Dear Seniors,
In a year of the unexpected, snowy late nights over google drive and writing stories on football games with empty stands, the Courant remained hard at work. From our newly designed website to our print work now distributed around downtown New Canaan, the Courant took the opportunity to expand and improve. None of this unprecedented change could’ve been done without the commitment of this senior class. So, before you all leave for senior internships and embark on all your bright futures, it’s necessary that we thank you all for your unwavering commitment to the Courant.
Senior Editors-in-Chief (EIC’s) Charles Brossy, Madison Grenauer, Hannah Tiller, and Olivia West became leaders over the remote classroom. None of them expected to be spending their first snow day working on layouts at midnight or dealing with a completely crashed website, but their perseverance and passion drove them to success.
Charles Brossy, the cereal enthusiast, rated everything from Cinnamon Toast Crunch to Lucky Charms over Zoom and acted as our version of “calling the cavalry” on late night. A deeply committed member, even as a junior when journalism conflicted with his chemistry lab period, he shouldered the responsibility of both classes, exhibiting his enthusiasm and vigor for the Courant, sentiments which he carried and shared with the team each day.
Madison Grenauer, with her constant therapy sessions with Mr. McAteer, always brought a humorous environment to class. Despite her fears of college rejection and eventual homelessness, her dedication to the Courant’s constantly evolving website and precise edits did not go unappreciated. Her stories such as A Small Business With A Big Heart and The Three R’s of Education: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle proved Madison’s zeal for the betterment of our community both at New Canaan High School and in town. She will surely go on to do great things for the betterment of our world (congrats on Tulane!).
Hannah Tiller left a lasting legacy on the graphics department during her time as Graphics Editor, and further demonstrated her array of skills within her new responsibilities as an EIC. Hannah was a driving force behind the Courant’s coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement, coordinating an Instagram live of the protest and writing commendable stories about an essential topic that required sensitive coverage. Hannah has expressed her passion for social justice through her stories, an important aspect of the mission of journalists.
No one quite exhibited the same writing dedication as Olivia West. Her grammarly-like edits and diligence ensured the best quality writing and a focused team. Her hatred for InDesign was admirable, holding out until spring of her senior year to create her first graphic, nonetheless, a strong leader and the only one who could call the class to attention. We will miss her (and her ivy-league brain) dearly.
In her third year of the class, veteran Courant reporter Sara Conroy has written subjective stories that represent great reporting on topics that really matter to her. Her experience in journalism shines through with every piece she writes and the Courant will greatly miss her emboldened style of opinion.
The InDesign skills of Media Editor Val O’Neill wowed the entire Courant staff. Undoubtedly, everyone has called Val to their station, harnessing her creativity and InDesign prowess. But, she displayed her talents outside of graphic design as well, writing strong stories and managing the media team. Her kindness, dependability, and talent quickly elevated her to becoming one of the most valuable Courant members.
Ian Nicholas, NCTV’s most iconic broadcaster, brought professionalism to the sports section. Ian joined the Courant to expand his knowledge of media production, learning how to write and tell stories. His work as a section editor has been inspiring to the youngest member of the Courant staff and we are confident that he has a future as one of the best sports reporters ever.
Alongside Ian, Jack Harrison brought a bright light to the sports section. His expertise across all athletics, from ice skating to football, brought a wide array of new stories to the table even when the face of sports changed drastically. Despite not being able to attend sports games, he continued to publish the successes of all NCHS athletes. His commitment to journalism extended to the latest hours of late night, when he could always be counted on to help perfect the issue.
Bobby Mushkin, despite just entering the class this year, produced countless sports blogs. His large quantity of well-written and highly researched posts always kept the website current. Whether it be hockey, basketball, or football, Bobby is clearly a professional sports writer in the making.
When star hockey player Carter Ellis joined the staff, many may have expected him to stick to the sports section. But, through his reporting on difficult political topics, Carter often provided a sane voice in the heated mess of issues. His political writing was always thorough, analytical, and considered both sides of the argument. Carter’s writing always expressed an astute understanding of the issue and his own sharp opinion as well.
Blog Editor Sophie Bajaj has taken readers through NYC on shopping tours and across New Haven to rate pizza. Her creative blog posts brought fun and exciting stories to the Courant website and demonstrated her wide array of writing capabilities.
As a Journalism I student, Tyler Towers has displayed her artistry and style through fashion blogs. Her unique taste combined with strong writing skills has allowed for the publication of extremely interesting, trendy, and creative blog posts. In a couple years, we’ll be looking for her name in Vogue or Elle Magazine.
The Courant staff is losing 12 of the brightest minds this June. This crazy year could not have been navigated without them. Their passion, hard work, and commitment to the paper will forever be appreciated. We wish them all of the best in college and their future endeavors, and hope the Courant will always have a special place in their hearts. To the Courant seniors, good luck and thank you.
With love,
NCHS Courant Staff
