As the 2023-24 school year comes to a close, the AHA Blue & Gold looks back on some of the successes it has achieved over the past eight months. With the newly added sections and staff members, along with the opportunity to attend the Minnesota Journalism Convention this past fall, the Blue & Gold staff has been able to take the newspaper to the point where it can now hold its own amongst other high school newspapers across the state. Here are some of the thoughts from the co-editors in chief from this year.

Josh:

As I look back on the Blue & Gold’s growth over the last few months I see some apparent changes which have allowed this publication to grow. One of the major things that occurred this year was the Blue & Gold’s transition from a .com to a .org. This switch allowed for what I would call the rebirth of the Blue & Gold. The articles went from the annual piece that every high school newspaper features to more in-depth articles that highlight the students and AHA. In addition, I would say that the growth in our social media presence has also impacted the Blue & Gold’s overall viewership and engagement as well. Since the beginning of the school year, there has been an increased amount of attention on the Blue & Gold Instagram account because many AHA students receive their news from social media. By posting our articles on Instagram, the Blue & Gold was allowed to grow among all in the AHA community who are curious as to what is going on at AHA. As of February 2023, we have reached 5,971 impressions (109% increase) and 589 accounts.

Ella:

I have been involved in the newspaper since my sophomore year, but this year has brought a whole new level of efficiency and detail to the Blue & Gold. With the addition of subsections and section editors, the staff has been able to focus on specific interests, going into more depth than they could before. Additionally, the amount of articles being written and published has increased substantially this year, allowing for more variety and content coverage, which appeals to a greater audience because there’s truly something for everyone. My hope for the future is to increase our staff numbers and continue to increase student readership. 

We would like to thank Ms. Aylward, our fellow section editors, and our staff for all the hard work they’ve put in this year. The Blue & Gold keeps growing and improving, and it couldn’t have been done without them.