Today’s paper is a record issue for The Laker/Lutz News.
There are 28 pages in two sections — eight pages more than we usually publish.
We can credit our increased page count to the 3,000-plus high school seniors whose names are published inside our annual special graduation section.
It was seven years ago — back in 2008 — that we began publishing the names of every graduate from the public and private high schools in our circulation area.
The paper you hold in your hands lists graduates from the two high schools closest to where you live. If you receive the Land O’ Lakes edition of The Laker, your schools are Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes. In Wesley Chapel, they are Wiregrass and Wesley Chapel. And in East Pasco, they are Zephyrhills and Pasco. If you live in Hillsborough County, you receive The Lutz News and your schools are Steinbrenner and Freedom.
You don’t have to be a graduate, or the parent of a graduate, to appreciate our keepsake, pullout section. Make it a point to scan the list of names to find kids you know from your neighborhood, church and through your friends.
Then, take a moment to send your congratulations in a text or email, or even better, make a personal telephone call. Graduating from high school is the first milestone of adulthood and the beginning of many more successes on the journey of life. The graduates you know will be proud to hear from you.
It is always thrilling to see your name in print, no matter how old you are. Our graduation section is the first time most graduates are recognized publicly for reaching a goal they’ve worked hard to achieve.
You may be thinking that kids today don’t read newspapers — instead they spend all day touching their mobile phones, computer keyboards and TV remotes. But they are touching this newspaper today and seeing their names and the names of their closest friends.
The tactile sensation of holding a newspaper and the smell of the ink contribute to the exuberance they experience when they see their name in print for the first time.
And that’s why today’s paper is such an important issue. It creates a spark of joy and pride for thousands of students we honor.
And, as silly as this may sound, knowing that this happens gives me goose bumps. It makes me very proud to be publisher of your community newspaper.
Published May 27, 2015
