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The Willis Hall Herald welcomes your opinions on any matter concerning the upper school and its students.
​Please send to [email protected].

World Press Freedom Day by Chloe Hunt

5/5/2020

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May 3 was World Press Freedom Day. Now more than ever, it is important to recognize the integral role of journalists in our world. Journalists provide a ‘voice for the voiceless,’ and shed light on important events going on in the world. Journalists uncover the truth, and support democracy in the world. 

Good journalism is vital to a society. Amid a culture of sensationalism and TV-driven news, we still see journalists in the world working to provide people with facts. Amid the constant berading from President Trump, journalists still prevail.

President Trump’s relations with the press are nearly comical. On March 20, famed reporter Peter Alexander asked Trump what his message was to Americans who are fearful of the virus. Rather than responding diplomatically and easing their fears, Trump replied, “I say that you’re a terrible reporter -- that’s what I say.” Throughout this pandemic, there have been countless examples of Trump lashing out at reporters. Here is an article with various examples.

I can acknowledge that some media sources are biased, such as CNN, which is paralleled by Fox News. Their viewers want to hear certain messages. One way in which this is apparent is how both sides are currently covering the sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden. While CNN plays the clip of Joe Biden firmly denying the allegations, Fox News often plays videos of Biden stuttering, or relates this issue to how Democrats attacked Kavanaugh. 

Journalists have the power to sway audiences, especially now. People are lost and confused, and extremely impressionable. It is a journalist’s duty to report facts, and not to mislead the public. The Willis Hall Herald operates on a tremendously smaller scale, but some of the principles that apply to leadings newspapers apply to us as well.

While North Cross undergoes tremendous changes in terms of the renovation, personnel, and more, it is important to strive to voice the truth, while supporting our truth with facts. Oftentimes, in a small school, facts can be detrimental, or even misleading. Which facts do we choose to report? We do not ever want to offend our institution, but how do we get people to read the paper? The balance is difficult, and often not reached correctly sometimes.

This article about the vitality of high school journalism deeply impressed me. Journalists are more likely to have higher GPAs and perform better on standardized tests. Students who took a journalism class in high school are more likely to have higher GPAs in college as well.

Journalism teaches everyday skills as well, some of which are mentioned in the article. These include communication, writing, photography, marketing, ethics, and many more. These skills are invaluable, and important to learn at a high school level. Likewise, journalism incorporates elements of the core classes. Any subject field is applicable to journalism.

Scholastic journalism unequivocally matters in the 21st century. Please support journalism at North Cross; despite our small scope compared to big newspapers, we keep freedom and democracy alive on our campus, and that is important enough.

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the Willis Hall Herald

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4254 Colonial Ave.
Roanoke, VA 240189
(540) 789-7289

Letters to the Editor: [email protected] 

Founded in 2010 and based in the Journalism elective, The Willis Hall Herald is the official student-led publication of the Upper School at North Cross School. The Herald may be published in magazine form three or more times per year. Founded in 2017 and produced by the Herald staff, GeoPrism: A Global Studies Journal may be published in magazine form once or twice per year. The Herald welcomes letters, commentary and submissions of original content that adhere to the Herald’s dedication to factual journalism. Letters and other content must be signed and may be edited for length and Herald style. The Herald does not guarantee publication of outside submissions. Submit letters to [email protected]. The Herald won Gold Medals from Columbia Scholastic Press Association in 2012 and 2015. The Herald also became a member of the National Student Press Association.
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The Staff

Co-Editors-in-Chief .....................................Lauren Boone ‘25 and Jacob Johnson ‘25


Digital Publishing Editor ................................................................Anna Ciccozzi ‘26


Copy Editor.....................................................................................Aadeetri Pandey ‘26


Opinion Editor...........................................................................Mason Bibby '27


Staff Writers.........................................................Hanchen Ou ‘26, Fiona Parnell ‘26, Nola Daninger ‘27, Dara Kerman ‘27, Victoria Real ‘27, Margaret Bass ‘28, Luke Cocowitch ‘28, Joaquin Downey ‘28, Mia Esposito ‘28, Akali Koeda ‘28, Monica Koene ‘28, Shree Patel ‘28, Kaitlyn Perkins ‘28, Isla Whittle '28
Advisor......................................................................................Robert Robillard P’35
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  • Home
  • Podcasts
  • Opinion
  • News
    • Head of School Armistead Lemon
  • Sports 24-25
  • Features
    • Profiles >
      • Senior Class of 2023
      • Student Profiles
      • New Teacher Profiles
      • Leadership Profiles
      • Seniors: Class of 2022
      • Seniors: Class of 2021
  • Arts
    • Scary Stories
    • April Fools Day
  • GEOPRISM
  • Print Issues
  • Photos
    • Homecoming
  • Ads
  • Staff
    • Lauren Boone '25
    • Jacob Johnson '25
    • Anna Ciccozzi '26
    • Aadeetri Pandey '26
    • Mason Bibby '27
    • Nola Daninger '27
    • Dara Kerman '27
    • Victoria Real '27
    • Caroline Welfare '27
    • Margaret Bass '28
    • Luke Cocowitch '28
    • Joaquin Downey '28
    • Mia Esposito '28
    • Akali Koeda '28
    • Monica Koene '28
    • Hanchen Ou '26
    • Fiona Parnell '26
    • Shree Patel '28
    • Kaitlyn Perkins '28
    • Isla Whittle '28
    • Robert Robillard P'35
  • Resources
  • News Archive
    • Coronavirus
    • Eason Zhou '24
    • Practice
    • Student Profiles
    • Teacher Profiles
    • Sports 2023-24
    • Sports 2022-23
    • Sports 2021-22 >
      • Football: State Champs
  • Blog
  • Calliope