Months ago, a tornado of unforeseen events began to wreak havoc on the world around us. Between a stay at home order, mandatory mask mandates, online school, and a social justice movement, almost all of the regularity we had in our lives has been destroyed. There is no more wall of normality to sit against hands over head style and hope that the storm will pass. As more and more time goes by, it’s clear this storm will have consequences long after it’s over.

It’s easy for students to think they are surrounded by changes that they have no control over. On a small scale, the school year brings struggles like scheduling complications, debate about in-person learning and uncertainty about many future athletic and academic events, and on a larger scale we see upcoming elections that many high school students are unable to vote in, the national rise in police brutality being brought to public attention and the global pandemic becoming added sources of stress in students’ lives. Despite everything going on, students still find ways to get involved within the school and the community through sports, work, clubs, and youth organizations.

A lot of injustice has been uncovered in the past few months. In this turmoil, one thing has remained a common denominator: youth voices are pushing forward and raising awareness. Young voters are trying to create the turnout seen in the 2018 elections. Local teenagers are making masks for community members and organizing marches for the Black Lives Matter movement. A group of Chelsea students have banded together and created ARCY (Anti-Racist Chelsea Youth) to spread awareness of systemic racism through social media and masked protests. As community members we have the responsibility to stay informed on current events and stand up for what we believe in to make our town and school district a better place for everyone.

There is no time more important for student voices, and Bleu Print is making plenty of room for them at the table—or in the Zoom meeting—to give input and leave impact. As we adapt the paper to fit new circumstances brought to us daily, including moving entirely online for the first several months of school and running Zoom afterschool meetings, we will stay focused on exactly what Bleu Print is for: making your bark count. We will take advantage of this unique opportunity to make change from the ground up and create a better normal by using our voices in ways like never before.