It seems like just yesterday that I had my first hot chocolate at Sweet Decadence, and now I can’t get enough.

I still remember the nerves I had as I walked into my first Newcastle City Council meeting, but now, I look forward to spending every other Tuesday evening with Rich Crispo, Lisa Jensen, Carol Simpson, John Dulcich, Steve Buri, Gordon Bisset and Bill Erxleben.

Christina Corrales-Toy

I will never forget the first time I visited The Golf Club at Newcastle and took in that breathtaking view. That will never get old.

It has been a privilege to get to know the Newcastle community, and along the way, I have learned that this city is a pretty special place, all because of the people.

Newcastle is Italene Gaddis, the local musician who, at 87, is still using her autoharp to spread positive messages.

Newcastle is Milt Swanson, the man who knows more about the city’s history than anyone else, because he lived it.

Newcastle is Dennis Yarnell, the late Newcastle Shell owner, who treated every customer like he or she was the most important one.

Newcastle is Katie Tinnea, the late Newcastle Elementary School teacher who inspired a community as she fought colon cancer.

Newcastle is officer Mark Sigurdson and Chief Melinda Irvine, who went above and beyond to care for two scared, young children as their dad was going through a health crisis in November.

Newcastle is a community that understands the sacrifice of its veterans, taking time to offer them a drink at the annual Newcastle USO Happy Hour.

This city is special because you make it that way. Thank you for letting me tell your stories.

It won’t be a full-on bawl. No, I can hold myself together; but I can’t guarantee that my eyes won’t subtly leak at least a couple of times during the ceremony.

Christina Corrales-Toy

Such was the case last month when I attended Hazen High School’s graduation June 13 and the Newcastle and Hazelwood elementary school fifth-grade promotions June 18. Staff photographer Greg Farrar handled the Liberty High School duties.

As I stood on the ShoWare Center’s arena floor and watched the Hazen graduates file into their seats with the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” filling the air, the first bout of my graduation-season “allergies” emerged.

There’s something special about watching young men and women participating in what is likely the biggest moment of their lives to date. That’s what high school graduation is, right? It’s the beginning of the rest of our lives.

Memories of my own 2008 graduation from Skyline High School began flooding through my brain. I remember how special that day was, and looking at the excited faces of the 2013 Highlander graduates, I saw that same eagerness and sense of accomplishment that crossed my face five years ago.

I couldn’t help but get emotional witnessing the scene outside the arena, as a horde of excited, proud parents waited to greet their kids with balloons, gifts, leis and most importantly, hugs.

The Hazelwood and Newcastle fifth-grade promotions were equally as celebratory, and, unsurprisingly, similarly tear inducing.

I cried when Vitamin C’s “Graduation,” came on in both schools’ fifth-grade slideshows. The tears wouldn’t stop when I heard Billy Joe Armstrong’s voice sing those familiar lyrics, “I hope you had the time of your life.”

I cried again when I looked at Newcastle Elementary School’s ceremonial program and noticed the words, “In loving memory of Katie Tinnea,” etched on the back, in purple, no less.

It was a fitting tribute to the first-grade teacher who passed away April 4 after she was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in 2011. Purple was appropriate because it was Tinnea’s “fighting color.”

The moment that got to me the most, however, was when Hazelwood fifth-grader Brody Whiteaker took to the podium to give a class speech. Just like the speakers before him did, Brody reminisced about his time as a Mustang, thanking his friends and teachers.

As he approached the end of his speech, he became overwhelmed with emotion and began to cry at the thought of saying goodbye to the school he loved.

When I looked to my right, toward Brody’s teacher, Donald Maher, he, too, had tears flowing from his eyes. If there was a dry eye in the house after that moment, I’d like to see it.

That right there is proof that the teachers that serve Newcastle students, especially at Hazelwood, are doing things right.

Now please, can someone hand me a tissue?

Katie Tinnea

Wearing the color purple will never mean the same to me again.

When I throw on a purple sweater or a lavender scarf, I will know from this day forward that this color is special.

Purple is the color of royalty. It is the color of courage. It is the color of a fighter. Purple is Katie Tinnea’s color.

Never was that more evident than April 21, when friends, family, students and staff gathered to celebrate the life of the beloved Newcastle Elementary School teacher.

Tinnea, a first-grade teacher at the school, passed away April 4 after she was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in 2011.

The Bellevue church was awash in a sea of purple, as nearly every attendee heeded the call to honor Tinnea by displaying his or her “purple power,” instead of wearing black.

Friends and colleagues remembered Tinnea for her strength, humor and genuine, inherent kindness. They told stories of her bravery in the face of a difficult diagnosis and recalled the signature laugh that resulted in a reprimand from nurses as she sat through her chemotherapy appointments.

“Katie taught me how to laugh,” one of her colleagues said at the memorial.

That’s not a surprise to those who knew her. Tinnea was literally born to teach, following in the footsteps of her mother. Even as a child, she knew she was destined to become an educator.

Tinnea was described as a calm, positive presence in the classroom who cared deeply about her students. Her diagnosis could not keep her from the school, and she remained in the classroom, passionately teaching her pupils.

The Newcastle Elementary School community came out in force to celebrate Tinnea, with dozens of her students in attendance, and several elaborate poster displays filled with letters to Tinnea’s young daughter from a mourning school.

