Lyla Carney, Class of 2025 

Lyla Carney, Editor-in-Chief of The Forest Scout (TFS) during the 2024-2025 school year, is a freshman at Boston College. Carney is a Biology major on the Pre-Pharmacy track and also hopes to study law. 

Prior to her academic pursuits and success out east, Carney spent two years in the newsroom, developing her journalistic skills and sharing her expertise with other students. 

“I took journalism both semesters of junior year, and I genuinely loved it— I liked the idea of being a leader in a space that was still really collaborative,” said Carney.

Leading a collaborative space through communication, managing deadlines, and providing an environment where those can share their creative abilities for writing are some of the most important, yet challenging, tasks of an online newspaper editor.

“As Editor-In-Chief, I took on many of the bigger, more serious stories that required lots of prep and planning. I led pitch sessions and helped writers shape their ideas,” said Carney. “I edited drafts and worked one-on-one with people to strengthen their stories, sometimes going through multiple rounds of revisions.”

Sending out the Friday emails, ensuring organization amongst the publication, and relieving stress from staff writers may be a daunting task for many, but not for Carney. 

“I knew how lost I felt junior year, and even senior year, so I wanted to be a person who made the process a little less overwhelming,” said Carney. 

Carney’s time working for TFS helped her build the time management and communication skills that continue to benefit her today.

“Learning to balance my own articles with editing, dance team, school, friends, and everything else in my life was definitely the biggest challenge but it also pushed me to grow the most,” said Carney. “Whether I was giving feedback on a draft, helping someone clarify their angle, or sending reminders when deadlines were getting close, I had to learn how to be direct while still being supportive.” 

Carney built a community at TFS that deepened connections, conversations, and created a collaborative space for all of its writers. 

“I never wanted anyone to feel like I was ‘above’ them just because I was an editor, but I also had to make sure things actually got done,” said Carney. “That balance taught me how to ask the right questions, set expectations, and communicate in a way that was helpful, not overwhelming.”

The personal aspect associated with journalism and the relationships built from it left a lasting impression long after Carney left LFHS. 

“Before The Forest Scout, I honestly thought of news as something most people skim, like a headline, a picture, or a quick glance at a quote, and then you move on. Once I actually started reporting and editing, I realized how much work goes into every single story. It made me appreciate accuracy and fairness so much more,” Carney said.

Carney believes that the authenticity that is correlated with journalism remains as one of the most sought-after qualities in creative fields, especially as new technologies are constantly emerging. 

“In this day and age, where everything feels so polarized and people automatically assume journalists are biased, it completely shifted my perspective,” said Carney. “I saw firsthand how much effort goes into getting things right and how important it is to stay fair, even when you know someone out there is probably going to disagree with you no matter what.”

As Carney enters a new chapter of her life, she continues to take with her the values of working with others and building relationships that benefit the greater community.

“It’s about the people you meet, the conversations you have, the connections you make, and the unexpected lessons you learn,” said Carney.

Amani Yousuf, Class of 2024

Amani Yousuf, Opinion Editor during the 2023-2024 school year, is now a sophomore at Northwestern University. Yousuf is a Journalism and Political Science double major, with a minor in Advanced Asian Languages Minor (Chinese) and in Native American and Indigenous Studies.

“Honestly, I knew I wanted to be part of The Forest Scout on my very first day of freshman year,” Yousuf said. “I wanted to serve as a voice for both underrepresented people and rhetoric in LFHS and beyond, as my intersectional identity diversified the range and energy of stories I published.”

Yousuf was able to use her strong communication, editing, and leadership skills to approach every situation with an open mind. Stimulating intellectual conversations and challenging the present, she made sure her voice did not go unnoticed in the newsroom. 

“I cannot stress how important it is to stick it out, especially if you’re passionate about telling the truth and sharing people’s stories. What would we have without journalism?” Yousuf said. 

A degree in journalism requires hard work and versatile skills, including effective communication, collaboration, performing under pressure, and asking insightful questions.  

“The ability to convey ideas succinctly and interestingly is essential for success in any field, and journalism bridges that lifelong practice with critical ethical judgment, data literacy, adaptability, and problem-solving skills. So, I advise high schoolers to test as many waters as possible and build confidence early,” Yousuf said. 

She looks back on her time with TFS fondly. Her favorite article, the last one she wrote, was titled  From the Middle East to Lake Forest: Jewish, Muslim Students Tense About War in Gaza. 

“Because this topic was so divisive, I had to include all perspectives and ensure that every word served a purpose. As a Muslim American, I was nervous to publish it out of fear of repercussions, which is why I prioritized speaking with and building relationships with diverse sources,” Yousuf said. “This story was a grind, but the local spin it brought to such a complex geopolitical issue treated it with the severity and sensitivity it deserved.” 

Not only do editors have to come up with creative story ideas, but they also have to execute them with the right content. Most journalists can agree this rigorous process may lead to frustrating moments. Yousuf agrees that there were times when she learned from her peers, as they also learned from her, especially when navigating the pressure of posting columns in a tight-knit community.  

“I definitely made the most of my time at LFHS and, even now, I seriously never shut up about The Forest Scout, but I wish I hadn’t self-censored so much when writing columns out of fear of the community’s reaction. We all have so much to learn from one another,” Yousuf said.

