Welcome to The New Viking Vibe!

Mr. Peter Honig (Advisor) –

Welcome to the new Viking Vibe!

I am excited and honored to be taking on the role of advisor for this paper, a publication that goes all the way back to the origins of South Brunswick High School. In some ways, I have been preparing for this role for decades. I started in journalism as a film critic for my high school newspaper and continued in journalism through college and my first post-graduate job in a variety of roles, from opinions columnist to sports writer to entertainment editor. And even after I switched careers, I have still been indirectly engaged with journalism, both in a brief stint as editor of an entertainment supplement to the Vibe and as an English teacher, where I get to see firsthand how many gifted writers and thinkers we have in the student body of SBHS.

Our publication’s new tagline is “Turning Every Page.” I adapted this from Robert Caro, one of the journalists I admire the most. In his book Working, Caro relates the advice that his first editor gave him: “Turn every page. Never assume anything.”

This line means a few things to me. First, it explains the ethos of our writers. We want to write from a place of expertise, which means that we research and observe as much as possible, do as many interviews as possible, and follow every lead and ongoing story. Whatever it takes to develop the stories that matter to the members of the SBHS community, we will do.

It is also a reminder that there are stories everywhere you look at SBHS, and we aim to cover them all. There are the major stories, like budget issues, redistricting and administrative turnover. There are the stories that make up the academics and culture of SBHS. There are stories about the world at large as it shapes us and stories about the politics and entertinment of the day. And then there are the stories that don’t seem like stories at all, everything from the origins of our fire drill procedures to the story behind the majestic sycamore tree in the faculty area courtyard (hint: it was once on the moon). There are stories everywhere you look, and one of our top goals is to find those stories and make them meaningful for our readers.

Finally, “turning every page” is an invitation to our readers: Turn every page (or to be exact, click every link).  As the former Viking Vibe motto goes: “The press belongs to everybody, even you.” Our top priority is the publication of pieces that are interesting, readable and written to the highest standards. We are hoping to publish new articles daily, so we hope that reading The Viking Vibe becomes part of your routine. And anybody can become a part of this paper: We would love to hear your comments on existing stories or your ideas for new ones. And if you have a story to tell about South Brunswick, we hope you consider joining our club (Classroom code: njyounkh) and writing your own articles.

While it has been occasionally overwhelming  to take over a new club, develop a new course, and launch a brand new site, I have had a lot of help. First and foremost, there is the Viking Vibe Board, the seven students whose stories you see below, and whose writing and editing you will be able to read every day on the new site. I am honored to be working with group of students as creative, energetic and committed as they are. And thank you to the rest of our club members and  journalism students as well. They are working hard to create their own articles, and they will be the future of the Vibe. I also want to thank Principal Peter Varela, English Supervisor Dan Brack, English Chair Shauna Schwartz, Librarian Lisa Manganello and Activities Coordinator Lauren Morris for their confidence in me and their support throughout all phases of this transition. Finally, I would also like to thank Mr. Andrew Loh, who ran the Vibe for over 20 years and has been supportive at every step of this process. 

But enough from me–this site belongs to the students, and they will take the rest from here:

Om Bhaskar (Editor) – 

With the Viking Vibe facing such a large shift, we have a golden opportunity to inform people from all walks of life about all sorts of topics. It doesn’t matter what topics you like reading about, we have something for virtually everyone. 

The Vibe has, suffice to say, not been the most active in the past few years. We published articles only semi-regularly on our website and hardly had print editions. The opportunity to essentially have a Viking Vibe Renaissance was one the editorial board simply couldn’t wait for. 

I’d like to thank not just Mr. Honig for his ambitions for the vibe, but Mr. Loh for teaching me the fundamentals of journalism, and the editors that came before me for their diligence and passion for writing. 

I personally hope that with this revival, the Vibe will be able to get more information out to more people in a timely fashion. The entire budget crisis we’ve been facing hasn’t gotten much written attention, and it should be our responsibility to tell people about it so the many instances of confusion and surprise that happened in the past don’t happen again. 

The Vibe’s ability to give students like myself the chance to speak their minds about specific topics is also great. I’d describe myself as having an interest in politics, history, and culture, and the Vibe provides an outlet for us to talk about issues, no matter how significant. 

The future is bright for the Viking Vibe, and I’m confident it will become a beacon of information sharing for decades to come in the school.

Viren Abroal (Editor) –

I’ve been a part of the Viking Vibe newspaper club since my freshman year. This is a fact that, when mentioned to my friends, typically gets the same response: “I didn’t even know we had a school newspaper!”

While some could attribute this to a lack of advertising or print editions, I firmly believe that the stories themselves were what made the Vibe go unnoticed for so long. There is an interesting story within every topic, and I firmly believe that this year will be the year in which we learn to bring these stories to light.

I particularly have always been interested in film, and the increasing debate over whether “cinema is dead” intrigues me, mainly because I believe that the movies people like to see are not uplifted enough. 

While I have written articles about the film industry and trends in the past (thanks to former Vibe advisor Mr. Loh, who I learned to write articles from), I plan to dedicate much of my time this year reviewing recently released films to bring back cinema to South Brunswick.

Movies are a reflection of ourselves, and I hope that general reviews about the state of the industry as well as specific movies I recommend will reach students and inspire them in ways that a sequel to a reboot of a trilogy hasn’t. 

