Letter FROM the Editor

The editor, pondering his next move.

The Orbit and other versions of an RMHS newspaper have documented life at RMHS for decades and fostered the growth of many young writers. From sports recaps to feature articles about various staff members and students, The Orbit has been home to the best moments at Reading Memorial High School.

I want to share my story on why I chose to join this club, and why, more than ever, our newspaper is crucial to the Reading Community.

In the spring of my sophomore year, I began writing at The Orbit, where I expressed interest in covering the varsity baseball team. I had loved playing and watching baseball ever since I was a little kid; the sport had been a central part of my life, culture, and family. I spent many Sunday afternoons in my grandparents’ home on the Revere Beach Boulevard eating pasta and turning on the one o’clock Red Sox games. Also, I had played the sport for several years, playing Little League, Babe Ruth League, and Freshman baseball.

Prior to my Orbit assignment, I was cut from the JV baseball team. It had been difficult for me to see myself on the sidelines, but I considered the opportunity to cover varsity as a chance to stay connected with the very thing I loved. For this reason, I jumped at the opportunity and covered Reading’s home opener against Belmont in 2024. Little did I know, this would open a journalism floodgate, which would extend throughout my junior and senior years.

Now I look back in appreciation for the news I was fortunate to cover, as well as new projects we took on as a whole group. This year, we’ve been home to 50+ student produced pieces of work: articles covering an array of genres, podcast episodes, and our first video of interviews on Main Street. Specifically, we’ve created a sustainable platform to record 8-15 minute podcast episodes on newsworthy topics that can inform and entertain students. Also, our articles are all student produced in a professional and timely manner, all to maintain a high standard of quality and authenticity. 

The Orbit is crucial to our school culture because our  journalism is fundamental to our Reading Community. In order to be informed citizens, we need to learn about each other’s experiences, perspectives, and emotions. The Orbit actively strives to capture a story in a holistic way and provide readers with what is going on in the classrooms, fields, and beyond Reading. That is the beauty of the way we produce journalism content.

I am extremely grateful to have been a part of this amazing group. First, I want to especially thank our staff writers: Karina Olson (‘28), Sophie Karlskind (‘27), Liam Harsip (’28), Om Patel (‘29), Michael Ring (‘29), Natasha Papp (‘29), and Gabrielle Hames (‘27). Also, I would like to thank Abigail Gullotti (‘27) and Michael Ring for being our amazing photographers for this year. I hope that you all had fun being a part of building what The Orbit is today.

Finally, I want to thank Ms. Moylan, Ms. Cuevas, and Mr. McSweeney for providing me and the Orbit staff with unconditional support, meeting space, and equipment to make what we do at The Orbit possible. Ms. Moylan, our librarian, provided us with the space and equipment to make our meetings and podcast episodes possible. Ms. Cuevas, our media teacher, assisted us with camera equipment to make our video projects. Finally, Mr. McSweeney, English department head and our club adviser, enthusiastically supported our ideas and helped us plan, revise, and post our work.

I am so grateful for being a part of The Orbit, and I hope you all continue to be a part of this organization or encourage our journalism. Thank you.