Letter from the Editor: Our Year in Review

Dear Reader,

Over the course of the past year, I, along with junior editors Rebecca Billete, Anna Norris, and our advisor Adrienne Stumb, have presented Watauga High School with a comprehensive newsletter.

The Powderhorn started up again six years ago and has since transitioned to a digital publication featuring news articles, podcasts, photo essays, and multimedia packages. Our goal has always been to represent the entirety of our student body, which is why this year we began the initiative of translating 25% of our news coverage into Spanish and moved to a public forum to avoid any censorship of our journalism.

With over 35 staff writers, we have been determined to preserve news media and investigative student reports. From local budget cuts to AI detection, we questioned the intersection of social impact and individuals and sought to connect students to the broader cultural narrative. On behalf of our staff, thank you to the student body for offering your voice, which makes all of the above possible, meaningful and memorable. 

To my staff, I want to start by thanking you all for the sheer amount of work you have put into assembling a run each week, with no less than five stories. After the tragedy of Hurricane Helene and a winter of remote classes, I am beyond impressed by the dedication to the Watauga community and for addressing these matters with the approach of service over self. For all the interviews, or not-interviews that you have learned to manage, and for the tedious time spent transcribing voice memos, thank you for your creative presence at Watauga High School.

Sincerely,

Mia Llibre 

Editor-in-Chief