From the Editors:  Eleanor Makower, Alice Parker, Sophie Pattison and Verity Reynolds, Y12

When faced with the exciting prospect of being able to contribute to the highly esteemed JAGS Magazine, we eager Year 12s relished the opportunity to jump on the editorial bandwagon. Budding journalists or not, the chance to experience a slice of the duties of the real world, whilst dealing with material with which we were both familiar and for which we felt passionate, had our pulses racing. As our job progressed, our pulses continued to race albeit for a different reason. Coming to grips with the implications of this role and the works of an editor was not always easy. Yes, the pressure to meet deadlines was stressful, but in the process we became skilled deadline-meeters (or rather negotiators). Yes, one of our editing team had to sacrifice a well-loved but rather unsuitable email address. One cannot relate the number of emails relayed back and forth between the team this past year, the number of times we have pummelled our backspace bars furiously, the amount of common room convening we have endured. It certainly wasn't a walk in the park.

However, despite having to hide from certain members of staff on more than one occasion, we finally managed to overcome the challenges and reap the rewards of our work. Eight months work culminated in our flat-planning meeting which took place before the summer and during which we oversaw the melding of, most importantly, the broad spectrum of opportunities offered across the range of departments and the dedication of our pupils and teachers.

We were free to decide how the content would be structured, to influence the colours used and the look of it all. This year we have highlighted the start of new subject with strong visual impact. New this year are special features, one on George Sands, linking French and Music, and one drawing on archive material. Let us know what you think.

It is perhaps clichéd to suggest that our jobs as magazine Editors have been stressful but thoroughly worthwhile. However, as literary types prone to exaggeration, that is the exact phrase that we feel best sums up this last school year. It has been a wonderful privilege to be able to sample the vast range of activities, trips and programmes that take place at our school, and as such has been a monumental learning curve for all of us; we speak not only for ourselves in saying that prior to our roles as editors we had no idea of the cornucopia of activities which go on, both above and under the radar, at JAGS. An equal privilege, however, has been the cooperation with Alison Venn, our wonderful Communications Director, and the talented designer Nick Parkinson- without whose help this humble effort to communicate the spectrum at JAGS could not have been completed. We hope you enjoy reading it just as much as we've enjoyed compiling it!

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