It is somewhat sad my second column is also my last.
I have gained the incredible opportunity of working with the Clarkston News through CSMTech’s internship program for our ‘tech block.? However, that tech block is almost over.
This time next week, it will be back to calculus and physics instead of writing stories and taking pictures, and I know which I’d prefer.
From the perspective of a high school student who has never worked with the school newspaper, the skills I’ve learned here can be described as invaluable.
I’ve had plenty of experience talking to people about a veritable plethora of topics, ranging from team matters at FIRST competitions to STEM legislation in Washington. However, I have never had to take what people said about something and then portray it in written form.
This skill was perhaps the hardest one I’ve learned, and the one I’m happiest I did master. Well, perhaps ‘master? is the wrong word. A more accurate phrase might be ‘gain some modicum of expertise in.?
Another sharp learning curve was how much actually happened in the community.
I know I am not alone in thinking this, as most high school students probably shared my outlook, but I didn’t think much happened in Clarkston at all. My five weeks with the News have proven me incredibly wrong.
So much goes on behind the scenes of our almost bucolic suburban village I had never seen that it was hard to grasp at first. Maybe I just need to get out more.
I wish I could stay and work longer, but those equations won’t derive themselves.
I would like to thank everyone at the Clarkston News and at CSMTech for making this amazing opportunity open to me.
My only regret is that I didn’t think to do this last year.

You may have seen my byline on a few stories in my time as an intern so far, but this is my first opinion column.
It’s a thought that is both empowering and humbling at the same time.
I am going to delay the inevitable as much as I can by first introducing myself.
My name is Patrick Riggs, and I am a senior at Clarkston High School. No, I do not know where I’m going to college yet, but I can tell you that right now it’s probably either Michigan State University or Northwestern (sorry Wolverines, no journalism major!).
I gained a passion for reporting and photography through Team RUSH, which is a really great program. And no, I’m not just saying that because I’m involved.
This brings me to my whole opinion part. From my two going on three years experience on the team, I can tell you it’s a life-changing experience: it sure changed mine.
If you could have met me three years ago and told me I would eventually be writing this piece, the only reason I wouldn’t tell you that you were dead wrong was because I was too shy to say so.
Through Team RUSH, however, that has changed.
Contrary to popular belief, Team RUSH is not just a robotics team. While we DO build robots, we also run like a business, we create leaders, we interact with the community, and we change math and science curricular delivery.
We form partnerships with local, state, and national legislators, we promote math, science, and technology, we effect culture change.
Our mission statement explains all of this. Our mission is ‘To develop leadership skills and increase real world experiences in an exciting environment so that our members become leaders in a global 21st century knowledge economy dependent on math, science, and technology.?
Before you dismiss us as just nerds building ‘bots, consider what we have done and are continuing to do.
You may be surprised what high school kids can try, if they set their mind to it.