Pembroke Pines Charter High School’s CHAT Newspaper is created by two classes: the Content class and the Digital class. While content is the class that writes everything for the paper, every single photo, graphic, gallery, and video is produced by Digital. Whether it’s drawing designs to accompany stories, taking photographs at the school’s football games, or shooting video of school events, Digital is essential to the newspaper.
Every year, each section is led by a specific editor. Next year, six new editors will take the reins for the paper’s Digital section: Evan Omana (Editor-in-Chief), Amaya Jorge (Managing Editor), Justin Betancourt (Graphics Editor), Nikhil Karri (Video Editor), Omar Mohsen (Photo Editor), and Krystal Castro (Social Media Editor).
Omana, the Digital section’s editor-in-chief, has a unique circumstance. A rising senior, Omana was also the editor-in-chief for the 2024-2025 school year, making him the first ever Digital editor-in-chief to have held the title for two consecutive years. Normally, only seniors hold the position, but Omana also served as the editor-in-chief for his junior year as well, giving him a unique perspective on what direction he wants to take the paper next year.
“This year has definitely given me an advantage for next year,” says Omana. “Now I know all the processes, I know everything. Now I’m more prepared, mentally and in the class, for all the challenges.”
Omana is also looking to make changes with the paper’s multimedia, specifically with the video team. “I noticed this year that it was a little disorganized with certain topics. The video team was brand new, so we didn’t really know where to go with that,” he says. “So it’s gonna be a little more structured with the video team and how it’s gonna work.”
Other changes within the newspaper as a whole will help facilitate the process, such as the creation of the Multimedia Editor-in-Chief position on the content side, which will help bridge the gap between content and digital, and will be filled by Janeyliz Baez. “We’re gonna have multimedia packages,” says Omana, “where we have a story with a graphic, a photo, a video, and a social media post all in one. [Multimedia] will be more integrated within the story. Her job is to manage all that, but my job within that would be the visual aspect of it, directing how it would look rather than just managing the entire thing.
However, individual sections need editing, too. Omar Mohsen, the CHAT’s Photo Editor, offers some perspective as to what the other editor roles are. “I’m going to be managing the photos, taking a lot of pictures,” says Mohsen. “It’s just a lot of managing and sending your team to go take pictures, and then critique them and help them improve.”
Mohsen shares Omana’s sentiment of working for a stronger multimedia presence, especially in regard to the contests at Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA) events. “One thing when we go to FSPA, something we often get marked down on is our multimedia. So what I want to do is start to incorporate graphics and photos, and hopefully we can somewhat combine the two teams.” When reflecting on the future process, Mohasen comments, “So if someone on the photo team takes a photo, we can give it to the graphics, and then the graphics can edit the photo, and maybe we can create some really cool covers.”
Justin Betancourt, the new Graphics Editor, has been in the CHAT for two years prior. He’s set goals for next year, wanting to improve the Digital team’s graphics. “Next year I want to learn more stuff about tech, more about spreads, maybe.” So far he’s been learning how to be an Editor so he can achieve those goals for next year.
Next year, the new Editors will assume their full duties and begin their management of the paper. Hopefully, collaboration between Digital and Content can move the CHAT somewhere new and make the paper even better.
