Artwork by Ellie Brueggeman
To our readers,
I was not elected to the position of Editor in Chief, nor did I even apply for it. When I stepped foot on campus four years ago, there was no newspaper.
With the unwavering support of our amazing advisor, Mrs. Kimberly Jindra, Alex McKay, Katherine Le, and I formed the first Editorial Board of the Titan Tribune. I came to know the editors in chief of other student publications around the world, some of whom were named to the 74th or even 100th Editorial Boards of their respective publications. We, however, did not inherit a newspaper built on principles and tradition; we had to define our principles and build our tradition.
Over the last three years, we published a mere 140 articles and a pair of podcast episodes. We were not granted the opportunity of ample time to interview, write and report. Instead, our time was spent building our online website here at www.thetitantribune.com. Instead, our time was spent recruiting the over 20 students who now make up our staff and crafting bylaws with them. Instead, our time was spent searching for more time.
We do not have the time that journalism classes offer students at all other schools in the Capistrano Unified School District, nor do we have the direction that a teacher of these classes would provide. Our staff took to a conference room in the front office on our own time. I am no expert in journalism, but I used my unique experience as a Kid Reporter for Sports Illustrated Kids and as a writer for the local Ladera Ranch Neighbors magazine to guide our writers to the correct style and output of journalistic writing.
I am proud to say the Titan Tribune’s second Editorial Board inherits a much more complete newspaper. The work, however, is far from done, and the wonderful students of this Board are ready to take it head on. I am confident Nicolette Givogri, our next Editor in Chief, will publish with an unrivaled consistency and quality. She will ensure her staff leaves the Titan Tribune in even better shape than my staff left it in, and I hope that each following Editor in Chief will do the same.
Perhaps, someday, there will be a 100th Editor in Chief of the Titan Tribune. For now, I will proudly graduate as the former Editor in Chief of the Titan Tribune’s first Editorial Board. Go Titans!
Thank you,
Carlo Vellandi
Titan Tribune
Editor in Chief
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