The Snapper, the Key West High School (KWHS) student newspaper, is more than a couple of articles a week. It’s a family. Each member has a special purpose in my eyes, and no matter how agitating they can be (which is all the time), I sadly love each of them with all my heart.

Sadie Dodds, the co-editor in chief of The Snapper, is always a joy when walking into the classroom. Every time she comes in, Dodds is holding her Dunkin’, an American coffee brand, products; whether it’s a coffee, a sandwich, or even a sweet treat. The smile she has on her face not only brightens my day but others. “Though she looks like a quiet, shy person, once you get to know her she’s one of the kindest and funniest souls you’ll ever meet,” disclosed Emma Scepkova, a staff writer for The Snapper. Even with her ‘slick’ comments, Dodds is one of those people you can rely on to be there for you, and boost you up when you’re feeling down.

Jack Molder, a staff writer of The Snapper, is usually taking a nap in class if I’m being honest, or putting in his headphones and blocking out the annoying sounds from the classroom. But when he’s not sleeping or ignoring, Molder is full of life in conversations, but it’s mostly when the topic is about football or basketball. However, he does speak up when it comes to making fun of people. “Jack is a very interesting guy, he seems very sporty, the football player who sits alone in silence and watches sports movies,” explained Scepkova. “But once you get to know him, he starts talking and starts to bully you, in a friendly type of way. Jack Molder really ruffles my feathers.”

Emily Bracher, the other co-editor in chief of The Snapper, is sadly one of my best friends. When she walks in, Bracher fills the room with life, carrying her enthusiastic energy to this class every day. However, she annoys me to the brink of extinction by being too enthusiastic about the Bahamas trip, Tyler The Creator, questions about KWHS events, yelling at me to edit her article, and so much more that I’m not allowed to list. “Whenever I walk into the classroom and I’m tired,” said Scepkova. “I open my ears and hear Emily laughing and telling some crazy story from her weekend, and it just brings a smile to my face.” And oh my, have we heard some crazy stories from her past weekends, and I’m still hearing them.

Michael ‘Gus’ Wilson, the sports editor of The Snapper, annoys the life out of me every single day I walk into this classroom. No wonder he got voted most-wittiest because these comments are out of this world. I could literally just be breathing and he would have something to say. Although he makes me want to jump off a cliff and into a pool of sharks, I’m going to miss Wilson’s energy in the room. His smile and laughter are what we all treasured from this class, even if he was laughing at us under his breath. “Even though I would probably have never interacted with him under normal circumstances,” explained Emma. “The laughs that we shared in this classroom are something I would never trade for anything.” Yeah, those laughs are definitely irreplaceable.

Oh boy, I have a lot for this one. Grayson Acevedo, the sports writer for The Snapper, is the person who gets on my nerves the most. With the clever names he gives me, like ‘schitzy,’ ‘tweaker,’ ‘rat,’ and ‘weasel,’ Acevedo has impacted my life not only negatively, but I guess positively as well. Whenever I’m crying in the classroom, Acevedo’s comments on my tears actually make me feel better, forgetting why I was crying in the first place and putting all my energy towards ‘tweaking’ at him, as he would like to call it. Even with his interesting extracurricular activities, Acevedo always makes sure to turn in an article on time and do his job. “I never knew someone could do the most insane things possible. I only thought that happened in movies,” disclosed Scepkova. “The way he lives his life baffles me. I truly do not know how he is still alive.” If it wasn’t for The Snapper, I would have never met Acevedo, and at first, I saw it as a reason to quit, but now I see it as a blessing. Even though he makes me want to break my collarbone, the irritative comments and heart-warming laughs are what I treasure the most with Acevedo, and I’m glad I can say he’s a part of my life. But this isn’t a reason for him to keep the comments coming.

Although they get on my nerves endlessly even after they leave the classroom, each of these members has made a tremendous impact on my life, whether I asked for it or not. Thank you Snapper for all the memories you have given me so far, and I guess I’m excited to make more.