Before joining the school newspaper, I already knew that the purpose of journalism is to inform. At TFS, through the platform of Limited Edition, students have been given the opportunity to use their voices to speak to their community.
Being editor of the school newspaper has taught me many things. Most of all, I have learned the difference a platform for student voice can make. Last year, during the 2018-2019 school year, half of Limited Edition articles submitted were centred around news, whether municipal, provincial, national, or international. This year, LTD journalists have become more compelled to write about TFS news, opinion-based articles, and articles concerning mental health.
This change is a refreshing one. The apparent shift in focus tells me that TFS students have found a platform to speak out about what they are especially interested in.
Limited Edition, although affiliated with TFS, is a student-written news platform. Our purpose as journalists is to inform, and also to inspire change. Students at TFS no longer wish to sit back and watch as decisions about our education and, ultimately, our lives are made for us. The LTD website analytics further prove this point: some of our most popular articles concern topics such as education at TFS, censorship at TFS, and a criticism of citizenship at TFS.
And it’s not only the journalists. Over the past year, I have witnessed a change within the school: my peers will go out of their way to ask me if they may write for Limited Edition; teachers will stop me in the halls to comment on an article they found thought-provoking; students will ask me where they can find the latest copies of the newspaper and will eagerly await new issues. Yet, despite the responses Limited Edition has received from its audience, articles have still failed to spark lasting discussions with the school’s administration. Student voice should be about more than just platforms: what is the use of speaking if we are not being heard?
Contributing to Limited Edition has informed my path after high school and has connected me with like-minded students who look forward to our voices being listened to, not just available. In the years to come, I hope that LTD journalists will continue to use the school’s student voice platforms to inspire the change they want to see happen.