A wise man once said when one door closes, another door opens. For myself, it is time to close the door on my time in Rockdale as today will be my last day at The Reporter.
It’s a bittersweet day for me because I’ve had such a great time in Rockdale. I am thankful for all the kindness and support you all have shown me over the past 10 months. However, it’s time for me to start a new chapter in my life and career.
There are many people I would like to thank. First, I have to thank Ken Cooke and Christine Granados for hiring me. A flashback on life in Augusta, Georgia, raises images of me getting ready for work at a Publix grocery store when I received a call from Christine. After interviewing with Ken, I was told they wanted to hire me, and I couldn’t have been happier. I knew nothing about Texas or the town of Rockdale. All I knew was that I had received an opportunity to become a full-time journalist and that was enough for me. It’s amazing how I came so close to giving up on journalism to pursue the military life. Because they believed that I could be the Sports Editor for The Reporter, I now see myself experiencing a long and successful career in journalism. They gave me a shot when no one else would, and for that I am forever appreciative and grateful.
A heartfelt thanks is also extended to my coworkers Mike Brown, Kyle Cooke, Shannon Whorton, Suzy Ammon and David Money. Each of them has played a vital role in my success here at The Reporter. Whether they were answering millions of my questions, helping me design the sports pages, telling me about the best restaurants in town or just making me laugh every morning, it’s been a pleasure coming to work every day. I shared with the staff that this is the first workplace where I’ve enjoyed working with each and every coworker. Each of them helped make the transition to Rockdale easier for me and helped me develop as a journalist and as a man. I appreciate the demonstration of teamwork. They will be missed.
Next, I’d like to express my gratitude to the student athletes and coaches. Without their weekly cooperation and input, I couldn’t have performed my job to the best of my ability. I appreciate their consistency and willingness to send scores and provide quotes when I needed them.
Most importantly, I would like to thank all of you, the citizens of Rockdale and the greater Milam County area who support the paper. I couldn’t have done anything without you all. Since the beginning of my journey here in March, you all have shown unwavering kindness and support. Whether sending me messages via Facebook or stopping me in Wal-Mart, you all showed me that my work was appreciated. Your kind words gave me the confidence to see that I could make a career in the journalism field.
As I reflect on my season here, I will always cherish the time and memories that I made in Rockdale. When I have kids, I will share with them that my first full-time job began at the beginning of a global pandemic. It’ll be the funniest thing to see the puzzled looks on their faces when I tell them how I managed to be a sports editor without having any sporting events to cover.
I’ll remember the great feeling of being a small part of RHS athletics. Memories such as Rockdale’s victory over Cameron in the Battle of the Bell, the volleyball team’s first playoff game win in decades, Cam’ron Valdez’s breaking of the alltime touchdown record and getting a speeding ticket in Buckholts on the way to the McGregor game are etched in my memory bank.
A substantial number of things will be missed about Rockdale. I’ll miss editing pictures for the football players, eating tacos at The Reporter on Wednesdays and capturing special moments with my camera at every sporting event.
Outside of work, I’ll miss activities like kicking it with Chris Miles at the Miles Styles Barbershop on Fridays, working out with Pastor Johnson and his daughter Summer, and my frequent trips to Chicken Express and Texas Burger.
Despite my time in Rockdale being short, I hope I provided you all something to look forward to reading every week. Whether it was my columns or game stories, I put a lot of thought into each story. Whether the topic was race relations, human virtues, or something to spark motivation within the community, I hope the messages I portrayed have a lasting effect. With all the chaos going on in today’s world, I tried to use this platform to uplift people. If my stories made a least one person smile or see how blessed they are, that’s all the satisfaction I need.
Once I begin my new job at 13WMAZ News in Macon, Georgia, with pride, I will add to my website bio that I started my career in Rockdale, Texas at The Rockdale Reporter. Even though I’ll be over 900 miles away, Rockdale has earned a fan for life in me. I’ll still be reading The Reporter every week to keep up with the events.
Thank you all so much. It’s been fun! Wherever my career takes me, Rockdale will always hold a special place in my heart.
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