With every article published, interview conducted and layout designed, the Golden Arrow newsroom did not just document the year, it shaped it. This space for student journalism fostered curiosity, creativity and connection.
From spotlighting voices across campus to covering the defining moments of the year, Golden Arrow Staff turned curiosity into storytelling and ideas into action. The staff built a community, earned Woodbridge High’s trust and embraced the responsibility that comes with being the voice of the Woodbridge High students.
This year marked the introduction of “Beyond the Arrow”, Golden Arrow’s new podcast, allowing the staff to express themselves through another form of journalism media. We also brought in many awards from the Orange County Journalism Education Association (OCJEA) annual competition where we competed in writing, photography, illustrations and layouts. These events and many more are what made this year unforgettable.
In addition to this, the Golden Arrow Staff has worked together not only to make the publication memorable, but to build a community
Over the course of the year, the Golden Arrow newsroom has created meaningful experiences for all the staff involved by turning journalism from something they might be interested in into a passion.
“I’m really proud of the growth of our journalism program. It’s become something where people aren’t just writing to fulfill an obligation,” Web Editor-in-Chief Danbi Lee said. “I think people are actually writing because they care about the stories they create and they’re interested in the topics or the people they interview.”
Each of the stories that people create and the visuals that accompany them take the journalists down different paths, which may lead them to new opportunities.
“I just think journalism in general has so many different doors and if you are willing to go after each opportunity, it can do so much for you,” Print Editor-in-Chief Annabelle Ko said. “That’s like a lesson that I’ve learned specifically from this class and from the people in it.”
Since 1980, the Golden Arrow has always stood as a pillar of student opportunity, advocacy, and community.
The Golden Arrow not only gives people the ability to write about their passions, but it also allows students to create stories and illustrations about our country to educate the Woodbridge High community on broader topics that may affect them.
This blend of both national and local stories helps students feel connected to Woodbridge High and issues beyond our community.
All these stories, the ones about the outside world and the ones surrounding Woodbridge High were made possible by the Golden Arrow Staff.
“I think I will miss the people the most from the 2024-2025 school year. I will miss all of the amazing seniors that have inspired me so much this year. I will really miss all of the shared laughs, early distribution mornings, tough edits and creative meetings with them,” In Depth Editor and 2025-26 Web Editor-in-Chief Delara Mirdamadi said.
The people who contributed to the Golden Arrow are the ones who brought the program to life, creating the memories and experiences that made it so special.
“It feels like everyone in the journalism program is one big family, we’ve all bonded over stressful deadlines and working on layouts outside of class time,” News Editor and 2025-26 Print Editor-in-Chief Noor Andary said. “Now we’ve become such a close group where everyone knows everyone and supports each other, both in and out of class.”
Not only are we proud of the community we formed, but with a smaller staff of 21 people this year, we improved the print publication thanks to each person’s commitment and dedication to writing, editing, photographing, illustrating and designing layouts.
As this year comes to a close, a new one begins with fresh ideas, but the same shared purpose: to serve as a public forum for information and to objectively enlighten and entertain the Warrior community.
Next year’s team is eager to build on the Golden Arrow legacy, to create new stories for its next chapter, with changes such as working closer with other media electives such as Woodbridge High’s Yearbook and Warrior TV for fundraisers and other events as well as expanding Golden Arrow’s social media footprint to better communicate with the larger
student body.
In addition to these changes, Golden Arrow Staff will work harder to produce more written and photojournalism stories throughout the year to reflect the current events and issues on our campus and beyond.
Now that the torch is passed from current Editor in Chiefs to next year’s, it is a time to remember that Woodbridge High’s publication has never been just about the stories we publish— it’s about the story the Golden Arrow has written as a team.
Each headline, photo, and page layout reflects the countless hours of passion, collaboration and courage it takes to truly encompass the voices of the greater student body. This year, we didn’t just report the stories of Woodbridge High — we lived them, felt them and made them our own.
After sending the Senior Issue to print for the last distribution of the year, the most important thing left is the connection built between people who showed up for each other. More than anything, those bonds will be carried long after the final edit is turned in.
As one chapter closes and another begins, Ko and Lee sign off— and Andary and Mirdamadi sign on, ready to continue the story.
