The Purbalite has announced its editorial staff for the 2012-13 school year.

Junior Luke Dowker and sophomore Maura Kay will be news editors; junior Lexy Steppling will be web page/design editor, and sophomore Shane Becker will be photography editor.

Dowker and Kay will be responsible for overseeing content of the newspaper. This will include developing and assigning story ideas, working with reporters as they work on their assignments, and editing the finished stories. They also will oversee the design of the news, sports, and editorial pages.

“We are looking forward to having some great writers join our staff next year, and getting the chance to showcase their abilities,” Kay said. “We want to be the voice of Baldwin.”

Dowker said he wants next year’s staff to continue seeking out stories that will get people talking.

“I want to put a newspaper in the hands of every student and teacher,” Dowker said. “I want it to be more than a newspaper. I want it to be a topic of conversation.”

Steppling will have two significant responsibilities: overseeing the design and content of the newspaper’s web page, www.purbalite.net, and determining the design for the full-color, center spread features that run in each issue of the paper.

“I want the Purbalite website to be on everyone’s `Favorites’ list. I want it to really open up the eyes of students, while also being fun,” Steppling said.

Becker will be the point man for the newspaper’s photography work. He will work with staff members who have not shot news and sports photos before, explaining how to properly frame photos, how to operate the cameras and their memory cards, and how to effectively use photos in page design.

“You do have to get over the nerves that come up when you’re the one taking photos at sports or pep rallies,” Becker said. “I want our staff to be more comfortable and capable with that.”

Michelle Bruni, one of this year’s editors-in-chief, praised the new editors.

“I was impressed with how quickly they all caught on to how we lay out the paper, since I think that’s such an important part of the process,” Bruni said. “I hope they can publish six issues also, with the same motivation we all had this year.”