I am not the only film lover in the club, however. Mr. Honig, our new advisor, has a similar passion for movies as he does with writing. With his new direction of the club, I hope that I can help spark a love of film within the community.

Eliza Khan (Editor in Chief) –  

As a senior, this year marks my fourth and final year of being in the Viking Vibe. I always thought you had to be a ‘good’ writer to be in this club. Over time, I realized that wasn’t the case. I learned that writing can be fun and diverse. Specifically, I have grown to love writing about school events and being able to attend ones I wouldn’t even think about, If I hadn’t planned to be in the club. 

Being in the newspaper has opened my eyes to the spirit of SBHS and the many people and events that are unappreciated or overlooked. If it weren’t for this club, I would barely know my school or be able to contribute towards it. However, journalism has helped me become educated about the little things including the many interesting people and staff that build this school. 

Journalism is my way of expressing the significance of our school to others. For that, I thank the Newspaper and Journalism teacher of my first 3 years at SBHS, Mr. Loh. He taught me and most others a part of the club, the importance and basic structure of journalism. And now, Mr. Honig shows great enthusiasm and takes pride within our club and class, making the whole experience feel special. 

I can’t wait to see what great things the Viking Vibe may accomplish and how this tight-knit community of reporters may continue to grow–my freshmen self would be so proud!! 

Shashank Manicka (Editor)

This is my third year in journalism and my second year in the club. Looking back, I’m really glad I took a chance on something new during my freshman year when I chose to take Mr. Loh’s Journalism in the 21st Century class. I originally joined to improve my writing and learn new skills, but over the years, I’ve gained so much more than just that. I’ve found a supportive community and made some of my closest friends along the way.

Outside of journalism, I’m deeply passionate about community service and medicine, so much of my writing naturally focuses on medical issues and advancements happening in our community. I always try to connect my articles to the real-world impact they have and explain why these seemingly small developments actually matter to the people around us.

Being part of the Viking Vibe has given me the freedom to explore topics I care about while growing alongside a team of talented, dedicated writers. I’m incredibly excited to see what this year holds for us, as both a club and a family, and I’m especially thankful for Mr. Honig, our new advisor. He brings a fresh perspective to journalism, and I’m looking forward to seeing how his ideas help shape the future of our newspaper.

Bhavya Natarajan (Editor) – 

Being a part of the Vibe is truly one of the best experiences I have gotten out of high school, and I want nothing more than to share that with other people. For so long, the Vibe has been in the background, and  the existence of the newspaper comes as a surprise to nearly everyone. 

My personal hopes for this revival of Vibe is that we can get our club out there and help students find an outlet to write, because newspaper gives everyone a chance to have a voice, no matter the topic. I’d like to thank Mr. Loh for teaching me everything I know about journalism and setting up a path for us, especially with the experiences and friends I gained in my freshman year through the paper. I’d also like to thank Mr. Honig for undertaking the lofty task that is revamping the Vibe and his ambitions for us. 

I’m sure the rest of the board can relate, but I never thought I’d see the day that everyone knew about the Vibe and I am so excited for what’s to come. Being a part of this club has been so gratifying and I hope other students will gain as much from it as I have, and perhaps even more. 

Karim Salahie (Editor in Chief) – 

Over the years, the Viking Vibe has undergone many significant changes, including multiple renamings , but this year is especially special for me. The new website we’ve spent weeks designing, our ambitious plans to expand the paper’s reach, and the freedom we have given our writers have all taken months of planning, and to now see it go into action with a large team of dedicated and talented writers makes me proud of the work we’ve all put in.

I’ve always been interested in the stories behind small details in our school that usually go unnoticed. When going to look into these, I found that there’s a history behind the numbers on the parking spots outside, one of the courtyard trees that came from the moon, and the koi pond that quietly disappeared. There’s a story behind every aspect in this school, and I hope to write about every one I come across.

The Vibe advisor my first three years as a member, Mr. Loh, taught me lots about being a journalist and has set up an excellent foundation for the paper. And with Mr. Honig taking over with wild and big dreams for the paper, I can’t wait to see where we take it in the near future. There is much more to come in our project, so keep updated with the Vibe and always turn every page.

Ashley Soltys (Editor) – 

This is a new page for the Viking Vibe. Or should I say… webpage. Writing has always been my passion, since beyond my freshman year when I joined this newspaper, and will continue as I enter my junior year as an editor for the Vibe. I have learned over my time here how much perseverance and planning goes into writing just one article, and how to put my own voice into a piece of writing while still sticking to the facts. For that foundation I will forever be grateful for Mr. Loh’s teachings, and now Mr. Honig for continuing and expanding this newspaper’s impact in the SB community, with the other editors and me at the forefront.  

As you will see, I am very involved in the performing arts. From theater to choir and beyond, I combine both of my passions, being on the stage and putting pen to paper, through my pieces in the Vibe. In both aspects, I am putting what I have been continuously working towards, revising and editing time and time again, on display for the world to see. 

It is because of this newspaper that I have formed a love for getting to peek into and write about the different pockets of classes, clubs, activities, and sports at SBHS and in the broader community. I have been able to explore so many unique events and opportunities that I would not have known about otherwise, and it has been a responsibility I proudly take upon my shoulders to write about and share them with you. 

Keeping the community informed is one of the main purposes of a newspaper, and that is what we hope to accomplish, staying up-to-date and always going after that next story. I can’t wait for you to see what the Vibe will publish this year, and don’t worry, we will be “turning every page!”