First Writes
In the wake of a vitriolic election cycle fueled by intense media coverage and distorted news; on the threshold of the imminent Trump presidency; after a year-long series of revelations surrounding sexual misconduct at the Academy; and under the scrutiny of The Boston Globe, The Exonian enters its 139th year. Since its founding, it has provoked conversations around student culture and trends, reported on the events of our campus, welcomed a diversity of opinions, paid tribute to our sports teams, entertained readers and chronicled all facets of life at Exeter.
Even in this digital age, journalism has persisted as a force for change. Reaching wider audiences than ever before through Facebook posts, viral videos and tweets, news is no longer the commodity it once was. If measured in “likes,” views and shares, then perhaps its impact has grown; but the nature of journalism has also shifted, as newspapers move away from print, and cater to readerships whose consumption of news is likewise changing. In the time of “fake news,” “clickbait” and rampant misinformation, it is the role of journalists to protect the integrity of their work, to defend freedom of speech and safeguard against censorship, to hold our leaders accountable, to inform, challenge and inspire. It is the responsibility of newspapers to understand their own impact, to take on their journalistic endeavors with the gravity they warrant and to empower the readers they serve.
We, the 139th Executive Board of The Exonian, led by Editor-in-Chief Emily Pelliccia and Managing Editors Erica Hogan and Claire Jutabha, begin our tenure faced with questions of privacy, journalistic ethics and freedom of press. Guided by the mission of integrity, accuracy and quality that has defined The Exonian for over a century, we will strive throughout our term to strengthen the paper as a force for positive change by preserving and protecting its uncensored, unbiased voice. We take up the mantle with a profound respect for the gravity of our mission and for our community.
We are honored to do so.
As the 139th board of The Exonian endeavors to report important news with integrity and to inspire change within its community, so too will it promise to maintain the empathy essential to quality journalism. This year, as The Exonian reports on increasingly weighty news, I, the 139th board’s Director of Writing, Willa Canfield, will work closely with developing writers to support the board’s goal of fostering a supportive, nurturing and educational environment for aspiring reporters campus-wide. The 139th board and I will strive to demonstrate the power of The Exonian’s relationship with the community, our most valued source of information and our most beloved audience. In the coming year, as the country faces a time of division and change, and as the Academy continues to grapple with its history and how to move forward into a new era of progress, The Exonian will listen to all more carefully than ever, hearing others both in the newsroom, as a board, and in the community, as a journalistic outlet. We will model the compassion that lies at the heart of every influential investigative article and at the heart of every successful board, and most of all, we will carry on and strengthen The Exonian’s legacy by instilling in young reporters the love for journalism and the belief in its power that we, the 139th board of The Exonian, all share.
We, the News Team of the 139th board, will continue the legacy of journalistic integrity and investigative writing established by the inaugural Exonian board. After a divisive year of political unrest, we enter our term with enthusiasm for and dedication to the coverage of material both inside and outside the Exeter bubble. In light of the recent media attention our school has received, we also stress the importance of tact and sensitivity when reporting on high-profile and controversial content. As News Editors, we, Jamie Cassidy, Arielle Lui and Sophia Zu, vow to represent the Academy with thoroughness, accuracy and depth. We look forward to serving The Exonian for the next year.
We, succeeding Opinions Editors, move into the new year with high aspirations for the future of this page. Our duty set forth is to offer our readership refreshing and gripping viewpoints on worldly matters, upholding the far-extending legacy of this publication. What sets the Opinions page apart from other intellectual platforms is the obvious vacancy of objectivity. We believe that it is as essential as it is healthy for a community to contain an outlet for its constituents’ concerns, assessments and judgements of this school, this nation and this world. Our second purpose services both community and self. The Opinions page seeks to further the intellectual discussions carried out in these Exeter classrooms and to remain a bolster for the academic stimulation that all Exonians have the privilege to experience. Finally, we seek to integrate a more diverse range of input every week that will benefit the vitality of our content and the unheard voices who help to build justice and conversation in our community. We, Eleanor Mallett, Jack Stewart and Annee Reach, hereby pledge to our readership a bounty of forthcoming perspectives.
Life at Exeter can be quirky. Outside the Exeter bubble, many may not know what it means to go to “EP” or to “dick” a class. At the Life section, it is our job to discuss the people, organizations, events and the peculiarities that make Exeter such a unique community. We make sure that you know your classmates and teachers, and we bring to light those in the community whose contributions may often go unrecognized. We feature reviews of the exciting, memorable parts of life at Exeter: from concerts and clubs to plays and dances. As Life Editors, we, Joy Zhang, Alice Little and Will Soltas, hope to continue the Life section’s legacy of keeping our readers updated on the lighthearted moments on campus.
As the Sports Editors of the 139th board, we, Jack Baker and Taylor Walshe, intend to represent the athletic accomplishments of each of our 33 Exeter sports teams, through student-athlete input. If you ever miss a home game, or are interested in reading more about an away game, our section appears at the back of every issue. We hope that you, the student body, will enjoy the updates that our writers work to provide every week.
It is with great joy that Billy, Emily and (kind of) Cedric take over the Humor Page’s throne. With the shining crown of power on our heads, ruling over the most read section of The Exonian, we look forward to leading the Humor Page to greatness, as our predecessors did before us. We shall ride to prominence on the tailcoats of list articles and memes and be swept up to renown by the hand of long-form essays whining about insignificant annoyances. We hope to serve you well.