They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a memory is priceless. Starting with her freshman year and ending with senior year, senior, Christine Vo has experienced countless memories throughout her high school journey. From being a part of the yearbook staff to maintaining good grades. However, now that her time in high school is complete, she will soon embark on her new journey, switching from high school antics to college life.

For the past four years, Vo has described herself as ‘shy’ and ‘introverted,’ but as time progressed and she started becoming more extroverted, she would now describe herself as ‘welcoming.’ Being the leader of the yearbook staff comes with serious duties and some may wonder how she got started in photography to begin with. Vo remembers her path into photography started as a childhood interest.

“In seventh grade, my dad saw that I would always take the family camera. So, then one day he was like ‘you take this, go outside, shoot some photos, and I will see if you have it.’ And that is exactly what I did. I went to the backyard, shot some photos and from there, I have been doing photography up until senior year. I joined yearbook, I have done photojournalism, I have shot personal events, portraits for people, I have done almost everything that you can do with a camera. And it has really grown to everything that I enjoy doing now,” said Vo.

Vo has climbed up the hierarchical ranks of the yearbook staff to eventually become the leader. All her hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed. Vo describes her rise to the top as exuberant and near the colorful side of the spectrum.

“I joined the yearbook staff my sophomore year, after the yearbook teacher at the time was like ‘you need to be on this staff.’ So I joined with my best friend Summer, and from there we just learned stuff very quickly and we found a passion in designing pages, taking photos, writing yearbook pages, and Mrs.Canon actually saw my passion for yearbook and leadership. So from there I have been the Editor-in-Chief for the past two years, made two yearbooks, and it’s been a journey, an exciting one,” exclaimed Vo.

Continuing her passion in the journalism field, Vo will be attending UTA and major in Communications and Journalism. Though she won’t be majoring in photography, Vo will still keep it as a side hobby for her. She is ready to embark on this new college journey despite being little ways from her family and friends.

“I am looking at this as a part two to high school, because it is an opportunity for me to learn and grow as a journalist. I am doing Communications and Journalism, so while I am doing writing, I am also hoping to continue doing photography and like booking myself at events, because I really enjoy it even if it is just my hobby and not my career. I just want to do it and have something to do on the side and enjoy in my free time,” said Vo.

All the things Vo has accomplished whilst in high school could not have been done without her inspiration, yearbook advisor, Kristi Canon. Canon has motivated Vo and has been by her side throughout every step of the way. Vo and Canon have experienced so much together as a team and Vo is thankful for the help and the support that she has received from Canon.

“Throughout high school especially, it has been Mrs.Canon, because she has been through pretty much all of it. And we have gotten through so many challenges and obstacles, yet we have always come out the other end. And we are distributing a book in a little more than a week. Despite everything, we have made a pretty good book that I am proud of,” talked Vo.

Vo’s high school journey will be coming to an end soon as she will graduate in June and soon be off to college. She has experienced most of the things she wanted to do and experience in high school, but she will soon be off to bigger and better things. Vo looks back on her best year of high school.

“Last year, despite the COVID pandemic, we had our yearbook distribution day and although kids weren’t able to be apart of the event, me and a couple other editors, who are now my best friends, went up and lined up our cars and just sat cheering for the people picking up their book. And I think that was a very memorable moment that made working on the yearbook worth it,” explained Vo.

As Vo grew older, her life values developed and now that she is about to graduate, she will now put her own values in place and begin her journey as her own individual. Vo emphasizes her personal value being her own personal time.

“Quality time, whether that is spending time with people around me or spending time doing what I like to do, like photography or writing. It is just having the time to myself and doing something that I enjoy doing,” reveals Vo.

For the past four years, Vo has accomplished so much from becoming Editor-in-Chief to taking part in extracurricular activities. Her hard work and dedication has gotten her to where she is now and that will continue to guide her wherever she goes.