As you’ll read below, the Opinion team is composed of students from various backgrounds. Yet, what drew us all to this section is that we felt we had something to say. As we look forward to a new year on The Paw Print, we aspire to bring fresh voices to the Opinion Section, so, this summer, we encourage students to reflect on the past school year and, in the fall, we hope you’ll bring those thoughts to The Paw Print, turning your ideas into something the community can read and maybe even act on.
Charlie Kashkooli (Editor): I decided to write for the Opinion section because I have a lot of ideas about Poly and the world around me, and I wanted to share my thoughts with other people. While I love a lot of things about Poly, I also think that it is important for students to have a voice to share our ideas and make sure teachers and administrators are making decisions in our best interest. I have enjoyed getting feedback from other students who liked my articles and agreed with my opinions. But I also think it is important to write about topics that other people might disagree with – not for the sake of being controversial, but because these articles are able to make a difference. The Opinion section can truly spark conversation, and ideally make change. One article I wrote was about how humanities classes should respond to increasing political polarization. I wanted to address the fact that Poly’s views are often quite separate from the rest of our country, so we have trouble understanding the viewpoints of other Americans. But I also wanted to address the more urgent issues of our country: we have elected a president who is extremely dangerous and reckless, but he has gained enough popularity to be elected twice as a result of how divided our country is. I think the small impact we have at Poly in being open-minded to people who have different beliefs than us is an important part of bridging divides and creating a political movement focused on inclusivity, not hate. I appreciated hearing the positive response from teachers who read my article and wanted to reflect on how the English and History departments can address these issues. The Paw Print is read throughout the Poly community, so we are able to reach a lot of people. I am really excited to be able to step into the role as an Opinion editor this year and help support new writers with their ideas.
Ella Dan (Editor): After having participated in the “Newspaper Block” in middle school, I jumped at the opportunity to write for The Paw Print in my freshman year. When the first issue came around, I was initially drawn to the Opinion section because, coming from a debate background, I craved a platform where I could argue for what I believed in; in all honesty, the Opinion section initially felt like a place to vent. However, over my time, I’ve realized something I did not expect: people actually listen. For example, to my classmates’ delight, some of my teachers canceled homework after I wrote an article outlining the reasons for a homework-free Halloween. Although a small win, this moment reflects the most important principle of the Opinion section: highlighting student voices. Throughout our time in high school, many decisions will be made at Poly, and although they affect our everyday student lives, we rarely have a voice, so those choices can feel arbitrary and frustrating. The Opinion section exists precisely to alleviate that, yet despite the opportunity this section offers, I’ve noticed that many new writers are hesitant to join due to the perception of it being the “hardest section.” Next year, in my role of Opinion Editor, I hope to break down the stigma around the Opinion section and push people to express their perspectives.
Ariana Hosseini (Assistant): I didn’t expect to be part of The Paw Print leadership. As someone who considers herself more “STEM focused,” I didn’t even expect to be a student contributor. It all started at the beginning of this year, when I took notice of how much I hated our new schedule. Both my peers and I were frustrated, and yet nobody was speaking out about it. Coincidentally, that week, I attended a Paw Print meeting to tag along with a couple of friends who were regular contributors. I quickly realized writing for the Opinion section could be the perfect way to express my disdain for the schedule. After my article was published, I felt heard, and I also felt a sense of satisfaction with “letting it all out.” I think the most amazing thing about The Paw Print’s Opinion section is that the ideas you put out there can actually become realities when the right people read them. For example, after Upper School History Teacher Alex Melonas read my article about encouraging students’ civic engagement with current events, he added a small project in our history class in which we studied and analyzed prevalent issues from The New York Times, The Economist, and the LA Times. Writing in the Opinion section is more than just words on paper; what you contribute can actually become a much-needed change in the Poly community. As a 2026-2027 Assistant Opinion Editor, I look forward not only to writing more articles but also to aiding prospective student contributors with making their voices heard too.
Kara Kang (Assistant): I decided to write for the Opinion section this year because I believe that having platforms that protect students’ ability to express their grievances and experiences is critical. Learning how to write persuasive articles and effectively communicate my thoughts has been really fulfilling for me. My contributions to the Opinion section include the “Modern Spud” series, in which I’ve conveyed my thoughts on the Poly community or society itself through comic strips. As an artist and writer, I value the flexibility that the Opinion section affords contributors; I see it as proof that contributors can come from all communities. My first comic strip depicted a scene where my “spud” feels hopeless after reading the newspaper, realizing that so many crises are beyond his control. Through this piece, I wanted to convey my own feelings of pessimism as I tried keeping up with politics and world affairs at the beginning of the year. Another strip expressed my opinion that many Poly students may live in ways that contradict our purported values. Surprisingly, I was approached by many peers and teachers who related to the opinions I shared. I think my experience shows the most fulfilling aspect of writing: the potential to share and relate to others. Creating can be meaningful at a personal level, but taking the initiative to publicize my thoughts pushed me to be vulnerable to a large audience. In a world where the truth can feel obscured, I believe that it can be found closest to home in the thoughts, experiences, and voices of the people around us. This year, as Assistant Section Editor, I am committed to bringing those voices to the forefront. I hope to work alongside each of you, and I’m excited to see what we build together.
