When I first came to Loyola, I already had plans to expand The Loyalist to a digital platform. I saw the potential for an online news site as an opportunity to immortalize articles, modernize a century-old publication and expand the audience. The inspiration behind such a change lies in my experience with digital journalism in my hometown. During my freshman year at The Latin School of Chicago, I was immersed in an entirely digital journalism scene through The Forum, the school’s award-winning digital newspaper.
As a Staff Writer and later Arts Editor, I collaborated with my older brother Jay, a senior and the digital editor of The Forum, to redesign a new cutting-edge website in my first partnership with Student Newspapers Online (SNO), a digital platform also used by high schools including Harvard-Westlake, the Archer School for Girls and Brentwood School. The site quickly became a must-stop source for news, information and features for the entire student body, which earned the school numerous accolades.
After moving to Los Angeles in the summer of 2023 and starting my sophomore year at Loyola High School, I immediately noticed the absence of the efficiency and widespread reach that a digital platform provides. With this in mind, I immediately met with an advisor of The Loyalist, Sarah Gacina, and explained to her my plan to integrate The Loyalist with SNO, the same platform I had worked with in Chicago and the leading platform for digital high school newspapers across the country.
With her approval, I took the initiative to propel The Loyalist into a digital age. I configured widgets to include interactive features like polls, countdowns and advertisements tailored to campus-specific events and information. I also built a staff page to credit our dedicated staff properly and ensure that the site adhered to Loyola’s classic navy and white color scheme. Furthermore, I will continuously update and refresh the site for each new edition—so be on the lookout!
What excites me most about this transition is that it positions The Loyalist as a modern publication that can now be consumed digitally (where most Loyola students naturally consume their media anyway). I hope this website will provide a lasting opportunity for readers, both inside and outside of the Loyola community, to experience a publication so thoughtfully crafted by such a dedicated team—now showcased on a scale greater than ever before.
Visit www.theloyalist.org or scan the QR code below to read articles, both old and new, with each edition uploaded the Monday after its Friday print release at school.
