Aaron Koch

I joined The Buzz around my Sophomore year of high school, it was not especially big at the time, it consisted of about 4 members by the time I joined in fall of 2023. Over these short years I am glad to see how much it has grown from the ground up. As I go off to college in Syracuse I give my undying gratitude to everyone who has supported me in an outside of the school paper. Oh, and before I forget, it will be quite chilly up in Syracuse so if I happen to arrive back an ice husk please run me under warm water for no longer than 20 minutes and I will be good as new; for this reason, I transcribe this custom will. But without further ado let the probate process commence.

Folks at the Library
First and foremost thank you to all the staff at the library in DHS for always being there for me. Each and every one of you have been unbelievably supportive during my time in high school, I could always rely on heading to the front desk if I ever needed help, advice, or just a friend. Though some staff have come and gone during my time, the library served as a sanctuary for me whenever I felt overwhelmed. Thank you for the countless hours I have willingly spent talking with some of you, thank you for always being there during my highest of highs and lowest of lows, and thank you for playing a huge role in my high school years. With this, I give each of you a burberry scarf from my collection, and my chromebook to Hersch next week, because these are under MCPS ownership and therefore I am contractually obligated to. I hope we all can keep in touch, it truly has been a pleasure.

Class of 2027: The Buzz
To the upcoming class of 2027, I give you each a copy of Anchorman (2004) on DVD. Not because it would be of any service, but simply because it is one of the best comedy movies of all time in my personal opinion. If there was a greatest movie of all time award, I would award it to Anchorman; it is that remarkable. Be that as it may, I did learn a great deal from this movie under the umbrella of journalism, much has stuck with me. Whether or not it is good advice, is debatable. That being said, I do hope you all have a prosperous senior year, soaring to new, unprecedented heights. Many of you have grown to be fantastic writers and wonderful human beings, pleasant to talk with. All the best to your future endeavors.

Thank you The Buzz for serving as a robust haven where I can express myself as a writer and really hone my craft through covering everything news, sports and entertainment in the world today. Onward and upward as the old cliché goes.

“Destiny awaits those brave enough to chase it”

Sincerely
-Aaron Koch

Mara Kuroda

Emily McNicholus 

To Emily, I leave the stupid Canadian wolf bird to you as a memory of “Heated Rivalry” talk and worship. I loved talking about the heated rivalry fandom with you and referencing niche things about the show that only crazy fans would understand. I cherish DMing you the post of Hudson Williams and Conner Storrie at the Met Gala, and the random post both of them share on their Instagram. I also loved having math with you and J Dawg (Mr. Dow) and having both of you gang up on me when I get very nervous. I hope you find another theatre kid who loves heavy metal music and “Heated Rivalry” as much as I do at the University of Delaware! See you in California!

Jessica Lemus 

I leave all the twisted series books to you, and the random love triangle TV shows. I loved talking to you about random TV shows like “XO Kitty” and “Vampire Diaries”, arguing over who the main character should end up with. I also leave you the reality show “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”. I cherished talking to you and Emily about how “this could be the end of momtok.” I appreciate you turning me on to “Twisted Hate” and other book series like that. I loved how you took AP European History, after I guilt-tripped you into signing up because I didn’t want to be alone. You are going to nail college just like Martin Luther did with his 95 theses.  

Jack Farmer

I will you the “Quote Book” of all the crazy things we have said that is probably not better with context. You are one of my closest friends, and I loved having drama club with you and using Sujay as a personal Uber driver in between back-to-back shows. I will miss the tea sessions we have over text and in Journalism (which Ms. Patrick absolutely loves), and having Aaron Koch be the mediator to our political arguments. You still have one more year (lol), and I hope you take journalism next year again and think of me while you write an article about how much you love “Heated Rivalry” and “Hazbin Hotel” (joking.) Love you, see you at winter break!

Caroylnne 

I will show you our shared beaded son, “Jeremy,” even though I was the deadbeat dad who only showed up every once in a while backstage. I absolutely love you so much, Carolynne. You have been one of my closest friends since we became friends as a Counselor-in-Training at Blackrock, and through surviving computer science last year, doing absolutely nothing but yapping. You make me want to become a better person and see the bright side of life rather than dwelling on the negatives. I will miss you so much, and I hope that you fulfill your dreams of becoming an elementary art teacher!

Drama Club Gang

For Sadie, Cee Cee, Anna, Lyla, Sarah, Aiden, Andrew, and Ari, I leave all of you guys a break from tech week. All you guys have been so amazing since my sophomore year, and I will cherish all the memories that we created on and off stage. I hope you guys have an amazing next year and are amazing mentors to the underclassmen who have just encountered the theatre world. I will be cheering you on in the audience next year, watching you guys grow into amazing actors.

