This editorial represents the opinion of 14 out of 14 Outlook editors.
It has come to our attention that the Outlook is perceived as an organization associated with a certain archetype. For too long, the Aragon Outlook has fallen into a pattern of homogeneity and established an image of exclusivity among the student body. This has evolved to become the norm such that it has not been seriously addressed by those in the Outlook until now.
For instance, we recognize a correlation between the students who join Model United Nations and students who join the Aragon Outlook. For generations, a critical mass of our writers have been in MUN, and for consecutive years, those who lead the Aragon Outlook lead MUN as well.
As a result of the lack of students involved in different extracurricular activities such as Leadership, drama, spirit squad, football, dance team, robotics, yearbook, service commission, etc., we recognize that the Outlook is not representative of the Aragon student body as a whole. The lack of diversity on our staff also contributes to a lack of diversity in the sources we quote and publish in our newspaper.
How can The Aragon Outlook represent the school’s voices if we don’t associate with many school groups? How can The Aragon Outlook produce content that remains relevant in the lives of the majority of students if our reach of sources is limited? How can the Aragon Outlook define itself as a student newspaper if it unintentionally distances itself from much of the student body?
The lack of diversity on our staff is not an intentional effort. Every year as we consider applications, there is not one type of student that we look for to fill our staff. Yet all too often the applications we receive are already homogeneous: we select our staffers from an already self-selective group of applicants.
The Outlook is aware of the subconscious effects of preserving this norm. In fact, we recognize that having students with a diversity of interests at school would add depth and breadth to our content. There are so many ways that a truly representative student newspaper can positively contribute to the Aragon community. Having a community paper that students can identify with gives it the power to become an influential agent of change. A student newspaper exists to inform the community, highlight, and recognize its individuals, hold our institution accountable, and provide a platform for community members to express their opinions and discuss issues facing our community. The purpose of a student newspaper is more easily achieved if the population identifies with it. The newspaper is supposed to unite us, not divide us.
A more diverse Outlook would provide the ability to explore more fascinating articles relevant to more people at Aragon. Stories in need of different sources would improve in reporting and quality. Relevant editorials would be discussed amongst more students, gaining school-wide publicity and increasing the likelihood for real change.
As the Aragon Outlook receives applications in the fall, we highly encourage anyone with an interest in exploring journalism to apply. All it takes is a desire to investigate the truth, a skill for communication, and the willingness to learn and improve. Talent in regular English classes is not always the best predictor of success as an Outlook staffer. In fact, the most important skill an Outlook writer can possess is the ability to interview and connect with other people. In addition, joining the Outlook is an empowering experience that teaches staffers real life skills.
Now is the time for a change. We aim to change the exclusive image of the Outlook, for we believe that all students should feel that they can belong and establish an individual attachment with the Outlook. We are hoping to celebrate a new identity, one that represents the entirety of students belonging to the multitude of interests held at Aragon.
