Hello, my name is Marissa Gibson and I am a part of the FOCUS staff! I am a senior this year, which is giving me a lot of time to reflect on my 12 years in Perry Township. Being in Perry Township since kindergarten and graduating in just a few short months is really depressing. This is my first year being on the focus and I am very excited to make my last year an impactful one. The main reason I joined the FOCUS was to enhance my writing skills and to be an informer of things that are impactful to us as a school. I feel, as a school, we need to be tuned in to what is happening right now. One of the beats I am focusing on this year is breaking news because I feel that things that happen in the moment is beneficial to the student body’s knowledge. Another beat I will focus on is lifestyle. I want to give reviews on trends that are seen throughout the township and the state, whether it includes food, fashion or music. I am involved in a lot of theatre here at Perry. I was the assistant stage manager for FEST in 2021, and this year I am the director of “As Time Goes By” written by Audrey Nash. I was the unexpected cop in the 2021 fall play, CLUE, where I “died” by being hit in the head with a candlestick. I am also on the school’s improv team, which is a club where silly acting gives people joy. I am currently in the Ed Professions course, where I go once a week and student teach younger students to get an idea about being a teacher, considering teaching is what I want to do when I graduate from college. Outside of school, I work at a pet store, even though I have allergies to cats. When I have free time, I am either in my bed or I am out driving around with my friends. I cannot wait to see how successful the FOCUS will be this year and I am looking forward to ending my senior year on a good note.