THE PULSE | SUMMER 2025 ISSUE
SO LONG, FAREWELL: MY FINAL LETTER TO THE PULSE By Benji Cutler
Dear Pulse Readers, I have been sitting here thinking about how I could possibly summarize my seven-year journey through journalism, my bumpy high school career, and my indescribable gratitude for The Pulse, Ms. Holmes, and The Harvey School in one letter. I am still in complete disbelief that this chapter of my life is coming to a close, and I have so many people to thank and so many memories to reflect on, because my life would be so different if it were not for journalism. Although I wish I did not have to say goodbye to such a crucial stage of my life, as Obi-Wan Kenobi preaches, “I will do what I must.” My life as a journalist began when 11-year-old Benji took his first steps into Mr. Pappas’s room on the second floor of Somers Middle School for an after-school club called The Tusker Tribune. Before I ever obsessed over movies (as I often do today), I was on a nonstop streak of strictly writing vague, incredibly biased basketball articles from sixth grade until the middle of ninth grade, and while I cringe every time I read them, I know that I would not be where I am today without them. I will always be so grateful to Mr. Dean Pappas for introducing me to the world of journalism and allowing me to discover how much I truly loved expressing myself through a weekly newspaper. Yet, as I transitioned to high school, I went through some emotionally difficult experiences, one being on a basketball team, which soured my love for basketball, and consequently, my love of discussing basketball in journalism. Thus, I found a new escape to bring more joy back into my life through movies, and before I knew it, I was writing 1000-word movie reviews on hit films like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “The Batman” for my high school newspaper. While my journalistic skills and passion continued to grow, ninth grade still put me in a spot that I needed to get out of as soon as possible. The summer after my freshman year, while I was enjoying my last summer as a camper at Brant Lake Camp, I was introduced to The Harvey School. With a new, revived passion for journalism through movie reviews, I knew right when I received that acceptance letter that the school newspaper would be seeing me.
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And, of course, since I am writing this letter, that was absolutely the case. I joined The Pulse in the winter term of 10th grade and returned for the entirety of my senior year as a writer and lead editor alongside my co-lead editor, classmate, and close friend, Logan Kreisberg, whom I cannot thank enough for his hard work and companionship. But the most important part of this year for my journalism journey has been how my parents, Ms. Holmes, and I pushed myself to grow into a more versatile writer. Instead of sticking to strictly basketball or strictly movies, I branched out to writing about a wide variety of different topics, including a presidential election recap, a reflection on the benefits of sleepaway camp, Harvey theatre production reviews, and even a breakdown (and shameless plug) of the dessert behemoth that is Crumbl. But, of course, I still had plenty to say about movies and television, so I am truly so lucky that Ms. Holmes allowed me to write about my passions and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone, because I can say with complete confidence that both have grown my love for journalism exponentially. During my junior year, thanks to Mr. Nate Alexander and the brand-new Media Arts program, I continued to expand my journalistic experiences through Broadcast Journalism. Throughout the fall and spring terms, I filmed and edited Harvey events such as Homecoming and the Poetry Contest as well as my own unique videos, including a 27-minute interview compilation called “Getting to Know the Harvey Teachers.” The skills I gained from Broadcast Journalism culminated when Mr. Alexander asked me to work with him to record and edit a video of Holocaust survivor Hannah Holsten’s visit to Harvey, which was shown to the entire school, and made me fully recognize how important this type of work can be. I truly believe that it was this class that made me realize that journalism was my passion. Through in-person interviews, livestreaming events, and figuring out how to capture a moment at the perfect angle on camera, broadcast journalism taught me that journalism is so much more than what lies in a newspaper, and it is truly all about connecting with my community. I cannot thank Mr. Nate Alexander enough for allowing me to discover this passion for myself, teaching me the therapeutic exercise that is editing videos on Adobe Premiere Pro, and pushing me to try new things and practice so many new types of journalism. Needless to say, I am so lucky to have been given so many incredible opportunities from so many incredible people, but I truly dedicate this letter to Ms. Holmes. I would not be where I am today without Ms. Holmes and her support, guidance, and motivation.
A 6th Grade Benji Cutler beginning his journey in journalism, writing an article for The Tusker Tribune in the Mt. Kisco Starbucks. Photo taken by David Cutler.
But most of all, I want to thank her for how she has inspired me to become a better version of myself, someone who always sees the bright side of things and truly makes the most out of any situation without taking anything for granted. I know I still have so much more to learn in life, but I will eternally appreciate Ms. Holmes for helping me to not only grow as a journalist, but also helping me to become more optimistic and open-minded. For young students who have ever considered exploring journalism, and even if you haven’t, I truly want you to know that these experiences not only allowed me to spread awareness throughout my community about events, people, and topics that were important to me, but they also helped me realize how journalism is such a wonderful way to express yourself, discuss what you are passionate about, and learn who you truly are and who you want to be. Now, here we are, in the present day, when I am about to graduate from The Harvey School and continue my journalism career as an English: Language, Media, and Communication major at the University of Rochester. I cannot wait to see where my future takes me as I hold journalism and everything that it has taught me so close to my heart. Yet, looking back on everything I have been through, I can proudly and confidently say the experiences, people, lessons, and selfdiscovery as a journalist that have brought me to this point will remain some of the happiest and most rewarding parts of my life.
All the best, Benji Cutler The Pulse Co-Lead Editor
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