When we decided to write a Letter from the Editors about community, we had trouble honing in on one specific definition of the word. “Community” can mean almost anything, whether it’s the Whitman community, the broader Bethesda community, the community of a specific club or organization. And it can get even more specific from there: Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’s fan community, the ice cream lovers’ community and the creative writing community. 

One of the common threads among all of these diverse groups is the continual presence of student journalism. We integrate ourselves into all of these communities — not necessarily as active members, but as observers, and then we share what we’ve learned. Strong student journalism can bring these completely unique communities together in just hundreds of words. 

During the holiday season, our writers wrote about both their personal communities and those unique to different students at our school. We discovered that not everyone looks forward to December only for a twinkling tree or a lit menorah, but rather for listening to “horrible Russian pop” with family or roasting a pig in Florida.

Members of the Whitman athletic community also reached milestones: Whitman parent Brian Wiese coached the Georgetown Men’s Soccer team to their first NCAA championship, Whitman divers made their mark on the boards and Whitman girls basketball coach Peter Kenah reached his 300th win with the team.

The turn of the new decade brought us together; we reflected on the 2010s and looked forward to the 2020s. We’ve also upped our podcast game. Reporters and editors have ventured out of the confines of written journalism, having conversations with one another about the Grammys, the Washington Nationals and the Super Bowl. 

As active observers, we journalists fashion complex roles in the community. This year, our members have regularly discussed balancing personal connections with detached reporting. We’ve learned that the line isn’t always as bold as it may seem, and lately, we’ve learned that it doesn’t have to be.

Dana Herrnstadt, Editor-in-Chief

Ally Navarrete, Managing Editor

Anna Yuan, Managing Editor