Addy Gorton:
A couple of weeks ago the seniors received our time capsule letters back from our freshman year selves. Among the lines of myself as a nervous, jittery freshman were two I had completely forgotten I’d written: “I joined a few clubs at the club fair yesterday, but The Fieldston News is the only one I really care about. Imagine if I was editor of the news while reading this…” Reading my past self’s aspirations knowing that they would come true, filled me with a weird intangible sensation.
I joined Fieldston as a freshman in the midst of Covid and online school. At the time, there weren’t many smaller communities in the school that were available to join, thus making the acclimation process of a new student that much more difficult. Therefore, when the opportunity to join the news presented itself to me I was antsy to join the publication with people that had overlapping interests as me. I remember the day after the first news meeting, one of the Editors-In-Chief approached me in the hallway; she told me that she was so thrilled that I had decided to come to the first meeting, and she began explaining what the news meant to her. Her optimism about me joining the club and willingness to welcome me with open arms during such an odd time left such a profound impact on me. It was then that I knew I was in the right place. And, two weeks later I submitted my first article.
Throughout my years I have loved working on the news because through my journalism, I have found connection to the Fieldston community and the Riverdale neighborhood. I became acquainted with proctors, had interesting conversations with the restaurant owners of Savor, talked to accomplished alumni and delved into the lives of fascinating faculty members. I thank the news for giving me the opportunity to discover the ins and outs of this school and the people involved with it.
This year in particular though, I have had the pleasure of working with the news’ loyal writers. By reading and editing hundreds of articles I have gotten to know people in the most personal way possible: through their writing. I am forever grateful to the news for blessing me with the opportunities to connect with the people in this community, especially the people I may have never crossed paths with.
When I think about my experience at Fieldston as a whole, I think about the friends I’ve made and the amazing classes I’ve taken, but I also think about the newsroom and the buildings in which I fell in love with writing.
Skye Wu:
My mom signed me up for a Met Museum world mythology painting class in kindergarten. I learned about color theory and keenly listened to myths while painting on my canvas. There I embraced stories through art.
My brush and canvas marked the beginning of my exploration of the arts. That same year, I took a summer creative writing course and wrote stories freely with no hesitation. Art allowed my reserved temperament to shine creatively.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I had just graduated middle school. I had a lot more time on my hands to think in isolation. To my surprise, I noticed things I wouldn’t have before. On a large scale, I witnessed how the pandemic affected the world. On a smaller scale, I realized how the pandemic changed my community; my favorite Italian restaurant closed and my local supermarket’s cashier disappeared one day. I still had my art tools and paper and pen at my disposal, but my urge to question and investigate my community closely became a newfound mission of mine. I began interacting with locals I saw daily but never put a name to their faces until then.
When I joined the Fieldston News at the start of ninth grade, I had no idea what my role there had to entail. However, as I engaged with my peers and community, I quickly learned that my work in the News combined my three passions: art, writing and activism. As I flipped through each issue, I noticed the beautiful photos taken by my peers, the distinct writing of my classmates and read the unheard stories that always centered around Fieldston. I learned that storytelling was equally an effort of all three passions of mine and journalism’s truth-seeking attributes gave ideas and causes a voice to be properly heard through a creative medium. The news taught me to stay curious and question carefully. But it also taught me to value eclecticism. To run a paper properly, the contents and people of a publication must not be siloed, but rather, work in tandem while bringing forth their unique perspectives. I have opened my eyes and ears to a wide range of stories and have realized that the News has made me think with my head but lead with my heart. Journalism has strengthened my creative pursuits and allowed me to think expansively. I am eternally grateful to the News for teaching me these lessons and will continue to tell stories.
Thank yous:
While our time in the Fieldston News has been characterized by self-discovery, the people we thought we’d never cross paths with, eye-opening interviews and Sunday night cram sessions, we want to thank our co-editor-in-chiefs, Alkis and Lily, for tackling everything that’s been thrown our way along our sides. We admire both of your unwavering passion for the news and we know under your leadership it will only continue to blossom.
We also want to thank Mr. Montera, our supervisor, for his charisma and invaluable guidance. Despite Montera being on sabbatical, he worked tirelessly to review every article before it was published, reached out to us with fascinating opportunities and most importantly stuck by our sides throughout our four years on the news. We would never be here without you Mr. Montera.
Goodbye Fieldston News.
