On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19  a global pandemic. Along with thousands of others, our beloved high school, Cardinal Gibbons, would be forced into a shutdown. School academics were completely rewired; sports came to a halt; and after-school activities and extracurriculars would struggle to stay afloat. With this, our beloved student newspaper, The Crusader, would be forced into a hiatus.

Though these trying times were not easy to navigate, the days got easier and the trying times gradually improved. As school life began its return to normalcy, many wonderful organizations and clubs came back eager and motivated to reestablish what it means to be a Cardinal Gibbons Crusader.

The Gibbons Globe, our revamped, digital student newspaper, was one of these groups. The Gibbons Globe is proud to announce that its launch into the Gibbons community was a success!

Student editors and moderator Ms. Herche have been working on rebooting the Gibbons newspaper since the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. Ms. Herche, English teacher, Newspaper educator and editor support resource, has been working hard behind the scenes to bring the vision of a student-run digital newspaper to life. Ms. Herche said, “I thought we needed to bring it back so students have a voice here on campus.” Ms. Herche values the importance of a student newspaper, hoping to provide the Gibbons students with a platform to express themselves. 

With a new name and the creation of an entire website, The Gibbons Globe was excited to announce its presence to the school on February 3, 2023, with its launch party in the student lounge. Many members were pleased with the outcome. It was clear that The Gibbons Globe had caught the attention of dozens. 

Veronica Oliech, featured editor and assistant editor of A-C Music and dance, was one of the crucial pieces to the success of The Gibbons Globe launch party. Volunteering to leave her band class early, Veronica helped prepare the student lounge for the celebration–blowing up numerous balloons, rearranging tables, hanging confetti strips, and more, all so the event would go off without a hitch. Pleased with the outcome and hopeful for the team’s expansion, Veronica said, “If you enjoy writing or have a story idea, just come down to the newspaper club and write with us! We want the newspaper club to be a place where student voices can be heard.” 

Sarah Goodwin, Cardinal Gibbons junior and The Gibbons Globe launch party attendee, gave her thoughts on the potential of this paper. “It will be a good way to express the opinions of students regarding the school and what people want to see change.” Whether you love to write or just have a suggestion, the student newspaper is the new voice of our student body. The staff hopes to grow the team, but all students and encouraged to reach out with suggestions and look out for future ways to participate.

Overall, The Gibbons Globe staff was pleased with the outcome of their launch party, and they aren’t slowing down now. The staff hopes to increase their outreach and represent as many Gibbons groups as possible. When it comes to The Gibbons Globe, the sky is the limit.