Isabel Siegel

My four years at The Shakerite have taught me more than any other class in the high school. 

I was afraid to do interviews in my first journalism class. Approaching random students in the hallways and hunting down administrators for comment terrified my introverted self, accustomed to crafting essays and other written pieces in isolation. I’ve always been quiet — I tend to lower my voice in louder classrooms, and forget to speak up when groups grow large. Targeting interviewees didn’t come naturally to me, and I never pictured myself as the type of person who might one day lead the classroom, let alone the entire staff.

Still, journalism was exposure therapy. You can’t report a story with “butt journalism,” as our adviser calls it — you have to put your feet on the ground and seek people out. As I progressed from a Journalism I student to a sophomore copy editor, I grew more comfortable clicking play on my recording device and asking pointed questions without trepidation. I interviewed the principal about metal detectors, I called parents about gun violence, and eventually, as managing editor, I learned the art of harassing administrators every time a breaking news story emerged. Over time, I began to trust my instincts as a reporter — and eventually, as a leader too. 

Now I’m a senior, leading The Shakerite as editor in chief. This year, we’ve worked tirelessly to revive The Shakerite’s monthly print editions and daily web stories. It hasn’t been an easy task. The pandemic years dissolved many of The Shakerite’s longstanding practices, print editions being one of them. Every page you read in this edition took hours of work to assemble — from reporting the story, fact-checking sources, capturing and editing photos, to creating the page itself on InDesign. This year, intent on regularly publishing in print, I’ve spent days working late in the newsroom tinkering with InDesign, clicking through stories, and endlessly proofreading.

Now we’re publishing our fifth edition of the year — and we’ve come far from where we started in September. Furthermore, I know that what we’ve started this year will continue to grow in the future. I’m thrilled to announce that current policy reporter Emma Barker will take over the position of editor in chief next year; current copy editor Claire Joyce will serve as managing editor. They already have big plans for The Shakerite, and I can’t wait to see where they lead it. 

For me, I don’t plan to let go of the skills I’ve learned here, whether they’re executed at my college newspaper or through another avenue. Because of my four years at The Shakerite, I’m a different person. I don’t think of myself as a quiet student who tends to sit passively in the back anymore, but instead as someone who has the ability to lead. I’ve learned to make tough calls on the spot, trust my judgement, and lead a classroom. These are skills that don’t just apply to journalism – they’re skills that have shaped me into a more confident and informed student, writer, and person. As a freshman, I never anticipated becoming Editor in Chief. Now, my experiences as editor have given me the confidence and trust in myself to continue pursuing opportunities that may seem unattainable at first.

These print editions may not seem groundbreaking to you, but to me, they represent the incredible hard work of our staff this year, and the culmination of everything I’ve learned throughout my four years of journalism. So, thank you for picking up this edition and supporting us as a reader — and continue to keep an eye on The Shakerite in the next few years. I’m confident that there will be many more editions to come.

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