"The Westlake Technical Entertainment Crew works together to put on professional level productions while promoting leadership, camaraderie, and fun."

That is the Westlake TEC mission statement. Believe it or not, there is a lot of meaning behind these words to me, and to the other members of this expansive organization. Westlake TEC was not created just to put on productions, or to teach people more about Technical Theatre. Instead, the goal of TEC was to create an environment and atmosphere that promoted friendship and camaraderie between students that strive to better prepare themselves for the outside world.

In any high school it's hard to find serious students, but to find students that will end up doing jobs and completing tasks on a professional level is even harder. I think that the relationships made in TEC are the only reason we are successful and full capable of creating magic year after year in each and every one of our major productions.

Every year, TEC loses some of its most valuable assets, the seniors of the crew. The seniors of TEC, the leaders, the ones who knew it all, and the friends that leave every year stay in our memories forever. Most times, you never end up seeing these role models again, and in some cases they are even some of the most influential people in our lives. What keeps this organization afloat, however, is the fact that every year we gain new members, excited to get involved and ready to learn.

"Moving on is simple. It's what we leave behind that's hard."

Last year I was new to the whole TEC thing and the high school experience. One of the first few people I met through TEC was a senior by the name of Julie Maury. Naturally I was so nervous with the unfamiliar environment around me, but Julie was so nice that I felt I could immediately trust her. In a very short amount of time we became friends and she is just one of the many people I met in TEC that I will stay in touch with for the rest of my life.

There have been plenty of other seniors and underclassmen that I have become great friends with, but Julie was one that really stood out. In any case, I love TEC, I can't imagine my life without it, and the people I have met through it.

-Grayson Rosato