Hello, My name is Joanna Elkomos; I’m a Junior in our school’s music (Vocal Performance) program! I’m also part of our student council (Student Government secretary), and I edit our very own Falcon Newspaper along with some of my peers! I’m in our school’s choir, and Music is something very important to me. I’ve always been interested in Photography and Creative writing, so when I found out about the Newspaper at our school, I immediately applied. Journalism is my niche of taking creative writing and making it into a real profession. It’s important to have An active newspaper at our school to deliver messages and bring awareness to certain topics. It’s also very important to have a space for people who want to write about certain issues. This newspaper has given me endless experience in terms of writing and editing, and I am forever grateful :)

Hi, my name is Ryan Wonica and I am a Junior at Susan E. Wagner High School. I’ve been a part of the Studio Arts track these past three years, and I love to create art of many different genres. From designing and sewing clothing to literature and creative writing, I love to express my creativity whenever possible. I joined the Falcon Journal to further explore these interests, especially with an emphasis on the Fashion Industry. From its current events, news, history, and even hot topics, the Fashion Industry is truly what I am passionate about in my writing. A publication like the Falcon Journal is important to me because it provides me with an outlet to express this passion in a diverse judgment-free space, as well as grants the other students of Susan E. the opportunity to showcase their own individual interests too. The Falcon Journal’s ability to directly reflect and display the student population's interests is what makes the Falcon Journal so special. From international politics to local sporting events, and even viral pop culture moments, there truly is a place for anyone to express themselves here in The Falcon Journal. 

My name is Axen Anjum, and I am currently a freshman at Susan E. Wagner High School. I write for the school newspaper because I’ve always wanted a place to express my writing with others, even if it’s through a new genre I haven’t tried before, such as journalism. I believe that reporting current events is crucial for us, as a society, to stay properly informed, and this can start within the school. Detailing specific events and daily happenings both inside and outside of Wagner can help students stay in touch with their world, alert them of opportunities, and simply allow them to learn more.

Hi, my name is Khrysta and I am a senior. I write for the Falcon Journal but I also am a photographer and I dabble in graphic design. I love to write and the Falcon Journal allows us to talk about multiple different topics which can then be read by students. In addition, it lets you and others have some insight on what is going on within the school and outside of the school because of the variety of articles we publish. Plus, the Falcon Journal is a great way to participate more in our school’s community! I hope that you all will enjoy the articles we publish.

Hello, my name is Alexa Du. I am a senior writer for The Falcon Journal. I write for the school newspaper to speak out about current events and opportunities available to students. I enjoy writing about topics I am passionate about and the newspaper is a great place to share my thoughts. I interned with a news organization and investigated issues such as how inflation is affecting daily lives to how the eviction moratorium is affecting independent landlords. I gained an interest in journalism and I am glad I can use my interests to contribute to my school community. Having a high school publication is important because it is necessary to stay up to date with the events happening in your community. The Falcon Journal is a wonderful outlet for writers to express their opinions and for readers to learn about timely news. While being a writer for The Falcon Journal, I am also an active student in my school community as captain of the Girls Varsity Tennis Team, a member of Chinese Fan & Sri Lankan club for the Internationals Festival, and more!

I’m Patricia, and I’m a senior here at Wagner. A fun fact about me is that I am in the music program. I decided to join the falcon journal because I have always enjoyed writing and wanted to bring that passion of mine to life. I love reading and writing, and all things artsy fartsy. Using the newspaper and journalism, I find my voice. Giving back to Wagner in another way. Having a newspaper published can allow our school community to be more in touch with what's happening at our school and understand what the students of Wagner care about. Having this source can inform all students to know new things they never knew about whether it being about clubs or sports or even interviews with new people.  I can't wait for everyone to read our newsletter!

Hi, my name is Olivia Galan and I am a senior writer for the Falcon Journal! I am so enthused to be writing for the school paper because of the variety of topics that can be discussed. I am a part of the theater department here at Wagner, and I love writing about the process for our productions so that students can consider joining. Anywhere from self-help, current events, and school activities, the journal is a way for students to gain insight on what's going on in our community. I enjoy writing articles that ease students' minds and make them feel less alone in such a big school. Students here at Wagner have the opportunity to express themselves freely and give their opinions on any topic they are passionate about, and that is something to be cherished! The Falcon Journal is a perfect way to make sure a student's voice is heard, and I would suggest for anyone to join if you're interested!

