The First Writes of the 140th Board
Executive Board
The Exonian enters its 140th year, and a new decade of student journalism, in a period of unusual peril for media. Administrators and politicians sow doubt about the veracity of news reporting, touting the notion that the mainstream media spews “fake news.” All around are sad affirmations of the diminishing credibility of the press, and according to a recent New York Times article, at least a third of the country regards journalism as meaningless, biased or untruthful.
However, we, the 140th Editorial Board of The Exonian, led by Editor-in-Chief Rose Horowitch, Director of Writing Madison Kang and Managing Editor Bella Alvarez, hold the conviction that there is objective truth that can be discovered and delivered to our beloved Exeter community.
The human story is rife with moments when the truth has been traduced or obscured. We journalists counter such obscurity; we defend the sanctity and purity of truth. We are gatherers of evidence, unbiased and unvarnished, and we will place that evidence and reflection in the context of past events that gives current events weight so they can not be misinterpreted or exploited.
Through our publication’s reporting, we aim to clarify and contest the information that divides the public, investigate and expose the unknown and enact change within the Exeter community and beyond.
Revelations are streaming everywhere around us—from the nationwide series of sexual assault allegations in the workplace, in Hollywood, in classrooms, to the Paradise Papers, which expose the flow of wealthy people’s capital through secret banking channels, to the communication unearthed in the Trump-Russia probe. Revelations like these are what make journalism thrilling. It is as if all the curtains are being drawn. It is a reminder, once again, that language is power, that storytelling is power.
We recognize this power and we will listen, observe and decipher Academy happenings so that the truth may empower you, too.
-Rose, Bella, Madison
News
The Exonian prides itself on a history of unbiased, investigative journalism. We the News team, Sarah Ryu, Don Assamongkol, John Beckerle and Paul James, will continue to uphold this history and report the essential issues on the Exeter campus as an independent press. The News section leads every issue of The Exonian and can have a significant impact on events at the Academy. During our tenure as writers, we covered the establishment of all-gender dorms on campus, issues of sexual assault and the Academy’s response, drug usage and political activism, to name a few stories. To continue our tradition of investigative and groundbreaking investigative articles, we’ll hold ourselves and our writers to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. We recognize that although The Exonian is a high school publication, we have the power and responsibility to fairly frame pressing debates in our community. As the school has received great media attention during these recent times, we will report with accuracy and consider the sensitivity of challenging issues as they come. We will choose articles that inform our peers, the faculty and staff, and aim to be governed by the importance of our stories rather than flashy headlines. Over the next three terms, we hope to break new ground in our stories and provide an independent, disinterested view of our broader Exeter family. We look forward to working with the 140th board and uphold our esteemed legacy.
-Paul, John, Don, Sarah
Opinions
PEA exhibits a student body composed of “youth from every quarter;” this diverse array of perspectives drives the success of Harkness learning, and thus the Academy. Exposure to and discussion of foreign opinion is the most fundamental factor in the development of an individual’s perspective and broadens the horizons of all those involved in such discussions. Exeter’s focus on enabling this type of growth through Harkness has resulted in a community of passionate intellectuals primed for debate.
The Exonian was created to serve as the stage for these debates, addressing what the founding editors viewed as, “the lack of a proper medium for the interchange of opinions and the discussion of matters of general interest.” We, the new Opinions editors–Bianca Beck, Mark Blekherman, Sebastian Bango and Shaan Bhandarkar–promise to construct and maintain a forum for Exonians to present, defend and develop their opinions, spurring respectful and intellectual discourse. We want to publish those 2 a.m. dorm room debates, draw out the voice of the alternative, connect the unchallenged to their challengers, compel the reconstruction of points of view. We want every Exonian to feel the valuable friction of the Opinions section. We are so excited for the year ahead of us at The Exonian, and we hope to spark many discussions around campus.
-Bianca, Shaan, Sebastian, Mark
Life
The Academy is an educational institution of renowned academic prowess, but it is also a place where students with nuanced desires and creative ambitions live and grow. Throughout its publication, the Life section has served as a valuable venue for capturing the elements, events and people that define student life and culture at the Academy. Writing for the Life section of The Exonian connects writers to students, faculty and staff all around campus. We, the Life Editors of the 140th Editorial Board, Grace Carroll, Jacky Cho, Hillary Davis and Alan Wu, share the goal of continuing to build healthy relationships between writers and the greater Exeter community. Every week, we will aim to display the most brilliant and creative members of our faculty and student body. In the Life section, we will run columns that address the issues and topics Exonians are passionate about. We will celebrate and critique the variety of campus performances—plays, concerts and dances—that accompany and define your time at Exeter. Staff writers will review new off-campus movies, music and books, and they will deliver you recommendations containing their favorite media. In the past, the Life section has been crucial to fostering a vibrant school culture both through the distribution and promotion of new valuable elements and the recognition and celebration of elements that contributed to our culture. In the coming year, under our leadership, the Life section promises to introduce new content, in addition to the typical articles, broadcasting topics that are normally overlooked on campus like student led initiatives and dorm culture profiles. Through these efforts, we hope to fill The Exonian with meaningful articles that maintain the reputation of the Life section.
-Grace, Jacky, Hillary, Alan
Sports
Athletes, alumni, parents and students eagerly await the three action-packed pages at the end of each issue. Sports on campus have been and always will be an important and exciting aspect of Exeter’s culture. In the Sports section of The Exonian, we, the Sports Editors, hope to showcase the talent and commitment of Exeter’s student-athletes. Each week, we, Emily Cloonan, Ashley Lin, Makinrola Orafidiya and Jared Zhang, will guide our writers to publish lively and informative articles that chronicle the amazing sports teams on campus. Win or lose, we will strive to highlight the achievements of Exeter’s hundreds of athletes. In past years, the Sports section has paid particular attention to covering sports games, matches and meets; but, the 140th Board wants to dig deeper. Throughout our tenure, articles will dive into sports and team culture, investigate possible controversies and celebrate athletes of all ages. If you ever miss a game, we’re excited to bring sports to your dorm!
-Mak, Emily, Jared, Ashley
Humor
The Exonian is an esteemed newspaper intended to be as serious and informative as possible. A few of us have decided that’s awfully boring, and we’re here to undermine this institution. In all seriousness, we—Ava, Abby and Lizzie—want to do our best this year to call out problematic celebrities and politicians, keep the administration guessing and most of all, to put a smile on your face. We vow to uphold the Humor section as the most read section of The Exonian. Have a great year!
-Lizzie, Ava, Abigail