By Torben Heinbockel ’26, Editor-in-Chief, The Voice
Dear readers,
Welcome back to The Voice, the student newspaper of The St. Paul’s Schools (formerly The Page and The Epistle). I am honored to be back for a second year as the Editor-in-Chief. I began as a staff writer in 2022 to 2023, then served as a peer reviewer and assistant editor in 2023 to 2024, finally arriving at this stage as Editor-in-Chief (2024 to 2025). This path has allowed for greater listening skills with the help of improved questioning and given clear standards for quality work, all to be delivered on time.
Entering my second year as Editor-in-Chief, I look to raise standards and broaden contributions. This year will expand upon last year’s momentum, improving what we’ve already gotten going, which bolstered our newsroom and was a plus for readers: more engagement, more Middle School voices, a redesigned website, quicker pitch-to-publish turnaround, stronger standards and transparency, consistent publishing, expanded training so that newer writers can grow quickly and write with confidence, multimedia depth, and cross-campus collaboration.
Moving forward, our objectives will be clear and measurable, centered around creating a more consistent, thorough, and accessible newsroom. A hybrid model will be fully implemented, with well-designed print moments, a consistent web flow using our website and Issuu, Inc., and simple social promotion, all under the supervision of an intense array of checkpoints from pitch to publication. The best work will be shared with outside groups for recognition, and the work will be highlighted in a public acknowledgments page on our website. Coverage decisions will be influenced by pitch board analysis, which assesses readership information to help inform updates made to the pitch board regarding reader interest. New writers will funnel through a mentorship pipeline, completing two guided pieces before pitching independently. We will also begin a community impact series, including at least two query and advisory boards, this year. Also, we will ensure greater accessibility and searchability through refinement of the usability of the headline, metadata, alt text, and tagging, in order to allow the readers to more easily find the stories that they want.
Our priorities stay the same. We will continue to deliver timely news regarding campus life, thoughtful features and profiles, evidence-based opinions, and clear and interesting stories. We will emphasize sourcing, respectful interviewing, and a careful method of editing. Thanks to our faculty advisors, Mr. Bryant and Mr. Kasper, for their inspiration and support in student journalism.
Have a tip or story idea? Feel free to send us a short piece describing your insight and/or about who you plan to interview. Designers, photographers, and videographers, please join us in collaboration! The more diverse insights offered in The Voice, the better our overall coverage and the quality of the newspaper will be.
Thank you for reading and supporting student journalism at The St. Paul’s Schools!
Sincerely,
Torben Heinbockel ’26
Editor-in-Chief, The Voice
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