As the school year wraps up, it’s yearbook time here at Falcon Cove! The FCMS Journalism department has been very assiduous in getting the yearbook ready to hand out to students. Journalism staff went all out to put it together, from the front cover to the final page. They also have been working on the online newspaper and social media.

Being able to produce a yearbook in this particular difficult year was challenging, but Mrs. Judith Malone and her staff of student journalists were able to pull it off. The yearbook consists of student life sections, pages of sports and clubs, and of course school photos. 

“I love seeing students take such control and leadership over a forum, and not only inspire me, but inspire others to write,” says journalism teacher/advisor, Mrs. Judith Malone. I love to watch student’s growth in journalism and hear their voices.”

Especially with online learning, putting together this yearbook took a lot of combined efforts. Journalism staffers were sending links in the chats feature of their Microsoft Teams meetings asking people to send in pictures that could be used for sections of student life. As more students came to campus in-person, staffers gained the ability to take shots at school.

“My favorite part of journalism is getting to meet new people when interviewing them for the yearbook and newspaper,” says 8th grade journalism staffer Amanda Margulies. “I am very glad I took journalism.”

Once photos were collected, journalists were able to place and arrange the photos into the yearbook designing website. From there, captions and layouts were created to get yearbook production into full swing. 

“What’s so amazing about the yearbook is when you think that you’re just putting pictures and writing together, you’re not able to see the complete history of a school year until the very end when it comes out,” says Mrs. Malone. “It’s only a small piece of the 196 day history, and when you get that yearbook, you see the history of the year from day one until the end.”

There were some staffers in particular that were extremely helpful in making the yearbook. Editor in Chief Jonah Feldman worked day and night to complete unfinished sections, come up with layouts, and overall take charge of the yearbook and the staff. Elizabeth Carrasco (marketing editor), Maria Martinez (photography editor), Carolina Gusso (club editor), along with other page editors played a huge role in getting our yearbook ready by deadlines.

“Making the 2020-2021 school yearbook took a lot of hard work and dedication,” says Jonah Feldman, Journalism Editor in Chief. “The hardest part was the student life section, since we completed that part while school was all virtual, meaning the only way to fill up the sections was by reaching out personally to other students.”

Not only does FCMS journalism construct the yearbook, but also run the online newspaper (fcmsnews.com) and social media (@thefalcon.news on instagram). Daily social media posts are uploaded by Mrs. Judith Malone, Jonah Feldman, and Elizabeth Carrasco. All of the newspaper story uploads were written or edited by newspaper/writing editor Zoe Horwitz. 

“Being the newspaper editor meant writing out many school events and getting quotes from a ton of people,” says newspaper editor, Zoe Horwitz. “However, I enjoy writing stories and I am so glad to have been ‘a part’ of this year’s journalism staff.”

Falcon Cove journalism staff hopes everyone is happy with this year’s yearbook, social media has been keeping you updated on school events, and newspaper stories were entertaining! 

“For all the effort put into the yearbook, newspaper, and social media, I really hope students and teachers were satisfied,” says Jonah Feldman, who also received a well-deserved principal award from Mr. Carruth.  “It’s cool to see all of the hard work pay off.”

-Signing off for 2021, 

Zoe Horwitz

Writing/Newspaper Editor