I was never an avid newspaper reader. Newspapers, in my opinion, were mostly read by older people. They were out-of-date and simply dull.

Although I usually detest having my beliefs contested, the last four years have proved to me that all of my preconceived notions about newspapers were false.

I knew very little about The East Vision and the process of writing, designing, and producing a newspaper upon entering high school. At first, I questioned why anyone would ever want to go through all this work, to create a newspaper a few students and staff members would, maybe, glance over.

However, with each edition that was printed, it became more apparent that sharing these stories,
profiles, features, and opinions, was going far beyond just the walls of the high school. Newspapers have been delivered to over 10 states, public officials, students in other schools, relatives, friends, and alumni.

There are a considerable amount of fascinating people and stories waiting to be told and sharing these stories allows the community to be captivated by each other. Without the newspaper, impactful and interesting stories simply wouldn’t receive the merit they deserve.

The East Vision is a class of opportunity and critical thinking. Members learn all the skills to become exceptional writers along with the techniques of designing and preparing page layouts.
Conjointly we learn about the business behind selling and funding newspapers which is another factor that is significant in the news industry. We are engaged in the real-life production of newspapers.

If we were to no longer print a newspaper we would be missing out on the learning opportunities of what thorough journalism entails.

Furthermore, printing newspapers allows members of the class to share their voices and opinions through a platform that can reach a large audience. Sharing our voices, in a world full of judgments is strenuous, however, it has the ability to be influential and inspiring.

Therefore having a newspaper grants the writers the freedom to spread their message while learning, practicing, and bettering their journalism expertise.

Keeping students and staff members updated on news and changes around the community is another factor that makes printing newspapers so important. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic reporting on constant changes and people’s lives in lockdown aided the way in keeping
everyone informed in a period of time that was unpredictable.

Due to the immense amount of work and cost newspapers demand, many other high schools have been switching to an online-based outlet. Although sharing news online simply does not reach the audience it does when printing a newspaper, distributing it throughout the school, and mailing it to subscribers throughout the community.

Additionally reading a story on a computer is not nearly as engaging for the audience as having a tangible copy.

Online news is quick and forgettable while paper copies become time capsules. The East Vision will continue to produce newspapers because, in addition to imparting knowledge to the students, it also fosters a sense of community by leaving behind a physical record of the time we spent together and the moments worthy of putting in print.