George Rerat has many names: tech bro. CELSIUS addict. Smart worker (chatbot opportunist). He has graced Zephyrus with all these qualities and more throughout his two years on staff. Although it’s a bittersweet goodbye to see George graduate, we reflect on his time here with gratitude.

George initially joined Zephyrus his junior year after being “bullied” into applying by Zephyrus alumni Jane Porter and Urva Jha. Nevertheless, George enjoyed his first year on staff, becoming especially proficient in writing news articles. “I think I am better at presenting facts than I am at presenting my opinion,” he said. “And I think that our news media has become much more opinionated, [so] there’s very rarely straight news.”

George became interested in other forms of journalism later and became co-multimedia manager his senior year. “I liked that it was a new position that had the opportunity for me to shape a part of the publication… it was a fun opportunity to try something new,” he said.

As multimedia manager, George created broadcast and social media content to make news more accessible to the student body. One of the staff’s most challenging projects was to post a multimedia item a day for four consecutive weeks; George helped the staff achieve success on their first attempt and dropped the ball on their second.

Outside of his journalistic work, George brings many extraneous skills to staff. He is Zephyrus’ default handyman due to his job at the Edina High School Media Center and is often called upon to procure local officials’ phone numbers for interviews, which he gained through political advocacy. George is multitalented, being well-versed in raging at ChatGPT, spotting covert police cars, and holding tangential conversations with advisor Daniel Amborn.

George also brings to staff his allergy to color and light; legend has it that George has never been spotted in anything brighter than dark blue and only uses his computer in dark mode. One major exception to this, however, was on the last day of the 2023–24 school year, when he modeled in a Zephyrus fashion show, strutting down the classroom in newspaper regalia.

In the future, George aspires to become a dictator of his own nation, which he plans on calling CELSIUS Island due to his biological need for the beverage. Should this plan fail, he considers pursuing law while committing tax evasion. Though his post-graduation plans are lofty, Zephyrus knows wherever George goes, he’ll make it work.