By Jacob Wizgird ‘22 – Managing Editor

I still remember at the college fair last fall, one of the college tables had asked me, “Do you have senioritis yet?” with a laugh. My response was, “No…….., not yet,” with a laugh. I added the “not yet” in an attempt to not sound like I’m a super mature senior. I know I am still a kid at heart, still I knew I couldn’t get lazy towards the end of high school.

Deep down, I wanted this year to be a special one for me. I just didn’t know how I’d make that happen.

As I was writing this article, I realized that my time at Brother Rice has already been special. Anything that happened this year was just a bonus. This is why I included the “>” in the title.

Coming out of the pandemic, I wanted to be as active as possible. Whenever BRTV had a basketball game, I made sure to sign up. I played lacrosse for the first time my junior year. I basically made my life all about sports (and academics, of course. Hi Mom.)

I realized how much I missed being around sports. They are so important to our school community and they bring everyone together in unique ways. You’ll see kids with totally different interests coming together to watch the football games on Friday nights. Or you might find yourself talking with a random classmate while sitting in the gym late after practices

I got involved with a student marketing internship at the school and things began to take off from there. Through the internship, I began to put some of my media skills to practice at sporting events and assemblies.

In the fall of 2021, I started to shoot videos at football games. When I wasn’t in the booth with BRTV, I practiced shooting and editing videos from the sidelines.

In the winter, I was fortunate enough to call some big basketball games for BRTV, including the Rice vs Marist game in January (we beat Marist, if you didn’t know). Something different I tried was filming some of the wrestling matches as the Crusaders qualified for team state for the first time ever.

I have been able to follow Brother Rice baseball as they took on a top competition this season. On top of getting exciting videos, the baseball team has made me feel like I am a part of the team, which has been the coolest part of it all.

I can’t forget about going to school at Brother Rice, literally. I live directly down 99th Street from Brother Rice and I have driven the same 10 minute route probably thousands of times by now.

Brother Rice changed me greatly. From my first semester through my 7th semester, I have improved my GPA immensely and I can credit that to the great teachers I have had.

I’ve been truly blessed by what Brother Rice has to offer. It has been sad for me, knowing my time at Brother Rice will be over soon. Brother Rice has truly changed my life.

Since I started here, I have realized my true passion in media work. In the last few months, I have been able to get real world experience that will help put me ahead in college.

I have been surrounded with an amazing group of people that have been so awesome to me. I’ll never forget my time at 99th and Pulaski.

Go Crusaders!

Wiz