Since The Trailblazer released its first print paper in the 1960s, the staff has been printing the articles and accompanying photographs on traditional paper up… until last year.
In the school year of 2011-2012, it was decided to create an online newspaper in addition to the paper one. While newspapers are published online as well as on paper in the world of professional journalism, Pascack Hills kept pace with the growing use of technology as well, just as the district did when it introduced the 1:1 Laptop Initiative almost ten years ago.
Then, last year (2012-2013), The Trailblazer abandoned ink and paper and only published articles on the website. Although the intention was for Pascack Hills to grow even more technologically advanced and produce articles that were timelier, the results took a turn for the worse.
The release dates for new issues were unclear and therefore often overlooked by both readers and staff members and ultimately resulted in no set deadlines and was run like a blog rather than a true newspaper.
As Editor-In-Chief this year, one of my goals was to bring The Trailblazer back to paper for several reasons.
One reason was so the newspaper staff could once again have structure: set deadlines, set dates on which the newspaper will be released, and therefore a regular newspaper for the Pascack Hills community.
Secondly, having a tangible source of information and entertainment is more personal; rather than everyone logging onto a blog, everyone has his or her own print (which is also a great keepsake!).
Lastly, in all honesty, writers love seeing their work in print. Having a newspaper made of the same materials as a professional newspaper like The New York Times and a similar format is not the same as uploading an article online, which is much less invigorating. Seeing people sitting on a bench outside the school, holding the newspaper, reading your work makes the writers feel like their efforts are having an impact on Hills’ students and faculty.
This year, The Trailblazer will appear in print as well as online; every month The Trailblazer will be uploaded online, and it will be featured in print every other month. This way, the entire Pascack Hills High School community will be able to access the school newspaper traditionally, in newsprint, and innovatively, the online version.
Thank you for reading The Trailblazer, Pascack Hills!
You can access the online version by clicking on “NEWSPAPER” on the top menu of the PH site! Or go to phhstrailblazer.org (Login with username “cowboys” and password “trailblazer”)
