May 1, 2020
During homeroom on March 11, the editors of The Lighthouse handed out the most recent issue of their student newspaper to students and teachers. At the time, it seemed like a monthly release date like any other, and the staff had already begun working on assignments for the upcoming assignment cycle.
By the end of the week, these plans took a drastic turn. With the announcement that Lyndhurst Public Schools would be closing for a minimum of two weeks due to the coronavirus, it was clear to the editorial board that a print issue would be impossible to produce or distribute during virtual schooling. With the further spread of COVID-19, those two weeks have turned into a month-and-a-half, and officials remain unsure about when it will be safe for students and faculty to return to school.
In the wake of this sudden transition, The Lighthouse staff has adapted to a distance-learning format that allows us to create and publish content from the safety of our own homes. Though The Lighthouse has suspended publication of its print issues, readers can take comfort in knowing that content is being uploaded daily on our website, which continues to provide up-to-date news, entertaining columns, thought-provoking opinion pieces and access to past print issues.
Though The Lighthouse has suspended publication of its print issues, readers can take comfort in knowing that content is being uploaded daily on our website, which continues to provide up-to-date news, entertaining columns, thought-provoking opinion pieces and access to past print issues.
At The Lighthouse, we have always believed that the best content is formed through synergy. This is when many people work together to make something—an idea, an article, a picture—as great as it can be.
In school, we would position our desks in a circle and discuss our assignments with each other, have multiple people review interview questions and work on our articles side-by-side in the computer lab. It is not easy to replicate this kind of teamwork remotely. However, we have turned to technology to find new ways to communicate with each other, like utilizing Google Classroom and sending plenty of emails.
Still, as a program with over 40 student journalists, it has not exactly been easy to coordinate workflow. There is an added sense of self-motivation that is required of each and every staff member, especially without having face-to-face contact with a teacher or print publication deadlines to provide motivation. This means a lot of creativity and cooperation have been necessary as we dedicate ourselves to making sure The Lighthouse continues to put out an array of content that can appeal to our diverse audience. Thankfully, our staff has remained continually dedicated.
ILLUSTRATION BY JENNA FREITAS
All of this effort is because we at The Lighthouse understand the importance of journalism in this unprecedented situation. As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, worried people across the world have found themselves social distancing and shutting themselves in their homes, only leaving for essential reasons. While these extreme measures are needed to slow the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the strain on hospitals’ resources, it is impossible to predict what the future may bring.
The situation is changing every day, and people require accurate, up-to-date and actionable information more than ever. With this in mind, we are redoubling our efforts to produce exceptional news coverage and meaningful reflections at this time and always.
We will continue reporting about the way the pandemic is affecting seniors as well as posting personal essays articulating how it is affecting members of the Lyndhurst community. As we make it our goal to keep readers informed about COVID-19 and its widescale impacts, we also aim to keep posting light-hearted content such as the “Music in the Minutes” podcast and “Emily’s skin care tips” that can offer readers an escape from the intense reality we face.
The Lighthouse would like to thank the Lyndhurst Public School District’s administration for its continued support of student journalism as we all adapt to these new circumstances. It has been very helpful to have a link to our website on the high school’s own web page so readers can easily find our content, and we are especially grateful for this now that we are unable to put out a print newspaper.
We would also like to thank teachers who, despite having faced the stress of moving their classes online, are still making an effort to be resources to The Lighthouse by giving their time for interviews and sharing photos with the staff.
The purpose of a lighthouse is to guide ships at sea through uncertainty and darkness. In this time of uncertainty, The Lighthouse strives to similarly guide and aid our readers by continuing to publish thoughtful, informative and balanced content as the world copes with the difficulties of a global pandemic.
