Kimbrell

I’ve been on the Bullseye staff for the past two years now and my time here was defining. I met and talked to people I wouldn’t have before. I made friends here and had so much fun while writing my articles.

I had to step out of my comfort zone while writing articles multiple times, either to try a new format, style, or topic. Before being on the newspaper staff, I had never written true articles and I’m thankful that I took the opportunity to be here and acquire that experience.

I’m thankful to Mrs. Rosenblum for putting up with me, and as a whole, the rest of the seniors this school year. I know we procrastinated a bit too much, but thank you again for supporting us. I’m going to miss having a fun class to look forward to every day, filled with writing and parties.

Talia Badalamente

After two years with the Bullseye my time has unfortunately come to an end. I am so grateful to have been a part of such an amazing and talented team. I am so thankful for being able to express my creativity through The Bullseye. I loved being able to work with so many new and different students. I am forever grateful for my amazing teacher Mrs. Rosenblum who has always pushed us to do our best.

The Bullseye hasn’t only helped me succeed academically, but has also helped me personally. I have met so many amazing people and am grateful for each and every one of them. I strongly encourage you guys to join the Bullseye next year because you won’t regret it!

Olivia Eberhardt

As we approach our final days here at West Boca High, it is with a heavy heart that we must now reflect on our time at this school. My years at West Boca have been filled with an abundance of learning and exploration, projecting me towards a broader outlook on life and increased exposure to various activities. During my junior year, I took the leap and joined The Bullseye. Making this decision was just about the best decision I could have made in my high school career.

Upon joining the newspaper, I have been able to use my dormant writing abilities and put them towards something beneficial for our school. The Bullseye has given me an outlet to write about a plethora of topics I am passionate about, as well as given me the opportunity to meet interesting, like-minded people. None of this could have been possible without the help of our wonderful teacher, Mrs. Rosenblum, who had faith in me from the very beginning, and my supportive peers who pushed me to be better along the way.

Although my two years with The Bullseye are coming to an end, I will continue to apply the skills I have learned over this time in all of my future endeavors. My experience over the past two years has been extremely rewarding, and I do not regret a single moment of it. The end of these years is a bittersweet moment, but I am extremely excited to see what my future holds.

Annika Billinger

This year was my very first year joining The Bullseye Newspaper. For as long as I can remember I loved to write, and being able to express my creativity in the newspaper has brought me so much joy. Writing wasn’t the only thing that brought me joy, I made so many wonderful students within The Bullseye, and I’m grateful to have had such an amazing year with them and Mrs.Rosenblum.

My senior year has been such a rollercoaster, from ups and downs, I have grown. This year has happened so fast, In the blink of an eye, I was applying to colleges and ordering my cap and gown, it was time to end my high school chapter and start college. I gained so much from the Bullseye.

Isabella Fernandes

Dear West Boca,

The 2023-2024 school year has been a memorable one. This was my first year on The Bullseye and it was an amazing experience. As reporters on The Bullseye, we get to write about anything and everything that we find interesting or feel is important for the students of West Boca to know. We have had many opportunities to go on different events or field trips that allow us to shed light on academies or opportunities available to the students of West Boca. For example, Rebecca Kittay. a fellow reporter and I went on a field trip with the Aviation Academy to the Boca Airport. On this field trip, we got to learn about all the different careers in aviation and what they do in their day-to-day work. During the field trip, Rebecca took many pictures that we later used in our article. Through this article, we got to highlight the aviation students and what they learn.

The Bullseye was such a fun and chill class to be a part of. Whether we were just brainstorming ideas about our next articles or having a party, it was always such a stress reliever after a long day. We got to hang out with each other while writing about topics we find interesting/important. The 2023-2024 The Bullseye was truly a tight knit class that was really fun to be a part of.

This school year was filled with many events that made senior year really special. We had our last homecoming, lots of football games, pep rallies, senior pictures, prom, and graduation coming up soon. These events really highlight what high school is about. Going to all these events for the last time was really bittersweet.

Throughout my four years at West Boca, I got to meet many amazing teachers and friends who made my time here special. I’ve created strong bonds with so many people and it’s something I’ll cherish going on to college. Thank you for all the memories West Boca. On to the next four!

Sincerely,
Isabella Fernandes