A Note From the Editor-in-Chief

As the school year comes to a close, I am reflecting nostalgically on my four years at BBHS. When I first joined Focus as a writer for the politics column, I had no idea how significant a role Focus would play in my high school experience. When COVID thrust all of Blind Brook into an uncertain future, we had to dig deep within ourselves to develop a host of skills, including resilience, resourcefulness, patience, and perseverance. One of the biggest challenges we faced was how to develop a sense of community and teamwork, how to find the shared sense of collaborating for a common goal, when traditional extracurricular activities were upended and relegated to Zoom. It was through Focus that I found an outlet for my interest in writing, as well as a feeling of belonging within the BBHS community of student journalists.

Pursuing journalism over the course of my high school career played an integral part in my transformation into adulthood. And being the Editor-in-Chief has been a privilege, as I led talented writers who also share a passion for journalism. Through meaningful and intriguing articles, Focus has been a hub for promoting change, expanding dialogue, providing a platform for new voices, and educating the community. Writing and editing for Focus exposed me to issues that were unfamiliar and not only afforded me the opportunity to learn about them and consider how they will impact my generation and the world around me, but also enabled me to interview stakeholders -- from fellow students, to teachers, to public figures -- to understand others’ perspectives on these issues. My work on Focus forced me to become a more thoughtful, disciplined writer, demonstrated the importance of holding those in power accountable, taught me valuable leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills, and showed me the importance of informing the public.

I want to offer my sincere gratitude to Mr. Soto, Focus advisor, and the entire Focus editorial and writing staff for their diligent work over the last year. As TIME journalist Henry Anatole Grunwald stated, “Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.” It is my hope that the student journalists who follow me will think big and creatively, and come up with new ways to use Focus to engage the Blind Brook community on important issues that affect us all.

- Anna Baker-Butler

within the community they created through their long practices together. There is a clear dedication apparent in each member that is represented through their five-hour practices. The club shares a cultivated interest in the law, motivating them to develop lawyerly skills and relentlessly pursue success against their rivals.

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