As the year is coming to a gradual end, much of what we cherish is usually concentrated during the last week or two of high school – a nostalgic period of time in which we reminisce on all those great moments we have had the pleasure of experiencing and the people that played a vital role in those experiences.
I, personally, have been able to reminisce on those two aspects of this year in particular. But along with those, the last week has allowed me to reflect on my involvement in certain activities in which I have participated…and looking back on the progress we made in the Harriton Banner was particularly gratifying.
This year, as a part of the team’s goal, the club’s editors decided to transition from publicizing the Banner through paper issues to posting articles on the Banner website. As this project succeeded, we along with the diligent staff writers were able to update students regarding topics ranging from local news to newly established clubs at Harriton. With the online issues, the number of articles published increased dramatically as well – with updates being made daily. Although the number of changes we were to make was somewhat daring at first, we were pleased to see that the final product of posting articles on the Harriton Banner website was quite successful.
While reminiscing on the club, I realized that much of the progress that the Harriton Banner team has made is credited to the Executive Editors, Julia Geftman and Julia Carp. Having worked with these two Harriton students personally, I have had the pleasure of directly observing their diligence overall and commitment to the Harriton Banner.
Geftman and Carp were able to manage a staff of 40 students, meet with Mr. Crooke early in the morning, advise section editors on problems they may be facing, write articles when one was required at the last minute, set up newsrooms for the staff writers, and transition into new systems of posting on the website with no complaint. They juggled a number of responsibilities, yet still set high goals for the Banner – whether it was establishing a Valentines Day theme for the website’s articles or creating a newly revised Senior Issue of the printed edition. Their sincere effort to ameliorate the Banner as a whole was extremely evident throughout the year.
Although they are graduating seniors this year, they will surely be remembered by the Harriton Banner staff and students. Julia Geftman has been involved in the Banner since freshman year, along with National Honor Society and Harriton Service League. She has also served as the Student Council Vice President this past year.
During the school year, she was able to set records at Mr. Harriton by raising over $15,000 for charity, shift the Banner completely to the web along with Julia Carp, and receive the Principal’s Award – a true honor that was able to culminate her entire high school experience. This summer, she plans on working at Camp Timber Tops and teaching Zumba to the children there. In the fall, she’ll be attending Vanderbilt University and will most likely be targeting her education in the field of communications, political science, and media.
Alongside serving the Banner, Julia Carp has been involved in other clubs at Harriton such as the Swim Team, BuildOn, and acquired leadership positions in the National Honor Society and Tennis Team. During her four years at Harriton, she was able to earn a book award her junior year of high school, participate in the District 1 Championship with her Harriton Swimming relay teams, and help raise $800 at the National Honor Society Thanksgiving Food Drive. This summer, she is planning on babysitting and preparing for college. She will be attending Duke University this fall and is entering undecided but is thoroughly interested in pursuing her interests in neuroscience and global health.
As both the Executive Editors of the Harriton Banner have successfully completed their high school career, they have truly placed a mark on both the Banner and the school. For those that will still be attending Harriton this fall, they advise you all to stay involved in extra curricular activities you enjoy – don’t be afraid to acquire leadership positions and invest time in certain activities
As Geftman stated, “The reality of it is that what you learn in class is important, but you aren’t going to remember the B you got your junior year in Trigonometry. You’re going to remember how much fun you had applying yourself in clubs that spoke to your interests. Put yourself out there and try new things.”
As for Carp, she sincerely advises all incoming seniors to manage time wisely when it comes to the college application process – “please do not get caught up in the college application process. Take some time to discover yourself and figure out who, where, and what you want to be. It’s not about the name of the college, it’s about the education you will receive and the relationships you will form.”
Among other things, they encourage people to get involved in the Harriton Banner. Whether you decide to write a single article or apply for a leadership position, you’ll be able to develop your skills in writing, change your view of managing the school newspaper, and essentially take part in an enjoyable experience.