Opinion

National Newspapers Week: how the Trail delivers day after day, “in print, online, for you”

Rebekah Bushmire, Lulu Vitulo, Savannah Hayes, Grace Lovejoy, and Luke Soule

Oct 3, 2023

Graphic used with permission courtesy of Newspaper Association Managers, sponsors of National Newspaper Week.

Rebekah Bushmire, Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief Rebekah Bushmire (Rebekah Bushmire)

“The Trail is crucial to holding our school accountable, students informed and the community aware of what goes on in our schools. It doesn’t matter what form we are in, print or online, we are arguably the most important program on campus. We cover a range of topics from outstanding students to holding our school system’s accountable for the decisions they make. No one else on campus has more of a voice than we do and we will be heard. I see the Trail as the powerhouse of the school. The media is often referred to as the “Fourth Estate” because we hold the check and balances for the other forms of powers, for us that would be teachers, administration and our school board.

If we lost our program, our school would lose so much talent and awards. Our program and its staff are award winning and they would lose so much of our talents. McIntosh needs a staff like us to disseminate information to the school as well as make a difference. Our outreach is beyond the school into the community and the parents need us to remain aware of what their children’s school is really like. We are the Trail and we will not be leaving. We are here to stay and here to raise our voices.”

Lulu Vitulo, Managing Editor

“Like every student publication, we serve the community in reporting and sharing the opinions of and information relating to McIntosh’s student body. By being student-led, having student staffers that go through the same experiences and feel, think the same thoughts that our audience has, the Trail has a unique ability as a news organization for our specific, local community. Our staffers are in the band, in clubs; they see what’s going on in our classes and at our school. Without us, the lens through which news would come out would be completely different.”

Savannah Hayes, News Editor

News Editor Savannah Hayes (Rebekah Bushmire)

“The Trail is very important in spreading important information to students, teachers and parents. The theme for newspaper week involves ‘you’ as readers. Our publication writes true, informative news for our readers to know not only about McIntosh, but also about the community county-wise, state-wise and nationally. If the Trail were to cease to exist, McIntosh would lose a vital source of information, would end up suffering in the long run as MHS really needs our publication as an informational source.”

Grace Lovejoy, Features Editor

Features Editor Grace Lovejoy (Rebekah Bushmire)

“McIntosh needs the Trail because we give students, parents and teachers information they need to know. Such as PSAT rooms, Homecoming dates, Sports schedules etc. If the Trail goes away, McIntosh loses its main form of news and communications that keeps our school running. The Trail writes about news that isn’t only important to McIntosh but important to the community such as breaking news like the WalMart or Heirloom bakery fires, Code Reds or capital improvements.”

Adwa Umoya, Social Media Editor

We are skilled with providing quick news updates about McIntosh and Peachtree City news. The Trail constantly engages with our followers by doing polls on our Instagram stories, encouraging comments on posts and linking our website in all social platform bios. Parents, students, and Peachtree City residents check our Instagram in cases of emergency and the need for information.

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About the Contributors

Savannah Hayes, News Editor

McIntosh High School senior Savannah Hayes is serving her second year as the McIntosh Trail’s news editor. Hayes has been on the Trail staff since 2021 and has enjoyed every moment of working with the staff. Just this past school year, Hayes won three awards for her writing given to her by the Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA). Hayes won superior writing for In-Depth News, Features and Social Media Storytelling. She can not wait for another marvelous year on the Trail staff. Hayes has received countless accolades throughout both high school and middle school. Hayes has been a part of National Honor Society (NHS) since 2023, Science National Honor Society (SNHS) since 2023, Beta Club since 2021, National English Honor Society (NEHS) since 2021 and National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) since 2022. In middle school, Hayes was in Jr. Beta Club and received the Silver Service Hour Award in eighth grade and the Bronze Service Hour Award in seventh grade. Every semester since her freshman year, Hayes has been on the Gold Honor Roll. Outside of the Trail, Hayes works as a volunteer intern at Zoo Atlanta. She took AP Biology and is currently taking Anatomy and Physiology at McIntosh to help achieve her goal of majoring in Animal Science. Hayes is currently the High Brass Section Leader of the Spirit of McIntosh Marching Band, of which she has been a member since 2020. Hayes has played the trumpet in various concert bands since 2017. As a Dual Enrollment, Student Hayes is currently attending Clayton State and has been a part of the program since 2022.

Grace Lovejoy, Editor-in-Chief

Grace Lovejoy is serving as the Editor-In-Chief for 2024-2025 school year. Lovejoy has been on staff for three years now and served as the Features Editor last year. Lovejoy has won 3 Best of SNO pieces, including her first piece “Collision course: teens and golf cart accidents in Peachtree City” which was the first for the Trail. Lovejoy has been an Ambassador and a part of McIntosh BETA Club for 2 years. She was involved in the Student Press Law Center’s New Voices program in 2023 and won a Best of Sno award for her story “The five freedoms in the First,” recapping her experience. Lovejoy has been involved in theater for 2 years and has performed and worked backstage on numerous shows. This year she is serving as the Historian for the McIntosh Thespians Troupe. Lovejoy is eager to meet the new staff and have another successful year on the Trail.

Luke Soule, Multimedia Editor

Multimedia editor Luke Soule is a senior at McIntosh High School and has returned for his second year on the McIntosh Trail. Soule received an all-georgia and superior award during his first year on the staff as a writer and specializes in writing about film, music and environmental issues. He is also an editor for the Mischief Literary Magazine. Soule enjoys writing poetry and stories and has written multiple screenplays. Music and film are big parts of Soule’s life. He taught himself to play guitar and currently takes music theory and piano lessons. His favorite artists are Death Grips, Gregory Alan Isakov and Hugh Masekela. He also began writing screenplays at the age of 13. His favorite movies are The Master, Swiss Army Man and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He frequently volunteers at the Fayette Humane Society and Clothes Less Traveled.