Lancers We Will Ever Be: Continuing coverage amid COVID-19 cancellations and concerns

A virus that originated halfway across the world crept across American borders months ago, rapidly taking away our siblings’ educations, parents’ jobs and grandparents’ everyday lives with it.  Our response started as innocent memes poking fun at the virus, but soon transitioned to stay-at-home orders and mandatory quarantines –– protocol only comparable to the brief days following 9/11. But the world has never become a holding cell quite like this. 

Schools have closed, social activity has been restricted and the business world has reached a near-shutdown — but in this time of uncertainty, we want our readers to know that our voice remains. The Harbinger staff intends to continue what we’ve always done: spotlighting the student body, informing the community with trustworthy coverage and being an outlet for student voices to be heard.

While you remain cooped up in self-quarantine, know that you’re not entirely alone, not entirely isolated from the community — we’re still here to connect you with the world around you. We will continue to take on the roles of storytellers, reporters and entertainers. 

Journalists report. Caretakers provide health care. Assisted living employees work to protect the most vulnerable during this virus. Students take the advised precautions to prevent spread. No matter where you fit into society, we all play an important part in flattening the curve. 

Youtube set aside an entire folder dedicated to coronavirus-related content on your home page. Every website or social media site you’ve visited since the outbreak provides its own COVID-19 informational button. The rest of the world is staying informed. You should too. 

Look to the major news outlets during this pandemic. They are spending hours reporting the latest death counts, covering every press conference to separate facts from far-fetched claims and spreading trustworthy advice to adhere to.

And although The Harbinger doesn’t have the same capabilities as these outlets in terms of reporting the story first, we can provide in a way Kansas City Star or Wall Street Journal cannot. The East student body is our narrow target, allowing us to zero in on what’s most relevant to us as students, whether that be the latest on the online schooling process, a reflection on the loss of an end to senior year or how immunocompromised students are finding unique ways to evade the virus.

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Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced the closing of all K-12 schools on Tuesday. For some, the closing means not sitting in the classrooms of East surrounded by their peers until August. But for others, it means having to face the end of conventional high school days two months early. It may seem like the time to say goodbye: goodbye to second breakfasts spent crowding the hallways while catching up with friends, goodbye to sports practices with the teammates we’ve spent seasons holding close and goodbye to the daily routines we find comfort in. But as we say these goodbyes, we must remember the strength of our community and the incredible people within it. There are still stories to tell. There will always be stories to tell. With your trust and support, we plan to keep telling these stories — our stories. The Harbinger staff will continue to serve our student body with dedicated coverage of the world around us. High school days too soon are gone, but nothing is ever truly over. Lancers we are now, and Lancers we will ever be.

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We acknowledge that we are not professionals. We don’t have employees, we have students. We don’t receive a salary or commission for our work, only the gratification of feedback and impact from our peers. But our publication has the ability to accomplish a feat impossible to the outlets we see on our TV or that we pick up off the end of our driveway. 

We are high schoolers, writing to high schoolers. Our office is a classroom and the action happens right outside our doors. The Harbinger has the privilege, unlike established news providers, to exist in the middle of our base and connect our readers to each other. We know what issues matter the most because they hit our lives in the same capacity they do yours. 

As we all marched onto the football field to protest teacher contract inefficiencies, the girl to your left might have been our head broadcast editor. Just before we all stormed the court at the white-out Rockhurst game, Harbinger staffers recorded live updates on Snapchat, for those who couldn’t make it. And while we laughed at nose-blown recorder players and applauded talented singers at the talent show, our editors were in the front row with you all. 

The past couple of weeks may seem near-apocalyptic. Your community may feel more distant than ever. But even though class is out of session, we can promise one thing. The Harbinger is not. 

Check out the latest Harbinger edition below.