Richelle Zheng
CHS Class of 2025
(7/2025) With summer coming into full swing, Catoctin High School’s class of 2025 has officially graduated as of May 28. Therefore, as my time with Catoctin High School comes to a close, so does my position as the writer for the Emmitsburg News Journal. Thus, I am pleased to introduce the new writer who will be taking over shortly: Rona Zheng. She is an upcoming freshman at Catoctin High School, meaning she is part of the class of 2029! To start her freshman year, she has decided to take on the massive role of being the new writer for the news journal.
Although writing for the news journal is a significant commitment, Rona exemplifies that she is capable of handling the position, as she has also participated in numerous extracurricular activities throughout middle school. Her most significant commitments were the Leo Club and band, which she participated in all three years of middle school. Additionally, during her 8th-grade year, she became president of the Leo Club, demonstrating her leadership and dedication to her community. In addition to those activities, she also decided to join Student Voices during her final year of middle school. Zheng expresses her love for her community by immersing herself in it. Therefore, she decided to join the Leo Club and Student Voices, as she wanted to contribute more to the community.
As mentioned before, Rona is just freshly out of middle school and only thirteen years old. Still, being young does not deter her as she has decided to challenge herself by taking on this new position, on top of the additional clubs she plans to join in high school. When asked about what caught her interest in writing for the journal, she said that she wants to take over the newspaper because she enjoys writing and learning about what is happening in her community. Furthermore, Zheng mentions, "I am also interested in writing for the Emmitsburg News Journal because it seems like a great opportunity."
She reveals that she is excited to take on this opportunity so she can learn more about what is happening around her in the community. Moreover, in addition to her love for writing, she enjoys reading and playing the violin. Also, in her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her friends. Some more of Rona’s "favorites" include her favorite animal, bunnies, because that is her Chinese zodiac sign, and her favorite time of day: nighttime. She also likes the color yellow and enjoys swimming whenever she gets the chance to dip her feet in a pool or the ocean.
Middle school is all about discovery and making connections. Throughout these hectic three years, children become teenagers and explore their likes and dislikes, allowing them to discover a sense of identity. When asked about her experiences in middle school, Zheng reveals that her experience was "one of a kind." She mentions that her middle school experience felt unique from others due to the countless times she had to move states during those years, which were tough to navigate, she says. Still, Zheng cherishes these moments deeply, mentioning that she had a lot of fun throughout her years. Above all, she states that her last year in middle school was the best.
Although she notes that there was the usual drama that occurs during these stages of self-discovery, everyone came together in the last few weeks – "like a big family." Zheng has also provided some advice that she would like to offer to the upcoming middle schoolers. She pushes for them to "savor every second of middle school since it is only three years and will go by in a flash." In addition, because the people one surrounds oneself with have the greatest influence on them, she suggests that they should choose their friends carefully. Moreover, most importantly, she adds that they need to remember to be themselves and have fun.
After experiencing the annual 8th-grade move-up day that Catoctin High School holds every spring, following the seniors' departure, Rona has many aspirations for the clubs she would like to join once school starts again in August. New clubs that Zheng mentioned she would like to join are the Catoctin Conservation Club, the Student Government Association, and Freshman Club. She wants to join these clubs to get more involved in the community. She would also like to continue her participation in the Leo Club and Student Voices, as she has enjoyed being a part of these organizations and helping out in the community through them.
Nonetheless, Rona is also nervous about becoming a freshman. Zheng mentions that she feels her years in middle school have flown by, and expresses her feelings about high school: "Becoming a high schooler feels so surreal– younger me thought it was so far away, but now it is only two months from now." Having nervousness and uncertainty when starting a new chapter of one’s life is completely understandable, as most people have all been there before. Regardless, Zheng mentions that although she is nervous, she is also excited about the new opportunities that come with high school and the wider variety of course choices available, as most of the courses in middle school are predetermined by the counselor and teachers. Since Zheng is still young, she is unsure about her future career plans after high school. However, she is certain about planning to attend a four-year institution after high school.
Zheng also mentions that her drive for success mainly comes from her background as a first-generation student. Knowing that her parents never had the opportunities she now has, she is on a mission to make the most of them and make her family proud. Moreover, she adds that things have not always come easily for her due to her background; however, it has led her to discover the importance of gratitude. In addition, Rona describes her parents as extremely hard-working people who have worked tirelessly to provide her and her siblings the life they have, teaching her the significance of hard work.
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