AP Psychology Besties 

To Anny, Arrow, and Raquel, I will give you the EBQ that we never did. I had so much fun with you guys in Psychology, from doing experiments and art projects to watching traumatizing movies after everyone failed the exam. I will end our journey with a totally awesome psych joke:

Q: What’s the difference between a psychologist and a magician? 

A: A magician pulls rabbits out of hats, whereas a psychologist pulls habits out of rats.

Debate Partners

Aubrey and Storm, I leave you a coin flip. I had so much fun with both of you arguing with random high school students, all dressed up. I could totally have toned down the accusations, lol, but it was an amazing journey from getting the prompt to shaking our opponents’ hands as we walked out the door. I hope you guys do amazing things and win all your arguments. 

Teachers

Mr. Hall- I leave you one last 67 joke. You have been my mentor ever since 9th grade, and have helped me so much in the debate club, to prepare me for law school. Thank you for believing in me and bestowing the opportunity to be editor-in-chief of the Lit Mag.

Mr. Dow- I will you my heavy metal playlist on Spotify. I loved talking to you about different heavy metal bands and playing DIO on the last day of school. You have supported my dreams by writing so many recommendation letters for me this year, and never once complained. I wish you success in your new job. Up the Irons!

Ms. Patrick– I will you the number of times I walked in late, and you didn’t mark me late once. You have been there for me since junior year and believed in me by pushing me to be the best journalist I could be. From pushing me to interview someone besides Emily to trimming my article down, you have been an amazing mentor and have been there for me all upperclassmen years. I am going to miss you so much!

Sarah Nachbar

Journalism wasn’t in my bingo card for this year at all, really. But here I am after needing a first period.
I wouldn’t change much more about this year, though. Senior year was really the big bang I wanted, as I imagine “most schedule changes in all four years,” plaqued, on Ms. Kohajda’s desk.

And with that being said, I wish the following people the very, absolutely-extroadinary-lovely-fantastical-radiantly-excellence-within-the-divinity (of the wonders of nature), or AELFRED for short.

Staff

President Bonfilio
I dreaded AP Government. But your slide shows every afternoon made it very enticing to come in and not dread it as heavily. Although you’ve been retired, I want to wish you the best in my own goodbye. I will you the most joy and the greatest quality of the endless experiences you’ve had all through your retirement and the least migraine-inducing, rowdy classes, when you come in to substitute and continue to share your wisdom.

Mr. Buffum
I will you the most groundbreaking impacts within your teaching career, every win for your favorite teams, a consistently well-tempered room wherever you go and a beautiful, beautiful tailored suit. Again, my time in your class was not long, but the time I spent out of class thinking about discussions and U.S. History should go into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Ms. Dennison-McCabe
I only had you for one semester, but in that time, I think I realized I didn’t hate high school so much anymore. Thank you for creating and encouraging such an inviting environment in your classroom (which is insanely impressive for a seventh-period class). I look forward to coming back in the future. With that, I will you a county-wide volleyball overseer position and plenty of eager, incoming freshmen, who don’t stress you out and appreciate you and the adaptiveness of your interactive lessons! 🙂

Mr. DeRose
During the first semester of my freshman year, U.S. History was one of the few courses I actually looked forward to (and rightfully so). If not for your teaching style and how you assign work, I do not think I would’ve grown academically as much as I have as a senior. I will you a collection of every U.S. flag to have been created, as well as the rest of your fast food orders paid for by whoever is in front of you.

Mr. Dow
I hated your class, but that’s also because I just don’t like math. My biggest takeaways are formulas and acronyms of ridiculous origin that are pre-packed in my bags for college. Your room didn’t feel like home, but it did feel nicer than the standard rooms everyone’s used to and I always appreciated that about your room, yourself and how you interacted with students. I will you plenty more opportunities to speak at graduation and plenty more chalk for your already well-ordained board.

Dr. Doherty
My biggest regret in this time was not having you for all four years. I do not think I would’ve been the same without the environment that is so prevalent in your classroom, both as a musician and a student. I am so thankful that I got to be a part of the unique community of people who also find similar sanctuary in your classes.  I will you the eradication of all evil things in your life, better dad jokes, a custom trombone and plenty more flags with your face on them.

Ms. Goldsmith
Similarly, I regret not taking more of your classes. However, the two classes of yours I did take were that much more meaningful and will go on to be ideas I think of for the rest of my life (I’m minoring in music performance!). There is not much more to this than me wishing you nothing but the greatest happiness. I will you only the best (and safest) homemade goods, a consistent temperature in your room and bigger numbers coming to all chorus classes!

