Spoke.news is a student-run and student-owned website featuring content from The Spoke. No district employees are responsible for the content and coverage on spoke.news nor any of The Spoke’s social media platforms. Social media includes but is not limited to The Spoke’s Instagram, YouTube, X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok and Facebook. All official statements from The Spoke are released via spoke.news, The Spoke’s print publications and/or The Spoke’s social media presence. Otherwise, any official Spoke statement is signed by Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro. 

All content in The Spoke is produced by Conestoga High School students unless otherwise mentioned. Members of The Spoke Editorial Board manage the website. 

In 2015, Adam Lockett and Melinda Xu originally designed spoke.news using Newsfront, a theme by Radium Themes, as a base. In 2022, Rohan Anne and Soumya Sathyanarayana remodeled the website, introducing SnoSites, a new theme. Visit our staff page to find out about our current staff.

The Spoke releases seven print issues a year. The paper is printed by Trumbull Printing and copies can be found in Conestoga High School, as well as in select locations around the community. Readers who subscribe to The Spoke receive issues mailed directly to their homes. If interested in a subscription, contact Business Manager Michael Tierney at [email protected] for more information. Our publication is also available on issuu.com and spoke.news.

Mission

The Spoke and spoke.news serve as a public forum for student expression. We strive to objectively cover stories of interest within our school and community. We understand our responsibility to report in an unbiased and ethical manner.

The Spoke staff aims to include a diverse range of issues and voices within the paper. While some of the topics within The Spoke may be considered controversial, our reporters work to cover the stories with care, precision and impartiality. The Spoke follows the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.

What We Cover

Each issue, staff members collect and suggest timely story ideas to submit to the editorial board for review. The Spoke makes an effort to report on the achievements and activities of students, faculty and community members. To suggest a story idea, email The Spoke at [email protected]. The views represented in signed opinion articles are not reflective of the opinions of the staff as a whole. An unsigned editorial represents the consensus of the editorial board.

Our Rights

Our paper is not subject to administrative prior review nor restraint, meaning that TESD administration does not see the paper before it is printed and cannot censor content unless it is obscene, libelous or would materially and substantially interfere with the educational process. 

Advisers serve as educators and consultants only, leaving the editorial board to make decisions on how content will be treated. With all stories, the editorial board considers the journalistic and ethical implications of publication. All editorial, journalistic and publication disputes are approved by an absolute majority of the editorial board.

Your Voice

The editorial board always hopes to include diverse voices from our school and community. To contribute to The Spoke, contact the editorial board at [email protected] or Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro at [email protected]. We welcome Letters to the Editor with commentary on our coverage and current events.

Advertising

Businesses can support The Spoke by buying advertisements in the paper or sponsoring features like Commitment Corner or Teacher Feature. We reserve the right to reject, edit or cancel any advertisement at any time. Interested parties should contact Business Manager Michael Tierney at [email protected]. 

Awards

• Consistent recipient of the Pennsylvania School Press Association’s (PSPA) Gold Award 
• 2023 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Evan Lu)
• 2021 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Ananya Kulkarni)
• 2020 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Claire Guo)
• 2020 National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) National Student Journalist of the Year Finalist (Claire Guo)
• 2019 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Avery Maslowsky)
• 2019 NSPA National Student Journalist of the Year Finalist (Avery Maslowsky)
• 2018 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Ian Ong)
• 2018 NSPA National Student Journalist of the Year Finalist (Ian Ong)
• 2016 NSPA Online Pacemaker Winner
• 2016 First Place Website from the Keystone Scholastic Press Awards
• 2015 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Suproteem Sakar)
• 2013 NSPA Online Pacemaker Finalist
• 2013 Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Scholastic Crown Finalist
• 2013 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Jenna Spoont)
• 2013 NSPA National Student Journalist of the Year (Jenna Spoont)
• 2012 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Laura Weiss)
• 2012 NSPA All-American rating 
• 2012 NSPA Pacemaker Award
• 2012 CSPA Digital Newspaper Crown Finalist (one of the 27 high school news sites recognized; only site recognized from Pennsylvania)
• 2011 NSPA Online Pacemaker Finalist (one of the top 36 student news sites in the U.S.)
• 2011 NSPA First Class newspaper website 
• 2011 CSPA Silver Crown
• 2011 PSPA All-State newspaper
• 2010 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Seth Zweifler)
• 2010 NSPA Pacemaker Finalist 
• 2010 NSPA Diversity Story of the Year, Honorable Mention (Liz Bravacos and Meghan Morris)
• 2012 PSPA Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year (Henry Rome)
• 2012 NSPA National Student Journalist of the Year (Henry Rome)
• 2009 NSPA Story of the Year (Henry Rome and Seth Zweifler)
• 2009 Student Press Law Center Courage in Student Journalism Award (Henry Rome and Seth Zweifler)
• 2008 NSPA News Story of the Year Award