Between the early mornings, weekly Instagram reels, and student quotes, Yorba Linda High School’s newspaper class is a united family. The Wrangler newsroom has become a home for so many students here on campus and has created lasting memories, extending beyond the classroom and high school experience.
A few familiar faces, Mylie Brown, Karina Shah, and Lili Sebesteyn, former photojournalists and editors, have taken their skills and memories with them to college and beyond.
Mylie Brown (YLHS Class of 2025), who is now a proud UCI Anteater, shares her life after recently entering college. “As much as I miss being at home with all of my friends and family, as well as being part of such a close community at YLHS, I truly love college and where I ended up at,” Mylie says. “At UCI, I have found such amazing friends who I’ve bonded with so easily and made my experiences so much better.” Mylie also adds that she loves her “college schedule and getting to live on campus” and feels so much more “productive” and “finally has the chance to focus” on herself since she is truly on her own and independent. “I have so much more time to do things that prioritize me.”
Mylie also adds that “I feel that taking Newspaper in high school helped me grow so much as a writer, and the lessons I learned from the class have extremely helped me since being in college,” she said. “It taught me how to take feedback, how to network, and not be afraid to ask for help, those are imperative skills serving me very well in college.”
Another alumna, Karina Shah (Class of 2022), now a student at Cal Poly Pomona, shares a similar story. She says The Wrangler taught her valuable life skills that she uses nearly every day. She explained that being part of the newspaper helped her gain confidence and communication skills that she carried into her college life and even her goals for her career.
“It’s helped me gain writing skills that I use throughout my life, like when applying for jobs and internships, and even when doing college assignments,” she said. “It also taught me to think quickly under pressure and communicate effectively with all of the diverse people I have met in college.”
Former editor Lili Sebestyen (Class of 2026), who is now studying at New York University says that “Moving can definitely seem like the scariest thing ever, but it’s an important step if you want to grow and experience more independence. Moving to New York all the way from California has been one of the best decisions. It was really scary to go so far, but I’m so glad I did because I love the city so much.”
Her days are filled with metro rides and music in the square and is the life Lili has always dreamed of experiencing.
“There’s always so much to do, and it’s the perfect scene if you love art, music, and constantly doing something new.”
All while each of these former Newspaper students walks through different hallways and cities, the skills they learned in Mrs. Shay’s class continue to follow them and are a part of who they have become. And no matter where life takes us, writing allows us to stay connected and continue shaping the story of who we are becoming.
