From the desk of...Jim Christopher

Well here it is, you hold in your hands the last issue of The Leader for this school year. For myself it is my last issue as Editor In Chief. Its bittersweet to say the least. It feels eerily similar to when I took my final curtain call as a senior of my high schools production of Little Shop of Horrors.

On one hand I will not miss staying up until 3 a.m. finishing up the final touches. On the other hand I have been writing for the paper since I walked on this campus as a freshman and do not how to be a college student without working for the paper. Recruited by former Sports Editor, Calee Prindle I instantly fell in love with the paper and the people writing for it. Then guided by past Editor In Chief's Ryan Taughrin and Brian Bishop as well as our advisor Elmer Ploetz I climbed the ladder and reached where I am now.

Over the last three years, and this year especially there has been several ups and downs. From dealing with disgruntled students over their names being in the police blotter to angry sororities to covering the sporting events around campus and talking to athletes, students and faculty alike I have enjoyed it all. Between this and being an intramural referee I feel that I have developed some pretty thick skin that will benefit me later in life.

To the student body who reads this paper, I hope you appreciate the hard work not only myself but my tireless staff has poured into these pages over the last 27 issues. Please realize we are students too. If you have not worked for a newspaper try to understand the huge time commitment it is. We don't try to make mistakes or want to make anyone look bad, we are just trying to bring you the news. So sometimes we will make mistakes, we are not professionals with this. But thank you for picking up these issues, we wouldn't still be printing if you guys didn't want to read us.

To my aforementioned tireless staff, you guys are amazing. Each and everyone of you bring your own unique talents to create this paper and make it the best it possibly can be. Eric, you were a great Managing Editor, we worked well together and I thank you for all of your efforts. The desk editors Joe, Ashley and Emily thanks for making your sections its own unique entity and something enjoyable. Maggie and Pat you guys will do fantastic with this next year, I have an incredible amount of confidence in you two. To everyone else once again thank you, you guys have made my sometimes incredibly stressful job pretty enjoyable.

Although I do not want to step away completely from the paper, I feel that new ideas have to be ushered in and my time is pretty much up. I am however excited to see the new direction this publication will take next semester under the new management. I have loved this opportunity and once again send out an enormous thank you to everyone. Newspapers may be on a decline but journalism is not. I know this paper will continue to thrive and bring the students on the wonderful campus of SUNY Fredonia the news every Wednesday.