By Siddarth Tumu ’18, Staff Writer

“Newark Academy will contribute to the world engaged individuals instilled with a passion for learning, a standard of excellence, and a generosity of spirit.” This is Newark Academy’s mission statement. Though perhaps not widely known or considered in the school community on a daily basis, our mission statement shapes the way that Newark Academy is run and what faculty and students alike strive for. The mission statement, whether explicitly or subconsciously, affects the way things are done and influences many aspects of the school community, including The Minuteman newspaper.

Matt Thekkethala, Upper School President and writer for the Feature section, thinks that The Minuteman primarily pertains to two aspects of the mission statement: ‘engaged individuals’ and ‘a standard of excellence’. He commented, “I can safely say that as a student body, Newark Academy is heavily involved in the world around us, whether it be through initiating philanthropic or social justice projects, following political and world news closely, and discussing every little thing very passionately.” Matt believes that The Minuteman helps foster­ this engagement, giving students the opportunity voice their opinions in print. Matt cites several examples of this, such as evaluations of Newark Academy traditions such as June Term, the ‘Bonus Period’ havoc of 2012 and USA Day. Though Matt believes that writers are engaged and work towards a standard of excellence, he has never considered Newark Academy’s mission statement when writing an article. Matt believes this to be the case for many writers. While writers may not explicitly think about the mission statement while writing, Matt thinks that the ‘standard of excellence’ is engrained into the way a writer approaches an article. On a more general level, Matt believes that the mission statement does indeed have an effect on the way the newspaper is run. Editors expect the best from their writers, and writers are always striving for the standard of excellence that meets these expectations. Despite the fact that there seems to be an inherent connection between Newark Academy’s mission statement and The Minuteman, Matt thinks that this connection is not made obvious. To this end, Matt thinks it would be a good idea for the editors to include a message about the mission statement on the homepage of The Minuteman.

Dr. De Santa, English teacher and faculty co-advisor to the newspaper, believes that the newspaper fulfills Newark Academy’s mission statement on a number of levels. “The Minuteman attracts individuals who are engaged with the immediate ‘worlds’ around them (the school, their towns and communities) and also the world at large. For many of our writers and editors, journalism is clearly a passion. All recognize that it is certainly a craft, and to this end they work hard to achieve excellence in what they do. While ‘generosity of spirit’ may not be a phrase that initially comes to mind when thinking about the newspaper, I think that writing — an act of communication and expression — is inherently a generous act.” Dr. De Santa thinks that writers approach their work mindful of the tenets set forth in the mission statement, even if they do so subconsciously. She says that by doing this, the writers embody these principles and are giving back to the school community that they are personally so invested in. Although Dr. De Santa agrees that the connection between the mission statement and The Minuteman is not made obvious, she believes that the newspaper is an example of the finest qualities of thought that Newark Academy students exhibit. Dr. De Santa thinks it is a good idea to be more mindful of the mission statement as work is done towards producing future sets.

While Newark Academy’s mission statement is not widely known, and while it may not have an immediate impact on the newspaper or school life in general, it creates a foundation for students to take their learning to the next level, all while contributing to the society that has shaped them. The mission statement may not seem important, but without it, Newark Academy culture and life would not be the way we know it today. The Minuteman is an embodiment and extension of the principles that the Newark Academy mission statement encapsulates.