Hi! My name is Julianna Giovinazzo and I’m a senior here at Wagner. A fun fact about me is that writing has always been something that I’ve enjoyed so I decided to become a part of The Falcon Journal. I would like to write about things that I can connect with the students at Wagner. I like that when writing in The Falcon Journal I can be creative and write about a topic that interests me. I hope that my writing can encourage students to read about something new or to learn about things they might not have known before. 

Hi! My name is Crystal Huang and I am a senior. A fun fact about me is that I am in the art program. I enjoy looking at things from different points of view, which is one of the reasons why I decided to join the school newspaper. It is important to have a publication like the school newspaper as it brings light to things going on in school. The newspaper also involves events going on outside of school, which can either interest or inform students. Furthermore, the students are allowed to pick topics that they want to write about, rather than having assigned topics. This allows the articles to be more genuine and for the newspaper to be more fun. It is a great way to show creativity. 

Hi, my name is Gerta Iseni and I'm a senior at Wagner. I’m a member of the journalism class and captain of the Albanian club. Being involved in my school and community is something that is very important to me. Sharing news and events that are going on in our school is very significant since it gives students more ways to branch out and be involved in our community. It also gives students an opportunity to have their voices heard. Since our school is large it's easy to confuse all the events and activities we have, but with The Falcon Journal, we are able to keep everyone up to date and inform people about them. I’m very happy I get to help make that happen and expand our school community. We all make our own mark at Wagner and I hope this year's journal leaves a great legacy behind!

Hi, My name is Dante Jikia! I am currently a junior at Wagner, as well as writing for the falcon journal this year. I love reading, Photography, and coffee, the third of which I may know a bit too much about, and may be writing many of my articles about. One fun fact about me is that I'm trilingual. I joined the falcon journal to write about the things that interest me and maybe even inspire others occasionally. I look forward to having you read my articles in the upcoming school year.

Hello everyone! My name is Rebecca Ann Koshy, people call me Becky! I am very honored to have this opportunity to write for the Falcon Journal. I write for this journal because it is an expression of individual will and personality, not to mention it is an amazing way to tell people about events at our school, and celebrate accomplishments. To let everyone know what’s going on, with complete transparency. In school I am involved with a lot of activities. I run 4 clubs, Key Club, Loving Bones, Anatomy, and RUMC club. They all have the same common goal to give back to our community in unique ways. It is important to have publications like the Falcon Journal in our school, because it makes sure all angles of our school are covered. This allows us to respect new information, take part in new events, give equal opportunity to participate in events like sports and clubs, and guide any individual who is having a hard time. Most importantly this allows individuals to have an opinion and form a different perspective on certain issues, both sides that can be argued. Now in our era, it is very important to disseminate the right information and embrace the diverse views each individual has.

Hi!  I'm Therese Mbah and I am a senior writer for The Falcon Journal.  The reason why I joined the staff is that it allows me to write about all of the topics that intrigue me such as pop culture, social issues, etc. The Falcon Journal acts as a creative outlet for me, encouraging me to talk about things that I usually just keep to myself. In addition to this, The Falcon Journal is a great way to spread awareness about anything and everything. In The Falcon Journal, I usually write about films but I am not limited to just that. That is one of the reasons why I truly like being a part of The Falcon Journal staff. You are not limited to just one topic but instead, you can write about anything that you desire. I hope the articles I write will inspire others to take charge of their lives and find a creative outlet of their own. 

My name is Christopher Merizalde, and I am a senior writer for The Falcon Journal. I spend most of my time at school, where I am a member of Susan E. Wagner's journalism class and a well-rounded member of the student body. I enjoy sports and am a distance runner on the varsity cross country/track and field team. Also, I am a member of the Palestinian and Sri Lankan International Clubs. As one of Wagner's representatives on the Borough Student Advisory Council, I have been able to engage with students from all throughout District 31 to address issues and concerns that go unheard. Along with being a part of Wagner's Student Leadership Team, I also participate in decision-making that best facilitates the development of a school's Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP). I write for the Falcon Journal because I believe that student voices can be expressed in ways other than speaking. The Falcon Journal enables students to use their writing skills to communicate their ideas and creativity. I have been an active member of Student Government since my freshman year and have contributed significantly to the overall experience of the Student Body, especially the Class of 2024. Our monthly newspaper editions for The Falcon Journal are another way for me to be a part of a team that works together to make the high school experience more enjoyable and memorable. I can't wait to showcase my skills and leadership experience in our school to make this year one to remember. 

