MANCHESTER – As Roger Grimsby would say, “Here, now, the news:” The Talon, a revamped student news website at talonnews.org has taken flight.
Students of the Communications and Journalism program at Manchester Township High School recently announced the launch of their updated website whose mission is to provide students, staff and parents with up-to-date, accurate information that relates to what’s going on at the “Home of the Hawks.”
Like most news media outlets, The Talon’s core values are honesty, truth, accuracy, and objectivity.
“I’m really proud that the journalism/communications program was able to revitalize The Talon on a new outlet,” senior Val Kohan said.
Kohan is the co-editor-in chief of The Talon. She said that “letting our voices be heard through our articles is a pivotal moment in our high school careers.”
Senior Co-Editor-in-Chief Sam Verdi echoed Kohan’s excitement saying, “I think this new website will be a hit amongst the people of our community. The journalism program has been steadily advancing toward a great legacy that will be maintained for years to come.”
Verdi and Kohan and other staff members are urging the public to visit the website frequently for up-to-date news and information relevant to the Manchester Township High School community.
The Talon features columns, sports and other school related topics. Any student interested in writing an article for the website should stop by Room 329 and see the program’s advisor, Journalism teacher Jill Ocone, in person.
Ocone told The Manchester Times that “it excites me to have such passionate journalism students in the program. Last year, Val and Sam came to me with an idea to update the student news website and they found the perfect site for our program’s needs.”
“The students in the program are also excited because now their work to inform the Manchester community looks so much more professional,” she added.
Ocone said the site “also includes articles of general interest about Manchester, Lakehurst and state history. A new header design and logo for the new site is currently being created by our host site and should be up within the next month or so.”
“The new website is very exciting for all of us. I’m most excited about the articles about the New York Yankees I will write because more people will be able to read them,” Beat Writer/Layout Assistant Joey Migliaccio said.
Kohan said, “the new and improved website is exciting to say the least. It’s a new school year with a new website, the possibilities for articles are endless. As the Editor-in-Chief and a senior, starting my final year in high school with The Talon is refreshing with all the new faces in the program. I can’t wait to see how the students in the program express their voices this year and leave their legacy.”
Student Andrew Perez is the Food Critic/Assistant Editor. “The Talon news website is a huge step forward in our journalism program. It’s just the beginning and it’s where we will continue to grow as student journalists.
Another feature in The Talon is The Secret Origins history column which is where readers can go for articles on the history of Manchester, Lakehurst, “and the greater New Jersey”
Verdi writes this column for the Talon 2.0 website and noted that it was “inspired by the last printed edition of The Talon magazine which was the Spring 2022 Special Edition that focused on the local history of Manchester and Lakehurst.”
“The articles in this column will take you through in depth how Manchester and Lakehurst came to be, including tales of the railroad, the Native Americans, the World War I facilities, and of course, the Hindenburg. Articles will also cover past events in New Jersey such as epic Revolutionary War battles, how surrounding towns were founded, treasure-filled shipwrecks from 300 years ago, and even pirates and bandit groups,” she added.
Verdi also wrote “How to Restore Mysterious Railroad Pieces” in another installment of the Secret Origins History column. “You go over to investigate, and soon start digging up this mysterious metal object. Fully uncovered before you, you see it is a railroad spike. Looking at this mysterious object, you begin to wonder, why is it here? How old is it? What did it look like before nature reclaimed it?”
Sports are a big part of high school life and The Talon has a section for MTHS sports coverage. Staff writers Skye Colon, Travis Jackson, Matthias Payton, Anthony Sievers, and Manny Swain provide some of the athletic highlights at the high school.
Students are welcome to write about their other interests, such as entertainment.
Kohan, for example, wrote several articles as part of The Talon’s entertainment column “The Daily Bugle” (named after the fictional daily newspaper that Peter Parker who is secretly Spider-man of Marvel Comics fame works at as a photographer).
