Every Papyrus article you have read in the past year has been the product of late nights, tight deadlines, and many iced coffees. While this may apply to each of our school newspaper’s 40 writers, it is especially true for our club leaders, our mentors, our Editors-in-Chief: Allison Palmer, Alex Werner, and Steven Zhang. From revamping the Papyrus website to starting a podcast, Allison, Alex, and Steven have changed the way our school newspaper operates. They have introduced their creative and innovative ideas and expertly brought them to life.
Since her Lower Mid year, Allison Palmer has been a vital member of the Papyrus. She was a staff writer for two years, news section editor her Upper Mid year, and finally, an Editor-in-Chief her senior year. The Pap would not be what it is today without Allison. Allison’s dedication and around-the-clock work have left a lasting impact and have not gone unnoticed. Allison’s articles, which have covered just about every topic out there, will leave a written legacy on the Pap that will not be forgotten. Through her kindness and creativity, Allison fostered a welcoming and productive environment in all of our meetings. Allison’s warmth didn’t end at our meetings; she brought her lively energy to all she did around Taft. As a school and dorm monitor, Allison set a high standard for leadership and compassion at Taft. She was Vice President of the Taft Financial Society and a vocal and prominent member of the Taft community, leaving her mark on everything she did. Allison has truly shaped the Papyrus – and Taft – for the better; Allison, we, and all of Taft will miss you next year!
If there’s one thing Alex Werner knows how to do, it’s lead an initiative with both decisiveness and integrity, and everyone around her clearly admires her for this skill. In completing her GSS diploma, Alex proved herself a tactful and empathetic citizen of the world, ever the journalist in the observations she collected and reported at Model UN conferences and on her trips abroad. She was especially diplomatic when presiding over the floors of Voge as a dorm monitor, mediating conflict and fostering a wonderful culture just as she did for the Papyrus. And the approving audience at her GLI presentation evening surely noticed her remarkable ability to identify problems around her and move deftly to solve them however she could. Under her leadership, the Papyrus emanated ambition, dedication, and the passion it takes to accurately represent current issues both inside our school community and far beyond it – all following the well-traveled and outgoing Alex’s example. We fondly wish her all the best in her future pursuits and hope she knows how grateful we all are to have received her guidance.
It’s nearly impossible to condense everything Steven has done at Taft into one paragraph. Hailing from the bright, bustling city of Hong Kong, Steven has brought his talents in the arts, athletics, and academics to our tranquil campus. Whether on the Bingham stage, the tennis courts, or in the Black Box, chances are you’ve seen Steven in action. A natural leader, Steven has served as a school monitor, Pan-Asian Affinity Group head, Global Journal Editor-in-Chief, Oriocos head, Chamber Ensemble concertmaster, and, of course, Papyrus Editor-in-Chief. But beyond all these roles, Steven inspired Taft students daily with his genuine love for our community. He walked down Main Hall with a smile on his face every day, waving and greeting his fellow Tafties. On the Papyrus, Steven quickly became an indispensable member despite having joined in his Upper Mid year. His grounded composure and easy humor brought clarity to even the most hectic brainstorming sessions of our monthly meetings. Steven’s graduation will leave a gaping hole in our community, and we will miss hearing his warm, booming laughter around campus.
We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to these EICs for showing us exactly how a robust and culturally important club should be run, and for leaving behind a legacy of purpose and creativity. We will miss their presence and work very much, but we will be proud to see them share their many talents with their respective colleges. We are incredibly honored to be taking on the responsibility of leading the Papyrus, and we hope we can do these roles justice, knowing that we have such wonderfully big shoes to fill.
