By: Footprint Editor Karenna Martin

Welcome back, everyone! I hope the first month of school went as well for everyone else as it did for me.  All of us here at The Footprint have been working hard to put together what you’re reading right now.  I can already tell that this year will be one of transformation for our newspaper, and I’m excited to see these changes through. 

This year is a huge transition year for The Footprint as well as EMC³ as a whole.  We’ve made a few layout changes, most notably the sub-headlines beneath each headline on most articles.  We’re making an effort to include more photographs from school functions and sporting events.  Articles will be longer and more in-depth than ever before.  Finally, and most importantly of all….

We’re going digital!

The Footprint has been published for 30 years in Galway.  For the past few years, select Footprint articles have been posted to ScoresUp, but in general The Footprint is something readers can only experience in print.  However, as Facebook, Twitter, and Google gain popularity and the internet holds more influence than ever before, it has become clear that publishing online is the key to even greater progress.

Although the majority of newspaper reading is still done in print, The Footprint’s target audience is teenagers, arguably the most tech-savvy age group in the world right now.  In my experience, an average kid is more likely to spend ten minutes clicking around on a web page than flipping through a packet of paper.  An online edition fits better into a teenager’s daily schedule: school, practice, dinner, Facebook, and then a quick visit over to the Footprint website to check out the latest news.

An online newspaper will increase the ease of access of articles and the size and scope of readership.  A print copy of The Footprint handed out in homeroom won’t always make it all the way to eighth period—it gets shoved in lockers, dropped in the hallways, or forgotten in the back of folders.  If The Footprint never makes it home, then the information in its pages is lost.  An online edition allows 24/7 access to any article for students, parents, or even curious relatives who want to experience a slice of Galway life.  Even students from other schools could learn all about what’s happening here at Galway!

Of course, you’re reading this information in the traditional print style and not on a webpage.  The website isn’t a reality yet, but we hope to be up-and-running by midway through the year.  Check back here monthly for more updates on the website’s progress.

GTV also underwent a big change this summer: the construction of a new studio!  Between last June and this September, a studio twice as large as the old one was built in place of what used to be a closet, complete with a green screen wall and a door to the adjacent classroom.  While Mr. Kirvin’s and Mr. Ubriaco’s room switch keeps throwing me off—more than once already this year, I’ve absentmindedly walked into Mr. Kirvin’s room while meaning to ask Mr. U a question—the switch was practical and will benefit GTV throughout the year. 

The studio now has a news desk and four computers to help bring Galway students up-to-date announcements every morning.  GTV students are already taking advantage of the new technology (I’m sure you’ve seen Ben, Mike, and Kevin roaming the halls, trying to get footage for commercials).  Look for the first live GTV broadcast, complete with a new and improved intro, in the next couple weeks!

The business side of EMC³ has also been hard at work.  The ScoresUp site is now live, which means you can access it at any time.  Business classes are brainstorming new ideas for the E-Way store, including what products to sell and which days the store should be open.  Check out www.scoresup.com/galway for the latest updates concerning the future of the website. 

Another considerable accomplishment for EMC³ was the approval of a conference day for members of Footprint, GTV, and business staff.  The conference will involve representatives from all grade levels and all sides of EMC³.  While only a limited number of people could be invited to attend, the conference will help to bring everybody up to date in terms of immediate needs and long-term goals for EMC³.   You won’t see thirty of your classmates during the day on October 15^th, but make sure to ask them what’s new with EMC³!

In many ways, the changes in Eagles Media Center over the past few months reflect changes in my own life.  EMC³ is moving forward into uncharted territory, much like the senior class is preparing to start a new chapter in our lives.  High school only happens once, and under– and upperclassmen alike should savor the time we have together.  As I begin my journey as a senior, it’s become even more apparent to me that I should enjoy the limited time I have left here in Galway and try to leave our community—and EMC³—a better place.  I’ll see you next month!