Being Opinion Editor is no easy feat, but Yousuf immediately took the leadership role seriously and the rest of the staff under her wing. During her time with the publication, Yousuf believed TFS should engage in a world outside of campus, advocating the same level of attention and coverage on matters deemed ‘newsworthy’ on a larger scale. 

“Writing about what you’re passionate about is great and always encouraged, but leading with a sense of urgency, commitment, and willingness, rather than merely going through the motions, is what separates a great journalist from a mediocre one,” Yousuf said. 

Even in her Chinese Classes at Northwestern, Yousuf finds herself using her skills from TFS to navigate the language. 

“Speaking a language as cognitively challenging as Chinese requires engaging multiple parts of the brain at once, which comes from practice and trusting one’s instincts–both inherent soft skills in journalism,” Yousuf said.

Amani and her editing team were given the unique opportunity to attend Medill’s 2023 High School Journalism Day. Known for its rigorous curriculum and distinguished alumni, Medill has upheld a strong reputation. Little did Yousuf know that 2 years later, she would be serving as the senator for the Medill School of Journalism within Northwestern University’s Associated Student Government and as an active member of The Daily Northwestern.  

“This will sound corny, but when sitting in the McCormick Foundation Center during our visit, I had a gut feeling,” Yousuf said. “I joke now that it was foreshadowing because I was destined to be a Wildcat, but I didn’t fully know it yet. Life has become even more fulfilling, and The Forest Scout was just the beginning.”

Now a successful sophomore at Northwestern, Yousuf cannot imagine herself anywhere else. This was not the case at first; although LFHS had prepared her for the rigorous courses, she quickly realized that succeeding at an elite university like NU required a tough mindset. 

“NU is the perfect balance of fun and seriousness. I’ve never been one to shy away from celebrating my half-Pakistani, half-White identity, but Northwestern is unique in that it gives me so many spaces to connect with and ground myself in my culture,” Yousuf said. “It’s a blast, and I’ve been lucky enough to find multiple friendships like that here, genuine, loyal bonds I’ve searched for my entire life. This place is life-changing.”

Yousuf encourages the next generation of not only TFS writers, but also LFHS students, to keep pushing forward. She lives by the motto, “Go big or go home.” 

“As for a lesson I took from my time with the newspaper, this will also sound corny, but never be afraid to challenge yourself. It’s suddenly become “uncool” to try, and I’m so over it,” said Yousuf.

Kelsey Bumbaco, Class of 2024

Kelsey Bumbaco, Editor during the 2023-2024 school year, is now a sophomore studying Strategic Communications at Texas Christian University.

Ever since her freshman year, Bumbaco knew she wanted to be a part of The Forest Scout (TFS).

“I never felt very confident with my writing skills, but I knew that The Forest Scout and journalism in general was a different style of writing that I wanted to try. I liked the idea that I could write about whatever I wanted, whether it was about LFHS or anything that was going on outside the Lake Forest community,” Bumbaco said.

She spent her time with the TFS commanding the newsroom, as she’s known for her bubbly attitude and unbiased approach to editing pieces. She’s carried her editing, leadership and communication skills developed through the publication to her classes today.

“Over the past two semesters, I’ve taken five writing classes, where my skills from The Forest Scout have definitely helped me grow as a writer and in the classroom. As a Strategic Communications major, I know that these skills will continue to be essential in my future career, whether I’m writing, collaborating with others, or communicating,” Bumbaco said.

There’s no doubt that the role of Editor comes with a lot of responsibilities. Meeting deadlines, verifying facts, and using proper grammar are only a few of the details necessary for what also makes an editor great.

“I think one of the most important qualities of being an editor is time management and especially managing a publication, you need to make sure your stories are being published in a timely manner,” Bumbaco said.

The responsibility of leading the newspaper comes with some challenges as well. Filled in a classroom with your peers, it can be difficult to balance being both a friend and an editor.

“As an editor, I was always nervous about giving my friends criticism on their stories, however, I also knew that honest feedback was important for The Forest Scout’s growth and how we wanted to be represented,” said Bumbaco.

Bumbaco’s path began in the newsroom, where she sharpened her reporting and writing skills before heading down south for her academic endeavors. She looks back on her time with fond memories, but like some, she wishes she had experimented more with different writing styles.

“Maybe doing more opinion pieces or more interviews would have broadened my writing experience,” Bumbaco said.

Kelsey has made a lasting impact on the TFS family, and her presence remains even in the newsroom itself. She’s been able to use her communication and collaboration skills effectively in college and is heavily involved in both her sorority and extracurricular activities.

“I think that TCU, like many other schools, has many unique experiences that definitely stood out to me when picking schools. Fort Worth has so many meaningful experiences and opportunities that really drew me in and made TCU an easy decision,” Bumbaco said.

Bumbaco recognizes that taking on a leadership role in TFS encourages you to think critically, go outside your comfort zone, take risks, and stay open to feedback.

“I think one thing to realize is that you don’t need to be the best writer in the room to succeed. What matters most is being willing to learn, ask questions, and improve,” Bumbaco said.