Hello, my name is Ariel Mitchell and I am a senior here at Wagner. Several things that interest me include travel, photography and a variety of arts and crafts. These interests impact me in several ways, and helped me develop the ability to find a unique outlet for self expression and to create connections within the world. Aside from that, I’ve gained a strong passion for writing and felt the Falcon Journal would not only be a great way to inform other students but also help me to share some perspective on my writing ethic. Social media has made up the main source for people to become aware and informed, and people no longer read magazines, or articles as much. With The Falcon Journal, it allows students to become expressive and share enormous amounts of information on several topics, extending from our school activities to worldly news. This is extremely beneficial to our students, whether they’re new or generally haven’t found their space in Wagner yet. Sharing opinions, or values and having the chance to speak openly as a student and feel that your voice is heard and understood by many! When reading an article that may have a genre where a student can obtain a personal connection, whether it may be physically or emotionally can help one another to explore Wagner’s school culture.

Hi, my name is Nisha Nibu. I am a senior here at Susan E. Wagner High School.  I am in our school's Law and Politics Academy and our school's yearbook/journalism class. I have the opportunity to write for our school newspaper, the Falcon Journal. This newspaper allows students to be informed of current and school-related news. Falcon Journal covers various topics such as local events, student life, school activities, and self-help articles. Any student can write for the newspaper, any topic can be written about ( approved by Mrs. Mcloughlin first). We encourage students to get involved and submit articles, the newspaper connects our students with Wagner and the real world.

Hello, my name is Selin Portelli; I’m a sophomore, and I am a writer for the Falcon Journal. A fun fact about me is that I love getting involved with athletic activities such as track, and other sports requiring me to move around and be attentive. I also love to draw and bring my creations to life. When writing, it helps me to express my inner feelings/ motives about a certain subject. I feel very included when writing in the Falcon Journal because it manages to get me out of my comfort zone and communicate to others about any topic, even if it’s worldwide. I would’ve never thought that writing can dig deep into any controversy that life has to offer, especially if it’s a teenager who’s publishing their opinion(s). It gives a sense of how others view the world and I feel proud that hundreds of people can view my thoughts just on a school website. Journalism is important in the real world so you can receive some insight of the perspectives of writers. It's also helpful so you can make new colleagues, and get a sense of the benefits of writing configuratively. Writing articles can get a sense of the creativity amongst others and how you can relate to their stories as well. The Falcon Journal has endless opportunities to those who are willing to reach for the stars. Even if you may feel like a bad writer, take some risks and put yourself in the spotlight to acknowledge your full potential.

Hi! My name is Xenon and I am a Junior writer for The Falcon Journal. I recently joined The Falcon Journal as a way to make people aware of the issues taking place in the world we live in. Writing has always been a way for me to be creative and express myself without having to be verbal and is definitely an outlet for stress with school considering some of the classes I take. Although I’m not fond of writing an entire 5 page essay for a class, I will write about things that truly interest me and help bring awareness to everyone else. Even though I joined recently, I really enjoy that The Falcon Journal allows you to write about a variety of topics whether it be sports events happening within the school or a major issue happening outside of the United States. Here, you are not limited to what you can write about. I hope to become a better writer through making articles for this school journal and I can’t wait to write more for the fellow students here!

Hi everyone! My name is Ayesha Ramzan and this is my second year on the Falcon Journal! I am in 11th grade, a junior, and this year I am so excited to spend my time writing and I could write an endless amount of articles! I've written over ten, and every time I get excited to push myself further writing about topics I wouldn't normally lean on.  Being part of this team helps me stay updated on the school environment and world we all live in. At Wagner, I have successfully started my own club, Muslim Student Association, which I am so excited to start this year! I am going to pursue Pharmacy in the future, which I am intrigued to learn about medicine and in the future run my own Pharmacy. In my free time, I enjoy being with my family, writing, studying, and hanging out with my friends. I hope you all think about writing for the Falcon Journal and being part of this family helps you sharpen your writing skills and seeing your work published makes you feel steller! Besides this, colleges would love to see that you write and can increase your acceptance to a certain college! That's all about me, I hope to see your article published on the Falcon Journal and I hope you do join this incredible experience!

