Editorial Oct 6, 2025: Students Tell Their Own Story

We think student voice and perspective matter. 

We’re proud to introduce The Sting—a revived GISS newspaper created and produced entirely by students. The name pays tribute to an old tradition of student journalism at Gulf Islands Secondary; the original Sting buzzed through these halls more than twenty-five years ago. Today’s version, designed by a dedicated team from our Media Lab class, carries that same spirit forward—this time with digital design tools, original photography, and authentic student storytelling. Our goal is to publish at least one issue each month, sharing what matters most in the life of our school. 

At the heart of The Sting is a belief in the power of student voice and perspective. When students tell their own stories—about their learning, their teams, their art, their ideas—it creates value on two levels. Readers gain an honest window into the energy and experiences of our school community, and the student journalists themselves deepen their learning through real-world work. They decide what stories to tell, they plan interviews, design layouts, and publish for a genuine audience. 

In this work, we see deeper learning in action: mastery in developing new skills in writing, photography, and design; identity in discovering who they are and what they care about through the stories they choose to tell; and creativity in shaping ideas, images, and words into something that captures attention and meaning. 

We’re proud of this first issue—and even more proud of the collaboration, problem-solving, and commitment that brought it to life. As the year goes on, we’ll continue to reflect, grow, and aim higher. Our longer-term goal is to produce an interesting, thoughtful, and entertaining newspaper that is widely read and genuinely appreciated by our community. 

— Ryan Massey, Principal  Interim Editor-in-Chief, The Sting