With the conclusion of another year here at the Spectrum, my short time as editor comes to an end as I depart from Nyack High School. But the end of each school year brings the perfect opportunity for reflection and growth, and this year I would like to recognize the spectacular accomplishments of this newspaper as we welcomed 15 new staff members and published eight monthly issues filled with original articles from our talented writers.
As an Editor-in-Chief, this is the kind of growth I had dreamt of for an established and vital piece of Nyack High School history like the Spectrum. To our writers, editors, and layout staff, I want to personally thank you for your consistent effort through the months. I know well that high school — inside and outside of the classroom — can be incredibly overwhelming and exhausting at times, but your discipline and unrestrained creativity is what truly keeps this newspaper in operation. The varied perspectives, intellectual conversations, and unique Nyack-focused content continues to engage students with our paper and has allowed us to welcome this new generation of writers.
Our growth reinforces the importance of learning journalistic and investigative skills that go beyond writing articles about local happenings. Understanding the importance of different perspectives, exploring uncharted article themes or topics, and experimenting with a whole new style of writing are fundamental components of the staff experience as a member of the Spectrum. Especially right now, where government entities continue to express outspoken journalists and the integrity of journalism is frequently questioned, honing these skills — to any degree — benefits ourselves and the people around us as we learn to self-educate, report originally, and think critically.
Knowing that I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute to the fostering of these skills within our underclassmen fills me with pride and hope for the future of our newspaper and the writers/editors that they will continue to develop into. But as all things come to an end, my time with the Spectrum ends with this final editorial.
The natural progression and evolution of this newspaper is fundamental to its preservation. With each year comes the opportunity for a clean slate: perhaps new segment ideas, an original writer’s column, a new style for our website, or a new font on our print issues. With each editor comes new leadership. A new voice leading the paper, a new perspective shaping the direction of each issue, and the hopes of new recruitment. Each change brings the potential for mistakes, and more importantly, the opportunity to recognize and resolve them.
I credit a significant amount of my writing development and analytical perspective to my time with the Spectrum. Having the freedom to write in an academic/journalistic context without the stress of a grade or the constraints of a typical essay assignment enabled me to experiment with voice and writing style in a way that has extensively modified the way that I write and how I feel about writing.
No single task is self-contained and it truly takes a village to make the Spectrum. I want to thank our staff members for their incredible work and dedication they’ve expressed this year. I want to thank Ian — my Co-Editor-in-Chief — for being so active and supportive through this shared journey. And finally, I want to thank advisors Ms. Metrakos and Ms. Maslanek, who have granted me this incredible opportunity, creative pursuit, and learning experience. Their patience and cooperation have played substantial roles in making my time here incredibly positive and insightful.
The future of this newspaper brings an exciting uncertainty with new student leadership. And with new visionaries at the driver's seat, I eagerly await this new era of the Spectrum with the first issue of volume 32.