It is this day that I must part ways from the realm of the Marion County Record.

Fourteen weeks are up and in two weeks, I will head back to college for my final year.

I begin by saying it has been a blast. I have experienced so many things this summer that I would have missed had I worked in a retail store or restaurant. And that’s what is so exciting about the journalism world.

Thank you to all the people who took time out of their busy lives to allow me the opportunity to interview and get to know them.

A few experiences are worth mentioning.

Thanks to the Central Park Improvement Committee for hosting a circus. I had the privilege of meeting Skeeter the clown and walking up and down Main Street visiting businesses with her and learning about her history and the history of the circus. Then, that night, I got to attend the circus — something that I hadn’t done since I was a child.

Thanks to Lisa Clark for allowing me to come to her farm and interview her. Not only did I get the opportunity to speak to her and see her horse whispering skills in action, but she let me ride a horse for the first time in at least 10 years. I also learned that flip-flops are not the best attire sometimes.

Another thanks to the Chingawassa Committee for allowing me the chance to go on stage and take pictures of Grand Funk Railroad — what an opportunity!

Carl Helm and Brendan Kraus deserve a special mention for giving me the chance to spend a day with them. I learned so much about each of their occupations.

Thanks to Brenda Jordan and Glenn Litke and family for including me during their busy harvest schedule and letting me ride on the combine for a photo project. I’m not embarrassed to admit it was my first time on a combine, and I appreciate Glenn taking me with him.

Last, but not least, thanks to the staff of the Marion County Record. They were patient with me when I didn’t quite understand something, they helped me transition from a college to a professional newspaper, and they provided me with story ideas and a lot of learning along the way.

As I part ways with the Marion County Record and Marion and head back to Winfield for the fall and spring, I will always remember the people who helped me create memories and helped make my internship a true success.

—Jessica bernhardt