Our next generation of journalists

We're happy to be participating with our county high schools in a project we call Journalism Next. In today's Herald, Bayshore senior Kara Rush shared her feelings about being in her final year of school. Look for submissions from other high school journalists each Monday and Thursday on the front page of the Local section.

It's encouraging to see students show an interest in journalism. Understanding the role of the Fourth Estate and learning the importance of protecting our First Amendment freedoms are as essential today as they've ever been.

I recently flipped over a page on my Freedom Forum calendar and was greeted with this quote from Emilio Castelar, a Spanish political figure:

"When I take in my hands a newspaper, when I survey its columns, when I consider the variety of its matter and the richness of its news, I cannot help feeling a rapture of joy for my age and pity for those ages which did not know this prodigy of human intelligence.''

Those are comforting words for newspaper veterans -- never mind that they were written more than 100 years ago -- and inspiring words for young journalists who might help us perpetuate the important role newspapers play in our changing society.

Jim