Deep in the bustling pubs room, amidst the clacking keyboards and looming deadlines is Celeste Eckstein, striving to ensure the inner workings of Zephyrus are ticking smoothly. Celeste’s friendly demeanor has graced Zephyrus since her arrival in her sophomore year, joining to become more involved in Edina High School. “I thought [journalism] seemed interesting and liked the idea of having a community with similar interests,” she said.
Her first-ever assignment on staff was about the Tacos and Tunes event in 2021. “I was lowkey shaking as I was writing down my notes, but I got home and wrote it,” she said. “I was taking it so seriously.”
Since then, Celeste has served as Copy Editor (2022-23) and Managing Editor (2023-24), sweeping national awards with her meaningful reporting on issues in the Edina community. More recently, Celeste has written a few pieces on the significance of journalism. “Writing those editorials felt very real and very important,” she said. “It was also kind of meta.”
Celeste’s other activities include Model UN, Alpine Ski, and Girls United, taking on leadership positions in all three, and participating in Concert Band as an oboeist and Marching Band as a cymbals section leader. Outside of school, she works as a math tutor, babysits, and is on the Hennepin County Library Youth Advisory Board. In her free time, Celeste enjoys reading and going for walks, where she listens to music and podcasts. “I have 117 Spotify playlists,” she said.
This fall, Celeste plans to attend Northwestern University and double major in journalism and economics. “It’s a great opportunity to pursue [things] I’m interested in and have a great network and connections afterward,” she said.
As Celeste departs, she notes that Zephyrus changed the course of her high school career and hopes she leaves behind her own legacy. “There are a lot of people I’m friends with that I wouldn’t know or recognize or talk to if it weren’t for Zephyrus,” she said. “It’s important to me to be remembered as someone who’s a hard worker and values community. I have a lot on Zephyrus that I’m really proud of.”
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on May 24, 2024
