Christian Warner
Position: Editor-in-Chief
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Mark Scheibmier
To the staff: I’m really going to miss this. To Jenny, thank you for trusting me and guiding me every step of the way. I don’t even want to think about what an abysmal journalist and editor I would be without your mentorship. To the staff, thank you for standing by me (for the most part) and believing in me. I couldn’t have asked for a better staff. To the future ReMarker staff, good luck; I hope you make the most of your time because this has been the most fun and fulfilling group I have ever been a part of. I am proud of each and every one of you, and I am proud to call myself a member of the ReMarker.
Doan Nguyen
Position: Enterprise Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Ke Huy Quan
To the staff: Why journalism? Coming off a legendary 89.48% in Scott Gonzalez’s 9th grade English class, I decided that writing was stupid and not for me. But Dawson Yao convinced me that journalism was worth it — that it’s 20% writing and 80% of something that none of us expected, but something that we have all experienced. Like the feeling of seeing your name in print next to a story you’re not proud of. The Pacemaker that comes 10 months too late. Ranking rookies on the whiteboard. Complaining about your co-section editors. Mid-design night chipotle. Re-highlighting the red Academics section pages a dark orange. Spending a 70-minute period in Jenny’s office coming up with a Center story. Spending a 45-minute period in Jenny’s office playing Brawl Stars. Kevin Ho interviewing the expert. The blue light burning your eyes, and you look to your left and Cheesy is scrolling in one hand while grubbing in the other, and you look to your right and Josh and Christian are arguing over the cover photo from three cycles ago, and you look up and see Kozoman’s laser eyes burning, too. To be honest, why not journalism?
Kevin Ho
Position: Managing Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Bruce Lee
To the staff: For the past four years, the journalism suite was where a couple other guys and I would eat lunch every school day (important deadlines). It’s where we’d do homework (scroll reels) after school. It’s also where a dozen of us staff members crammed in the Editor’s Suite and learned about Dr. Viper from SWAT Kats. And at the end of every cycle, we’d grind our way to producing a paper as a group. Christian, Doan, Mike and I (interviewing an expert). Wyatt and Sam (Diego) doing Sports. Chraios showing up on Work Saturday. Jenny sticking with us all the way. That cohesiveness is what made me fall in love with journalism. It’s what made me connect with others more, and that atmosphere will stay with me in the years to come.
Michael Jimenez
Position: Managing Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Tom Welling (specifically in Smallville)
To the staff: As I’m laying in bed writing this two days past when Christian said to turn it in, all of the memories I’ve made throughout my years on staff come flooding back. The late night design night with Hilton and Doan that I will continue to talk about, the time in between the Philly and Nashville trip spent wondering whether or not a certain yearbook staff will be there and so many more design nights spent delegating work and scrolling reels will forever be burned into my memory. I can’t help but think about how fast my three years on staff went by. To Christian, Weston, Doan, Kevin, Rohan, Sendy Tejas, Winston and Dr. P, I truly cannot put into words how grateful I am for being able to work with you all over the years. Jenny, thank you for believing in me and pushing me to be my best even after I continuously turned in assignments late. Maybe one day you guys will all wake up and turn on ESPN and see Cheesy Mike up there.
Rohan Kakkar
Position: Digital Editor-in-Chief
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Shah Rhuk Khan
To the staff: When I joined the ReMarker three years ago, I thought journalism was just about stories. Looking back, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. My experience as a journalist taught me it’s the people that make the journey, not the stories. It’s spending late nights in the editors suite redesigning the website with Tejas. It’s going to food reviews on Work Saturdays with Chraios. This journey has been the best part of my high school experience and I wouldn’t want it with anyone else. Finally, to Jenny, thank you so much for your support and believing in the web.
William Kozoman
Position: Editorial Director
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Daniel Day Lewis
To the staff: Four years ago, I remember having no idea what journalism would be like. Going off just arecommendation from Dr. Steg and a bit of faith, I unknowingly leapt into an experience that would end up being one of the most impactful of my life. It’s in the suite that I learned to see the world in a whole new way: through the eyes of others. I learned to write more impactfully, more
persuasively, and in a way that, you know, people actually wanted to read. And I’ve gotten the fortunate distinction of getting to really express my own opinions in writing. Whether those opinions were any good? Well, that’s one of the few things where I’ll have to defer others’ opinions. It’s in the suite that I got my first taste of something like a true workplace, collaborating with my peers to produce something real. And though I can’t say I always did my best in that
environment, the lessons I’ve learned working in the suite, pitching ideas, and sitting behind an empty Google Doc with a blinking cursor will stay with me for the rest of my life. Journalism has given me some of my most unique experiences at this school, and I’d totally do it all over again if given the chance. To those who will carry the ReMarker forward into the future: learn from my mistakes, experience all the fun I had and more, and remember that your journey here and the
impact you will make on this paper will last for years to come.
Weston Chance
Position: Assignments Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
John Mulaney
To the staff: I still remember the Senior Ex that convinced me to give Journalism a try, and I’m very glad that I did. The paper helped me to become a better writer, listener, and storyteller, andit was a privilege to highlight so many interesting people from all different backstories. Jenny, thank you for putting up with all our shenanigans from rowdy bonk games to my lack of InDesign competence. You’ve been a great friend and mentor on campus. Mike, our sports section was class. Wyatt, I trust you’ll carry on my legacy as the next Assignments Editor. Chris, never forget the Irish. And to all my other staff mates, thanks for all the great memories and friendships.
Tejas Allada
Position: Digital Managing Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Samuel L. Jackson
To the staff: I don’t know how much real “journalism” will follow me throughout the rest of my life. But I do know that watching reels with Kevin Ho and Winston in the j suite or filming food reviews with Chraios and Rohan will. I think that’s what I learned. That I should learn to love what I do but also empathize and enjoy the company of the people I pursue that passion with. I came into journalism hoping to learn how to write and I left meeting some of my best friends for life.