Hi! My name is Victoria Rios, and I am a sophomore here at Wagner. A fun fact about me is I love reading, there is something about being immersed into a book that I just love so much. I also enjoy taking part in school activities and spirit days. Writing has always been a passion of mine, an outlet for my thoughts and creativity. I enjoy writing for The Falcon Journal because it makes me feel heard and understood. Writing helps me find my voice and convey worries that I would be too afraid to address. The Falcon Journal is the voice of Wagner's students, our peers, and for precisely this reason I think it is excellent to have it.

Hi! My name is Julianne Rodriguez and I am a senior at Wagner. Some fun facts about me are I’m a part of the Finance Academy, I love to read, and crochet in my free time. I’m also a part of Spice of Life, a community service club at our school, Sri Lankin and Bengali, two clubs that partake in Internationals. I joined the Falcon Journal because I wanted to become more involved in the school community, and by writing for our school newspaper I thought it would be achievable that way. I really enjoy how we have liberty to write what we want, of course, school appropriate. Due to our ability to write about topics not just school related, I hope students tuning in will enjoy and be entertained since there will be a variety of topics they can read from. 

Hello! My name is Gabriella Rosales, I am a senior in the Scholars Academy and I write for the Falcon Journal! I love being involved in the school community, and one fun fact about me is that I’m captain of 3 clubs here at Wagner: Service to Society, Mexican Club, and Christian Club! I’m also a coordinator for the student teaching program, in Wagner’s chorus, and take pictures for our Journalism class. I write for the school newspaper to help be a part of keeping our school’s students and staff informed about the wonderful things we do! Writing an article allows for exciting news to be spread by highlighting the talents of the Wagner community. Being a part of the newspaper gives me a chance to be creative and express my take on a piece of news at our school that sticks out to me. Having the Falcon Journal is a great environment to be a part of, giving students an outlet to talk about their interests or special happenings at Wagner. It brings people with different interests and hobbies together, creating a newspaper with multiple stories and perspectives. It’s so interesting to read about what our fellow peers write about and gives us an opportunity to work on our creative writing skills for others to read. Being able to see some of the pictures we take in Journalism featured in the newspaper also gives a special sense of recognition and appreciation to those being photographed. I personally enjoy taking pictures for sports, nature, or my family in my down time. It's so interesting to be able to see things through different angles and be able to experiment with the camera. The Falcon Journal is the place to be able to experience the ins and outs of our school and be able to share it through the articles we make!

Hi, my name is Elene, and I’m a junior at Susan E. Wagner High School. I love reading, analyzing characters, and writing about them. I joined the Falcon Journal partly because I wanted to improve my writing skills and partly because I wanted to see if I'd like to pursue a career as a journalist. Many might think it’s easy to just write about ongoing news, but being a journalist requires a person to be objective, put their opinions aside, and write without expressing any kind of bias, which I believe is one of the hardest things to do as a human. I think school newspapers are important because they give the students a chance to express themselves while writing and informing their peers about current events.

Hi! My name is Olivia Treadwell, but most people know me as Olive. I am a junior at Wagner, as well as a writer/photographer for the Falcon Journal this year. I have been interested in creative writing as well as media studies like cinematography and photography ever since I was little, when my only resources were an iPad with no storage and my imagination. Yes, I did have a childhood YouTube channel; no, it is not being shared with anyone ever. I was also in creative writing talent during my middle school years in Mark Twain, but after quarantine, I started getting distracted with schoolwork and stopped participating as much in the hobbies I loved. Joining the Falcon Journal is a way for me to regain my creative spark and get involved in a school activity at the same time.

Ms. McLoughlin is a dedicated and passionate educator who has devoted her career to shaping young minds and nurturing the voices of the future. With unwavering commitment to her profession, she believes in the transformative power of digital communication and serves as a guiding light for her students at Wagner High School.  Ms. McLoughlin has joined the faculty of Wagner as a journalism teacher and faculty advisor for the school newspaper, The Falcon Journal. Her passion for journalism and belief in the power of digital communication is evident in her teaching style. She instills in her students the importance of ethical reporting, critical thinking, and the ability to navigate the rapidly changing media landscape.

Ms. McLoughlin understands that the digital age has transformed the way information is shared and received. She consistently encourages her students to harness the power of digital tools and platforms to tell impactful stories, connecting with their peers and the world at large. She champions the idea that journalism is not just about reporting the news but also about empowering the community with the knowledge to understand and shape the world.

"I believe our shared values bring us together, but it is our vision that propels us forward.  Have a great day on purpose!" - Ms. McLoughlin