The Pitch is facing an overwhelming amount of pressure from Pitch alumni who want their jobs back. Several past Pitch members are insisting that not only should they be given their past positions back but should also be paid. They’re not going into this as a hobby but a profession this time.
Thomas Wolfson, former Print Editor-in-Chief and class of 2020, is adamant on returning this fall as a Print Editor-in-Chief.
“There would be no Wolfson Dynasty if it weren’t for me, the first Wolfson who was on Pitch. I went from Sports Editor to Opinion Editor to Editor-in-Chief. That’s never been done, ever. I don’t like the lack of recognition I’m receiving. I mean, come on, a whole magazine dedicated to my brother’s dumb videos? I’m coming back to show that I am the best Wolfson,” Thomas Wolfson said.
Raquel Tolin, former staff writer and class of 2023, is determined to join the staff again but with a much higher position.
“I joined The Pitch very late so I only had one semester on Pitch. I have high expectations. I’m not just talking about working my way up from staff writer to an Editor-in-Chief. I’m talking about school-wide domination,” Tolin said.
Katie Campbell, former Online Editor-in-Chief and class of 2023, is motivated to come back, believing that the Pitch has not been left in capable hands.
“I got to say that what I’m seeing on The Pitch website was not the long-lasting vision I had. The website looks like what was on the computer screens in High School Musical during the scene when Sharpay looks up stuff about Gabriella. If you don’t remember what that looked like, let’s just say it wasn’t good,” Campbell said.
Alexander Wolfson, former Print Editor-in-Chief and class of 2022, has decided to come back to The Pitch due to some uncertainty in his future.
“I got rejected from every summer internship I applied for. I had great expectations and believed the worst I would get was a ‘no.’ I was wrong. They called me stupid and demanded I never apply again. Only The Pitch would give me an internship, so I’m happy to return to gain some valuable work experience.”
The current Pitch Staff is not going to give up their positions without a fight.
“I think it’s outrageous that Pitch alumni are coming back. They had their time, and frankly, it wasn’t anything to write home about. Now this is my time. These past Pitch members have no idea what I’m capable of. They won’t last one day in the newsroom with me,” junior and current Print Editor-in-Chief Seyun Park said.
Pitch Advisor Wendy Borrelli who cares equally about both her past and current students, has settled on a solution. She created a series of tests that will truly determine the best of the best. In the first contest, Pitch alumni and current staff will go head to head to see who can layout a page fastest on InDesign. The second contest judges caption and headline writing. The third contest judges speed in order to test how fast the competitors can distribute the newspapers.
“Hey, FloJo has nothing on me,” Thomas Wolfson said. “I had the fastest ever freshman 400-meter relay split in WJ history back when I was on Indoor Track. I mean, sure Athletic.net only tracked times going like three years back, but I highly doubt anyone before me in the school’s 60-year history ever ran faster. I’m going to win the speed test easily.”
“Did he say that he’s going to win? No way. I can beat Thomas any day. But as for InDesign, to be honest, I never quite mastered that. Shout out to Caeden Babcock for always showing everyone how to use it. Anyway, I guess that’s why The Pitch would only take me as an intern. But hey at least they didn’t reject me!” Alexander Wolfson said.
Jack Linde, class of 2020, was a photo editor during his time on The Pitch. Frankly, he was more known for filling up the water bottles of his fellow staff members than he was for his photo-taking skills. He will be expected to get water for the runners during the speed test.
“Seriously? I’m about to graduate college and I’m still expected to fill up water bottles for a high school newspaper competition? Sometimes I wonder whether I’ll ever be able to escape my past,” Linde said.
