In honor of National Student Press Freedom Day, we, the Editors in Chief of the Holly Spirit, decided it was finally time for our first “Letter from the Editor.” Today is a day where student journalists from middle to collegiate school publications celebrate the importance of student press freedom. With the recent reintroduction of the Holly Spirit into RV’s student culture, we strive to accurately represent the student body and, as per our mission statement, serve as a platform for student expression. We amplify the voices of the students at times when they fall to the wayside, or when we feel left out of the conversation completely. 

As student journalists, it is often our responsibility to spark these conversations and to objectively inform others about current events. We report information truthfully and without bias, while encouraging our Opinions writers to freely express their opinions and interpretations. These opinions sometimes convey a critical point of view of RV’s policies and conduct, and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to create a platform to present them. This being said, we would like to express our appreciation of the abundance of encouragement we have received since the beginning of this journey in November, 2020. From our administration, teachers, community members, and everyone in between, the amount of support we have received has been overwhelming, and for that, we are grateful. 

With the “New Voices” bill moving towards approval in New Jersey, it is important now more than ever to recognize the value of the autonomy of student journalism and its place in our school community. Although freedom of speech is important every day, National Student Press Freedom Day is one where we can look back at the hard work we have done thus far, the impact it has had on our community, and forward to all the possibilities that lay before us.