Joshua Goforth
Position: Art Director
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Javier Bardem
To the staff: My brother Zack pretty much chose Journalism for me. I’m glad he did. Ever since he first let me draw for The ReMarker in 8th grade, I’ve become the latest in the “art guy” lineage (shoutout Morgan Chow, Cooper Cole, and whoever my future successor might be), and I’ve gotten to learn what it’s like to practically apply a creative passion. Sometimes that means having a truly horrendous amount of work on my plate, but as I’ve come to realize, the work and late nights pass by like nothing when I’m doing art of any form. This class and these people, put simply, have helped me to see where my passions and sense of purpose truly lie. I’m going to college for journalism, so you can believe me when I say that. Thanks, Zack, and thank you to everyone on staff.
Winston Lin
Position: Photo Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Benicio Del Toro
To the staff: This is the first time I have written anything for the newspaper so it’s a little weird. Even though I technically haven’t written anything for the paper, and some people like to bring this up constantly, my mom suggesting for me to do journalism was probably one of the luckiest moments in my life. I’ll never forget the devious work nights, Saturdays, Photo quests (freezing to death at the racetrack) and trips (CrashoutTJ’s birth in Seattle). Elevator pranks. Iykyk. I swear the may cover and family one are the best in history. Y’all are cooked without me and josh. Sigma boi with lazers. Don’t let Jackson and Diego in your room. Huge thanks to Jenny for everything.
Kayden Zhong
Position: Focus Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Lee Byung-hun
To the staff: Forty-plus interviews, twenty-one papers and six magazines later, if there’s one thing that I’ve known, it would be this: journalism is people. It’s interviewing, writing and designing notable stories from interesting people, and presenting these as information to the unnamed public, yes. But inextricable from the publications and awards and certainly more extraordinary is the staff, who have been the backdrop against which I’ve lived these past four exhilarating years. These are the people who taught me to cherish life as a thing of beauty, to find joy in connection and to always continuously grow. I owe it all to those who have mentored me, Jenny more than most, and give my best to those I’ve helped. Hold on to your time here like hell: there has been no group of guys that I have loved as much as this one.
Andrew Ye
Position: Focus Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Ke Huy Quan
To the staff: It’s crazy how fast you go from headline writing exercises and learning AP style in J1 to writing and publishing your final issue of both ReMarker and Focus in April. What’s even crazier is that I still don’t know AP style. I don’t know what motivated me to choose journalism, as it wasn’t even a fine arts credit, but, after four years in this suite, I can confidently say I’d do it all over again. I’ve learned so much these four years. Interviewing. Writing. Communicating. I’ve also learned that some things never change: Focus magazine will always/only come together the week before print. I’m sure the new editors next year will change that and continue creating masterpieces. There’s this quote in The Office: “I wish I knew I was in the good old days before I’ve left them.” In the moment, I’d always complain about needing to write 800+ words on CVIs or needing to email unresponsive sources, but looking back, I only remember the good stuff. So enjoy your time here. Enjoy the work Saturdays. Enjoy the design nights. Enjoy it. ‘Cause eventually, this will all end for you too.
Diego Armendariz
Position: Sports Section Editor
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Matt Damon
To the staff: When I think back to my favorite memories at St. Mark’s, the journalism program is in many of them. There is something so special about this community, so appreciate it and embrace spending time with the guys on staff. I hope I brought a fun attitude to the work, and I hope y’all continue that (I know Wes and Mike will). When you have a light but serious environment, the best work is done, and I think that is why we were so successful this year. Always ask questions to the older guys and to Jenny. I swear most questions people asked me on staff were about scheduling, so I guess I’ll go down as the “guy with the calendar,” but ask questions about anything. I remember staying on campus until 1:40 a.m. on a Thursday for production week as a junior, and I wouldn’t trade nights like those doing pages (that were usually “extended”) because the bonds I made with my fellow seniors and with underclassmen were amazing. These bonds are what make the school special, so foster them in our “home away from home.
Chris Guffey
Position: Head Writer
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Pedro Pascal
To the staff: I had a pretty rocky start on the ReMarker. But looking back, I wouldn’t have asked for it any other way (plus or minus a few missteps). Senior year threw me into the deep end- stepping up when guys needed help, taking on responsibility I didn’t always feel ready for, and figuring it out anyway. There were late nights, last-minute edits, and more than a few moments of self-doubt, but it all taught me to thrive in that discomfort. To my fellow seniors, thank you for taking this journey with me. And to Jenny, thank you for believing in me before I fully believed in myself, for the opportunities, and for trusting me with more than I thought I was ready for. So if I could give one piece of advice, I would say never turn down those hard, sometimes optional assignments, because that’s where you see real improvement and learn the most about yourself. And no matter how you started out, always strive to finish strong.
Ronit Kongara
Position: Head Writer
Actor who’d play them in a movie:
Jeremy Allen White
To the staff: Ending eighth grade, I faced a choice: continue playing trumpet in band as I had since fifth grade, or take a risk on Journalism 1. I chose journalism. Four years later, I don’t regret it. Sure, I’m a little sad about my abandoned jazz career, but what I gained here was worth it. Journalism taught me how to talk to people I wouldn’t normally approach, how to ask questions that get actual answers and how to turn information into something readable. The skills mattered, but what I valued most was being part of the staff. Working alongside people who cared about the same project, meeting deadlines together and figuring out how to make stories work. It created a community I didn’t expect. The Remarker gave me something I wouldn’t have found anywhere else, and I’m glad I took the risk.
