A Letter from the Editor

On January 1st of this year, I swore that 2023 would be a Year of Truth. A year free from any impulsive or compulsive lies on my part. Only the full power and splendor of Truth would emanate from my being. Keeping this sentiment, I feel it’s only right if I begin this letter with candor.

I never expected that I’d be appointed as editor of this paper. In all honesty, I joined this class because I liked writing and I held this belief that I would assume the role of a Lois Lane mixed with neo-noir film journalist with a modicum of Diane Sawyer and Walter Cronkite thrown into the mix. I didn’t even know that rookie writers could be elevated to the status of editor. So, when I was knighted by the High Priestess herself, I was thoroughly, yet pleasantly surprised.

Sure, I had hopes for this publication, but I didn’t exactly know what to do or what to expect. When one hears ‘journalist,’ thoughts of a TMZ type of entertainment-centric publication or the hardy, uber-serious papers of The New York Times or WSJ typically come to mind. I knew that the chance perusers of San Dimas News weren’t the type to enjoy or gravitate toward the aforementioned news outlets. So, I was SOL for that idea. 

Children and adolescents, I’ve come to realize, lack little critical thinking and reading comprehension skills. Myself included. Visuals are of utmost importance and if something doesn’t match the preexisting aesthetic crafted within my head, I’ll disregard it. If something is cheugy or cringe or visually unappealing, a Heraclesian force is required to change my mind. The first tick upon the metaphorical itinerary was updating our site. 

With full respect to previous generations, may the upperclassmen of yore forever lay within our hearts, crafting something decadent to the ol’ peepers wasn’t among their strong suits. In my humble opinion. I may not be an Anna Wintour or Georgia O’Keefe, assessing something’s objective beauty within an instant, but I am a human with a penchant for cynicism, criticism, and hateration. 

All by my lonesome, I tried to worm my ugly little head into every aspect of The Saint Scroll last year. The cynicism, criticism, and hater-ism are negative traits, yes, but my true hamartia is my need for control over every single cog in the machine. I will purposefully run myself ragged and control all possible chess pieces, even if it’s to my detriment. I felt the need to Leninize myself and incite an October Revolution within R-1, transforming all visual aspects of the Saint Scroll to fit my totalitarian, obsessive image. 

How fun. Anyways, my point is, that my very first year occupying a leadership position was mainly me trying to make world domination a reality for me. Fast forward to this year, I was even more confused that I kept a leadership role in Journalism. 

I thought I used up my good ju-ju and I could rejoin the ranks of my brethren, but, alas, I am the eponymous editor writing a letter from the editor to the few souls interested enough to first, go to the site, second, click this story, and third, read up until this point. 

My goal for this publication has been, and even when I’m no longer a member, and will be as follows: a place where students can share their interests with their peers. Despite my controlling nature, I love the idea of a public forum. Students from all walks of life, all perspectives, all schools of thought, even those that I disagree with, deserve a place where ideas can stand on equal footing against one another. That is my wish. Not only for the Saint Scroll but for all. 

The stories written by our peers this year have varied in almost every permutation of the word. They’ve varied in content, length, objective writing quality, and an innumerable amount of other reasons. I’ve heard critiques from other students regarding this. But I allowed, under my supervision, the writers to have their voices heard because it’s what should be done. 

Humans aren’t perfect, even though my very existence is proof of the converse. And our publication reflects that. But that isn’t to our detriment. What makes the Saint Scroll unique is that we are a beautiful melange of disarray and discipline. No one publish resembles the other, whether for better or for worse. I hope that this ethos of continued variability and wonderful clashing persists.

The truth is only that if it’s always true. And what’s always true is my wish for the diffusion of ideas. Hopefully, this year has illustrated that. 

Thanks for sticking with us,

Rosalia Velasquez.