In those posters, fittingly decorated in purple, was the perfect juxtaposition of two of Tinnea’s main passions — teaching and family.

Tinnea was also known as an avid Seahawks fan, a superb gift-giver, and an inspirational advocate of early detection and finding a cure for colon cancer.

One of the many letters Newcastle students wrote may have summed up the popular teacher best, saying to her daughter Kennedy, “Your mom was a fighter.”

At just 30 years old, Tinnea was taken from us far too soon, but her passion for life and her valor is something we can all learn from.

Next time you wear the color purple, take a moment to think of the courageous teacher who meant so much to the Newcastle community, and honor her through your daily actions. I know that I will.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Katie’s name can be made to the Colon Cancer Coalition.

I was a journalism student at the University of Washington at the time, and little did I know, I would get the opportunity to become the paper’s full-time reporter a year later.

Christina Corrales-Toy

That story about a group of Hazen orchestra students that tutor young students from the district, has always stuck with me, though.

I remember the way the Hazen seniors affectionately referred to their pupils as “cherubs.” I can picture the tutors carefully instructing the young students. Most of all, though, I can visualize the way the Hazen students’ faces lit up when they spoke about what the district’s music program meant to them.

I had the opportunity to see that same passion again in March as I worked on a feature about the Hazen High School and McKnight Middle School music programs.

I saw the concert choir members beam with pride as I asked them what was special about Hazen’s music program. I listened as McKnight’s seventh-grade choir eagerly performed a song for me.

McKnight orchestra teacher Sharon Olsen said it best when she noted how important these music classes are for the students.

“Sometimes, this is the only reason some of those kids come to school,” she said.

Participation does not appear to be a problem at Hazen and McKnight. All of the classes I visited were full, highlighted by the 86 students in Hazen’s concert choir.

“We’ve got the kids in here. We just need stuff to put in their hands,” Hazen choir teacher Josh Viles said.

Whether it is sheet music or instrument repair and replacement, each of the music programs could use something. That’s why the Friends of the Renton Schools launched a March campaign to raise funds.

Not everyone has access to music education. Instruments and music lessons aren’t cheap, but all students deserve a chance to participate with tools that do not hinder their learning.

Donate to Renton School District music programs at www.friendsofrentonschools.org.

This month’s issue featured two people who stand as prime examples of the old adage that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

Christina Corrales-Toy

Newcastle musician Italene Gaddis and artist Dan Meredith lived full lives before they even began pursuing their passions.

Gaddis was a homemaker and the primary breadwinner once her husband passed away, while Meredith toiled as a carpenter for several years.

After spending just an hour with each of them, I feel as though I have a whole new appreciation of what the word passion really means.

Passion is seeing Meredith’s eyes light up as he pointed out every minute detail and brush stroke that made his Regency Newcastle mural special. It’s witnessing the artist on the verge of tears as he recalls the support and praise the mural received from the facility’s residents.

Passion is watching Gaddis strum her autoharp with ease, and smiling ear to ear while doing it. It’s listening to her reflect on the lyrics of her poems, and the life that inspired them.

Both of them are extremely talented at what they do, and even though it took them a bit longer to get where they are today, it doesn’t make them any less excited about their work.

Newcastle is better for having these two contributing to the city’s artistic landscape. I would love to see Gaddis perform at an upcoming Newcastle Days or view Meredith’s artwork in other parts of the city.

I think the people of Newcastle can learn a lot from them, in seeing just how fulfilling it is to pursue one’s passion.

If I learned anything from these two, it is the idea that there really is no use in waiting to follow your dreams, but if you do, like Gaddis and Meredith did, it doesn’t make the payoff any less satisfying.

People from the United States of America are known as Americans. People from Washington state go by Washingtonians. People from Seattle are Seattleites. But what do people of Newcastle call themselves?

Christina Corrales-Toy

Based on a highly informal survey of Newcastle residents, there doesn’t appear to be a clear consensus when it comes to identifying the people who live in this community.

The exercise is made all the more difficult thanks to the pesky vowel at the end of the city’s name. Sure, Seattle ends with an ‘e’ as well, but Newcastleite just doesn’t roll off of the tongue like Seattleite does. Newcastleans and Newcastleonians don’t sound much better.

Citizens of the original Newcastle, in England, adopted the nickname “Geordies” in a nod to the city’s historical roots. There are several theories behind the identifier’s origin, but one explanation is that the local coal miners used a particular brand of lamp in the mines, called the Geordie safety lamp.

Another popular nickname, used by Newcastles in both England and Australia is Novocastrian. The slick-sounding name is Latin. Novus is new, while castrum is castle in Latin.

I’m particularly fond of the Novocastrian moniker, but I appreciate the original Newcastle’s way of thinking in choosing a name that relates to the city’s history.

If we were to travel down that road, how about something such as Coal Creekers or simply The Miners, to reflect the city’s rich coal-mining history? If we are looking for something that just sounds cool, we could always go with Novocastrian, but another option I like is Newcastlers.

There is so much variety in the Newcastle community. Some residents live closer to Bellevue, others live near Renton. Coal Creek Parkway literally splits the city in half, creating an East and West divide. Even the students are divided among two school districts, Issaquah and Renton.

One simple collective term that encompasses the entire community would go a long way in establishing a clear identity for its residents.

What do you think Newcastle residents should be called? Sound off on our website at newcastle-news.com.