Here at the Macleans College News Committee, our main focus is bringing authentic student culture across everything we do. Would it be real authenticity if every single article sounded the same because there was one monotone theme across everything we wrote? Of course not. In order to bring real integrity and authenticity to this committee, there needs to be different perspectives to showcase the diversity of our school.
There are a lot of key differences between the writer’s department and the other departments in any other extracurricular. First of all, the text you’re solely reading right here is quite literally from the writer’s voice, which gives a distinct uniqueness to every piece. And I, of course, cannot stress enough about how important it is for the writer’s department to have different specialties that add a diverse range of articles onto the website. I mean, who wants to read all of the same thing but just different content?
For example, my boss – Clarissa Oblefias – is a Year 13 student who has spent a lot of her time in the music department. She’s seen it all. From writing about the 2023 Macleans College ‘The Little Mermaid’ musical to the recent Gala Concert, she’s always giving the music department the platform they deserve. Clarissa has a gold badge for her three years of commitment to the musical department, specialising in the vocal scene. She is also the head of our writing department, meaning Clarissa is quite the overseer of us all.
“I never expected to do something like News Committee until I impulsively applied at the end of 2022. But I always knew I would do choir; I wanted to be like those seniors who say ‘I’ve done choir for 10 years’, and I’ve done just that. It’s also worth mentioning that many schools wish they had a performing arts culture like we do; during COVID, the choir never lost any members.”
– Clarissa Oblefias, Head Writer for News Committee and Section Leader for the Macleans College Chorale
Another example of a niche is my colleague (and friend) Aaron Huang! Here at the MCNC, each and every student comes from different places and groups around the school. Aaron is one of the executives in the Investment Club. And because Aaron is the head of the Investment Club, he’s always eager to recruit new members through our website. Aaron is also an expert in productivity, and has written several guides on how to maximise time and work; they really do help.
“I chose productivity as my niche because if you’re more productive you’ll do better in school. If you do better in school you’ll go to a good university and get a good job. If you get a good job you can contribute to the economy. If you contribute to the economy then Real GDP growth go brrrrr. If real GDP growth go brrrr then we all get money and we are all happy people.”
– Aaron Huang, Executive of Investment Club and the future Head of Writing
Another niche is my colleague Shafquat Tabeeb, a Year 13 student who holds executive positions in several clubs. As he is in his last year, this means he’s seen the most of Macleans College at this point. Focusing his journalistic lens on student-led and fundraising initiatives at our school, Shafquat covers such events including the UNICEF & Interact Bake Sales, the Intercultural Flag Pageant he helped organise, as well as the Market Day & BATMAN Carnival. His services throughout the school really gives us a perspective on what it’s like there, and it’s great to read about a perspective like his.
“I chose to report on service initiatives to shine a light on the often overlooked efforts that students put into making our school a better place. While these initiatives may not always grab the headlines, they play a crucial role in fostering a sense of community and compassion within our campus, with its relevance especially significant considering the upcoming ‘Make A Student Happy’, or MASH, Week. Every act of service, no matter how small, contributes to the larger tapestry of our school’s culture, and I hope to inspire more students to get involved and contribute to the positive changes happening around us!”
-Shafquat Tabeeb, executive of several clubs and a writer at News Committee
The Writer’s department is always bubbling with motivation and ideas, coming up with ways to give a platform to any scene at Macleans College. Whether it’s a small event for a small club, or something school-wide like cross country, the writer’s department of the Macleans College News Committee will always find a way – or make a way – to deliver the news.
And remember what we always say,
“Always supporting a hard worker.”
13th August, 2023
Written by Emma Li, edited by Shafquat Tabeeb, Clarissa Oblefias, and Aaron Huang
Photography by Emma Li
