By Mary Heath

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To most people, this is just an eclectic collection of sentences. To me, it's the headlines of some of my best work for FlipSide.

For four years, FlipSide was my way of expressing myself. I loved sitting at the computer, typing an article and having it published in FlipSide.

It's been five years since those days. I have gone on to do many things, none of which have involved journalism. Still, the skills I learned and refined with FlipSide have influenced every aspect of my life and current career path.

Through my articles, I honed the writing skills that have been necessary for essentially everything I do. These skills have aided me in English, music history and research classes, as well as with the writing of numerous technical computer science documents.

FlipSide also taught me the importance of hard work. During my time as a reporter, I had to work hard to get stories done. Not every story was easy; sometimes I had to dig deep to get the scoop. Being on FlipSide, I learned the value of working hard to see something through from start to finish, which is a skill that has helped me in everything I have done since then.

Finally, FlipSide taught me the importance of doing everything to the best of my ability. I wanted every article I wrote to be my best. I wanted others to read it and connect with what I was saying. This is one of the most important things I learned through FlipSide, and it is definitely something I have benefited from in the long run -- not only in school and work, but in every aspect of my life.

While I may not have pursued a journalism career, FlipSide truly influenced my life and taught me valuable skills. I am thankful for the opportunity it provided me during high school and the great mentorship editors Marina Hendricks and Amy Robinson provided me.

Mary Heath graduated from George Washington High School in 2006. In August, she will begin work as a technical consultant for CGI Group Inc. and launch U.S. movements of the Crescendo Fine Arts Ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ.