Intro:

For all of us editors, this year has been a year of change. It’s strange applying to colleges and grappling with the emotional chaos of graduating high school. But as we wobble over the precipice between childhood and independence, our obligation and dedication to this newspaper has never wavered. While our humble publication covers more school events than global news, the bold spirit of student journalism remains at the core of everything we write.

The Importance of Student Journalism:

Student journalism offers a unique insight into the perspective and opinions of students. Articles written by students show the experience of the masses, without bias from authority or responsibility. In Lifting All Boats: Fostering a Community of Practice for Student Publishers, Gillian Perchowitz, Director of Ohio University Press, writes, “Student scholarship and student-run publications are an important part of the scholarly record, representing the nascent activities of the next generation of scholars.”  

In today’s age, this is more true than ever. Student publications provide a voice for students that don’t feel heard or represented by their administration. A striking example of this is the conflict between students and universities over the Israel-Palestine war. Across the nation, students have been erecting encampments on university campuses in solidarity with the Palestinian people, in an effort to urge their administrations to divest from companies that fund and support the war. Student newspapers have provided an organized outlet for the collective sentiment, as well as documented the subsequent violence perpetrated against students. Here is a photo essay presented by the Daily Trojan (USC) in collaboration with the Daily Bruin (UCLA), The Emory Wheel (Emory University), The Daily Californian (UC Berkeley), Washington Square News (NYU), the Berkeley Beacon (Emerson College), and the Daily Texan (UT Austin). This spirit of camaraderie, accountability, and honesty is what we strive to achieve.

We at the Arcade are proud to be a voice for students. From sharing personal, relatable stories like Andrea’s family history or addressing issues on campus like comfort and safety, our reporters choose what they think is important to write about. As graduating editors, we hope to see this spirit preserved next year.

Signoff:

Sandhya Mathew (He/They), Editor-in-Chief: Being a part of this publication has been a highlight of my high school experience. Out of all of the extracurriculars, this is easily the one I have the most motivation for. I’m driven by the responsibility to manage my reporters and get articles out to students. I’m incredibly proud of my reporters and fellow editors for the hard work they’ve put in this year. I went into this year feeling the pressure to honor the idea of student journalism being something explosive and earth-shattering, but I’ve learned that the true nature of journalism is that of consistency and honesty. I think we did pretty well in fulfilling that, and I’m so grateful to have a team that is so dedicated.

Sofiya Vasquez (She/Her), Deputy Editor: Having written and published for The Arcade has been one of my proudest achievements at North Hollywood High School. It has helped me pave the way for my future by expanding my skill set, so that I can readily apply it when I write my own stuff, whatever that may be in the future — articles, personal essays, short stories. The Arcade will always hold a special place in my educational career; having worked alongside such talented, hard-working writers and editors — Sandhya Mathew, Kelsey Brinkle, Erica Sherkin, and Erick Mata; especially under the mentorship and unwavering confidence in us by Mr. Gough. Witnessing my fellow board members in action, reading the incredible work by our fellow reporters; it has been an incredibly productive year and I can only express my deepest gratitude to have played a major role in this newspaper. This being our final issue, I am deeply proud of everyone who put their blood, sweat, and tears into The Arcade this year and I can only look forward to reading what our 2024-2025 editorial board has in store!

Kelsey Brinkle (She/Her), Deputy Editor: I have had the pleasure of working on The Arcade and with Mr. Gough since my freshman year. Becoming an editor was one of my proudest accomplishments throughout high school. This opportunity has helped me to find my way to the career path I want in life and provided me with a place to do what I love most; write. Writing, editing, and collaborating with these people has been such an amazing learning experience. The editing team this year worked so incredibly hard, and I can’t begin to express how proud of our work and grateful to work alongside them I am. I am so thankful to Mr. Gough and the reporters this year for letting me be a part of such an amazing team. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for The Arcade. 

Erick Mata (He/Him), Sports Editor: I’ve had an amazing time as the sports editor of the North Hollywood High School Arcade Newspaper. Going to many games, taking photos, building connections with coaches, players, and staff have been an experience that I’ll never forget. Being a part of the Arcade has been a surreal experience, and I am going to miss this chapter of my life. I’ve been apart of two editing teams (Junior and Senior year,) and I’m excited to see what the future editors will do for the Arcade newspaper. 

Erica Sherkin (She/Her), Photography Editor: It’s been a really good opportunity to be photography editor for the Arcade. I am grateful to Mr Gough for trusting in me as well as my fellow editors to get the job done. I have not only been able to contribute my own photos to the publication, but I have been able to support our own student photojournalists in getting their work published in our newspaper. I am also grateful to Ms Jordan and Ms Hill for letting us use their equipment and supporting us in our photojournalism efforts. I am so grateful for all the pictures we have gotten to take this past year, all the unique sporting events, performances, and schoolwide projects we have been a “fly on the wall” for. I am so excited to see next year’s photojournalism team and their contributions to the Arcade. 

Resources:

If you are a student journalist or aspiring, here is a list from the National Scholastic Press Association of organizations that support students, and here is a guide from the Student Press Law Center about your rights as a high school student.  

If you are a reader who would like to support student journalism as a whole, consider donating to some of the organizations listed in NSPA link. If you would like to support the Arcade Newspaper, our donation link is at the bottom of the website, but we appreciate any and all support, including your presence on this site. Without attention, media is just a shout in the wind, so from the bottom of our hearts we thank you. If you’re interested in participating in student journalism, reach out to Mr Gough or to your school counselor about joining the class..

From the editors of the 2023-2024 Arcade team, thank you for your support and have a great summer!