Alessandra Gass (left), Izzy Appelt (center), Melissa Rizzo (right)
In April, the NCHS Courant announced its new Editors-in-Chief (EIC) for the 2023-2024 school year. Teacher advisors Roman Cebulski and Mike McAteer announced juniors Izzy Appelt and Melissa Rizzo as well as sophomore Alessandra Gass will be leading the Courant next year.
Izzy’s key focus for the year is to create an environment where students feel engaged and challenged. “My number one priority is to get people into the class and create an environment where everyone enjoys what they are doing and feels like they are growing in a supportive and inclusive place,” Izzy said.
Izzy’s enthusiasm is evident as she speaks of her past year at the Courant. “I came into the class this year and I’ve felt how I have become so invested in it, and how committed I have been to growing myself and also helping others,” Izzy said. ” I’m a pretty vocal person who enjoys collaborating with others, which is something I look forward to doing next year.”
Alessandra, who is going into her third year with the Courant, aims to carry the lessons and insights from her prior experience on the staff. She believes that structured leadership is key to every team member’s learning and growth. “One of our biggest goals for next year is focusing on delegation and making sure people in leadership positions are able to effectively manage their section, as well as work with the people above them,” she said.
Melissa Rizzo, who previously served as the Centerfold Editor, has a strong passion for storytelling and leading others in their journalistic development. “I’m super excited to continue to improve in journalism myself, and I can’t wait to help others improve as well,” Melissa said.
With their unique experiences and distinct leadership styles, this year’s EICs plan to bring innovative ideas and aim to make the Courant a platform for growing journalists. In addition to expanding their digital presence, the new leadership has lofty goals to continue to grow the NCHS Courant.
NCHS Courant Editors in Chief have announced the editorial staff for the 2023-24 school year. Serving as Managing Editor will be juniors Audrey Cart, Abbie Dymond and Annika Khurana, and sophomore Danielle O’Malley. Section Editors will include sophomore Ryan Boulanger, News Editor; junior Luke Huang and sophomore Tahlia Scher-er, Features Editors; senior Avery Cotton, Opinions Editor; junior Bridget Flatow and sophomore Amy Meng, Arts and Technology Editors; sophomore Donovan West, Sports Editor. On the visual side, junior Chris Harrison and sophomore Lily Bradley will serve as Media Directors, and Lily will also serve as Business Manager.
“Izzy, Alessandra, and Melissa are going to be great culture builders for our class,” said Journalism teacher Michael MacAteer. “All three are excellent writers who have shown over and over again their willingness to expand their skill sets as report-ers, bloggers and visual content creators.
“On top of their command over the technical aspects of journalism, they are great people who embrace servant leader-ship,” he added. “Each of them is supportive of others, and they are committed to principles of excellent journalism.”
“I’m really excited about the energy our leadership is going to bring to the Courant next year,” said Mr. McAteer. “We have a bunch of really smart, really experienced people who have shown that they are willing to experiment with new forms of media. I’m looking forward to producing a wide range of content beyond our traditional print and web stories, particularly in our use of video and social media.”
