Cianni: “I was inspired to take on the role of Editor-in-Chief because I’ve always believed that writing has power, especially when it’s used to tell stories that might otherwise be overlooked. I’ve seen how students often have important opinions, experiences, and creativity, but don’t always feel like they have a space where their voices matter. I wanted to help create and protect that space.

I also enjoy leadership in environments where creativity and responsibility intersect. The Gazette felt like a place where I could both guide others and still be deeply involved in the work itself. Taking on this role gave me the chance to shape the direction of the paper, raise the standard of our writing, and encourage students to think critically about the world around them.”

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Mirsha: “When we first had the idea of starting a newspaper at Golder, I was automatically like, ‘Oh, I want to do this!’ I want our community to be able to read our students’ ideas and the news about what’s going on in the community, inside and outside of Golder. Our community is so diverse, and students each have their own opinions and points on current situations. Sharing and highlighting the different views our members have both encourages others to express their opinions and/or see the points of view of others.

Once the opportunity came up, I took full advantage of it. What really drew me to the position of Editor-in-Chief was the fact that I’d be able to gain firsthand experience working together with my peers and incorporating their ideas and opinions so we could make our vision {for the paper} become a reality. All of our students here have amazing creative writing ideas, and we want to share them with our school community.”

Mirsha: “After publishing two issues, we have gotten some feedback from students and staff on what to include— word limits, more visuals, and more pop culture news. Our writers take that feedback into consideration, and now they can guide themselves on what to report on for their targeted audience. I always try to emphasize that we don’t want the articles to be written for nothing. We want our readers to be entertained and look forward to reading our pieces.

I absolutely love all of the stories written by our members. I think it’s an amazing way to really look into their point of view and see what they value. Shout out to Haley, Melanie, and Camille— they have written amazing pieces on pop culture in our past two issues. I am honestly always amazed by the way they capture your attention through their words. Personally, for me, seeing what our writers are passionate about helps determine how stories stand out and get published.”

Cianni: “When a writer feels stuck, the first thing I do is meet them where they are. I ask what part feels unclear: the angle, the research, the structure, or their confidence. A lot of the time, they already have something strong; they just need help pulling it out.

I break the story down with them piece by piece, helping them identify the heart of what they’re trying to say. If they’re unsure of their voice, I help them find a tone that fits them instead of forcing a style that doesn’t feel natural. If they need ideas, I brainstorm with them until something clicks. And if they’re overwhelmed, I remind them that drafting messy is okay, we can always refine together.

Mostly, I support them by being present and encouraging. I want my writers to feel like they’re not doing this alone. When they succeed, the club as a whole gets stronger, so their growth matters to me.”

Mirsha: “One of the hardest parts of leading this team has been trying to figure out a way that everybody feels included. It is difficult to get everybody on the same page, but one thing that we are working on at this moment is finding compromise.

I recall one situation after the second edition when we received feedback from both students and staff that conflicted with what some members wanted to do. In the end, we talked through it and figured out a good middle ground. There are so many different perspectives in our group, so we are actively building a team that doesn’t feel attacked by each other but rather feels empowered by one another. We all share the same end goal to get our ideas out and introduce our community at Golder. We want to report on news that we ourselves value— be it pop culture, politics, or surrounding community news.

To help overcome this challenge, Cianni, Ms. Buchanan, and I strengthen our team through community-building activities. For example, at the start of every meeting, we like to share fun facts about ourselves, share one positive thing happening in our lives at the moment, or participate in community-building activities. In one of our meetings, we answered the question “if we were a sea creature, what sea creature would we want to be?” And honestly, it was so much fun to hear other people’s thoughts and build our communication skills.”

Mirsha: “Skills I have learned from being Editor-in-Chief are paying attention to the little details and communicating well. With each edition, I had to communicate proficiently with my teacher and Cianni about progress to ensure the editions and work ran smoothly. I also had to be very detail-oriented when checking the printed editions to ensure no silly mistakes went through.”

Cianni: “Being Editor-in-Chief has strengthened several skills I know I’ll use long after high school. I’ve learned how to guide a team, give clear feedback, listen actively, and make decisions that balance quality with deadlines. I’ve become more detail-oriented, better at recognizing strong storytelling, and more confident in polishing complex pieces— skills that will help me in any writing-heavy field, including psychology and law (which are careers I am passionate about). When stories fall through or deadlines get tight, I’ve learned to adapt quickly and stay calm while finding alternatives. Coordinating a team of writers with different strengths and styles taught me how to work with people effectively and respectfully. Overall, being Editor-in-Chief helped me grow into someone who can lead, communicate, analyze, and advocate— all skills I plan to carry into my major, my career, and every environment I step into.”

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