Ms. Mayhew
I will so seriously miss cleaning something every other day. Every day was literally a mystery and I don’t think I’ll ever get satisfaction like that again. Oh? There was a leak in the ceiling so I have to stay in the classroom, or clean the workshop? Sounds alright! We ran out of soil bags and we gotta bring the new order in? Okay, I guess (my least favorite, honestly). Regardless of what a day’s mission brought on, I was relatively happy to tackle it, especially with friends. I will you interns that listen properly, an organisational system you know like the back of your hand, more flexibility with what you do in YOUR program and a shipment of all the plants that thrive on neglect.

Mr. McGaffin
I will forever feel awful that my class period was so over-the-top. I have always admired your patience and sarcastic remarks and I will absolutely be taking that response to life with me to college. I will you many gifts outside of Teacher Appreciation Week and at least a hundred $50 gift cards to various fine dining spots around the country.

Mr. Mueller
Your class has been a godsend. I never would have thought I’d leave high school actually knowing how to do my taxes. I’ve also never felt so confident within a math class before, so for that I thank you twice over. I will never forget every mid-assignment conversation that broke out into a full-on discussion. I hope our little table group is memorable for years to come. I will you all your students turning in their assignments on time, more time in the school year to get through material and plenty more “class-potlucks.”

Ms. Patrick
It was almost deja vu, I had so many great memories when I had you freshmen year, from class-podcasts and hot-take essays, to now, recording our Fast5’s in your classroom, or on a “field trip.” I will miss making library runs for you and cramming to catch up on an article I was supposed to have done. I will you more control over journalism once more and I sincerely hope it makes a stronger comeback when it inevitably comes back down the line. Please start a club for it!!

Mr. Saltzman
Though our interactions were very minimal, I looked forward to seeing you through the halls and simply saying “hello!” It was those small interactions throughout the day that made it worthwhile. I will you the fanciest cap and gown at graduation.

Dr. Splittgerber
From the start of the first semester, I thought you were hilarious and I have no regrets about often coming to see you twice a day. Every concert I’ve had since last year, I’ve hoped to see you in the crowd and with that, I will you with innovative students, plenty of extra time in the woodshop and every floral ornament to adorn your classroom.

Mr. Watkins
Thank you for always being swift on your feet, especially when I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing, which I hope wasn’t super often. It’s impossible to imagine financial math without you or Mr. Mueller, but know your presence definitely completed something about it. I will you a walk-in wardrobe of funky shirts and an honorary stool or something, because standing all day isn’t fun.

Mr. Wise
Again, not a huge math person, but I will never forget Pi day in your class, nor any trigonometry formula. I hope you continue to interact with students the way you have. I always came in and looked forward to the laughter I knew would ensue. I will you the fattest jackpot on Monopoly Go, many clutching stories of you playing soccer and a continued happiness of teaching.

Ms. Zaldumbidie
I am both honored and saddened by the news that you’ll be leaving alongside my class of ‘26, this year I especially found what I don’t like in a book, but I’m happy to have had the opportunity to read and discuss it with you and a class that felt similarly. I will you plenty of time to do what you want with your retirement. I wish you lots of walking with your loved ones in downtown Frederick.

Students

Ren Wolske
I’m regretful that I never really got to know you earlier. This year was phenomenal. I have absolutely no regrets leaving the building when I could’ve done work. It was nothing short of an honor to have given you an introduction to interning and even more so, it was a delight to spend this final year of mine with you. I will you a 4.0 that I KNOW you’ll achieve regardless of this, and more importantly, I will you all the support for whatever predicament you may find yourself in. I AM A TEXT AWAY. Keep up the silly stories!!

Michelle Zhang
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to wrap my head around the idea that you aren’t a street away. I barely knew you for three years of high school and you’ve become such a vital heartstring I fall victim to pulling whenever I even think of college. I think of our conversations like a starry night sky, a bright sparkle gets caught in your peripheral and reels you in, suddenly the beauty of it all captivates you and you can’t help but admire it. I will you the freedom that I’ve noticed running scarce, I will you the opportunity to have your senior year (AND COLLEGE) exactly as you please and I absolutely wish you every Starbucks gift card imaginable to your mailbox.
The Buzz
Unexpected, but welcomed, is exactly how I would describe my time with everyone. Thank you to all whom I interviewed, interacted and filmed with. I am still looking forward to that blooper reel. I hope your remaining year(s) are kind and fair to you. I hope a journalist lives on inside you, as I know one will for me.