We all knew it was only a matter of time: the buses begin to roam the streets, the back to school advertisements appear to be endless, and we are all left wondering how summer went by so quickly. Whether you spent your summer relaxing at the beach or working a part-time job, it’s now time for all of us, as a community, to reconvene for the 2017-2018 school year. From the new faces of the freshmen to the veteran class of seniors, or anyone in the middle, I would like to personally welcome you all back as we prepare to make this year one that will be remembered for years to come.

For the school newspaper- your school newspaper- that statement is one we take very seriously; hoping to build on what we started last year, the Red and Black is ready to make its next leap forward. To quickly recap, last year, thanks to our dedicated staff and inaugural Editor in Chief Hailey Julian, we hastily worked to convert the Red and Black to a digital format and to regain the quality and reputation that once went hand in hand with the newspaper. Now, with our foundation in place, we hope to expand the paper even further into covering stories that are based around our entire community and to further reach out to you- the student body. In addition, I personally am excited to see the team’s ambition and commitment push the program into the model school newspaper for a new generation by the year’s end. Of course, with an increasing scope, so come our needs for production, and that’s why I am proud to announce the Red and Black has officially created its own school broadcast segment!

So exactly what does the expansion to broadcast mean for you, the audience? As a whole, the idea of having interviews, anchors, and a smooth flow of news via video means you can always stay up to date with what is happening around the school in a unique and personable way. Moreover, the broadcast division also opens up a multitude of opportunities for students in the building who never could really have their voice be heard: as you know, this school has a wide range of people with interesting personalities, different backgrounds, ideas, and opinions. Now we can begin to showcase them as the year progresses. Above all, broadcast allows Patchogue-Medford to increase its outreach and set an example for other programs, including our own, to get become better!

When it comes down to it, you determine how the school year will turn out for you: you can make the most (or least) of the situation that you want to; however, I encourage all of you to get excited and to come into the year thinking positively and not so cynically. For the freshmen, I wish you the best of luck for the start of your first year! For the rest of us, let’s be the change we want to see in Pat-Med.