When a new issue of The Jag, St. Michaels University School’s student newspaper is shared with the community, readers see thoughtful writing, strong opinions and carefully considered design choices. What they do not see is how it comes together — the after-school meetings, the shared documents filled with comments, the layout experiments and the steady back-and-forth that slowly shapes each draft into something ready to publish.
At SMUS, The Jag operates as a Senior School club, bringing together writers, editors and designers who meet regularly to plan each edition. This year’s team has taken on an ambitious goal: eight issues instead of the usual six, a pace that reflects both enthusiasm and ownership.
The club is supported by English teachers Kim Edgington and Brad Edgington, who have overseen The Jag for nearly a decade. Their role, by design, is hands-off.
“We try our hardest to stay out of it as much as possible,” Kim said. “We want it to be a student voice, student-led piece. Sometimes we’ll gently bring attention to something happening in another corner of the school, especially if it’s outside the editors’ own circles, but the choices are always theirs.”
At the centre of this year’s team are Editors-in-Chief Mira Wirk and Kayler Kim, both Grade 12 students. Together, they guide the club in different but complementary ways.
Mira steers the editorial direction. She runs meetings, helps contributors refine ideas and edits each piece alongside junior editor Sara Qian ’27. Writers pitch stories based on what interests them, building each issue around topics that feel timely and personal.
“As editor, I collaborate with the student writers and teacher sponsors to publish each issue of The Jag,” Mira said. “Each piece they write is something they are passionate about, and I think that shines through in every issue.”
While Mira focuses on the words, Kayler focuses on how those words are experienced. She shapes the magazine’s visual identity, experimenting with layout, colour and typography to give each edition its own tone. She also captures many of the cover images herself, ensuring the design reflects the spirit of the issue.
Because the club is student-led, the publication changes from year to year. Some editions have leaned heavily literary, featuring poetry and arts reviews. This year’s issues feel more news- and opinion-focused, engaging with conversations happening within and beyond the school community.
Writers are also encouraged to submit work in their first language if they choose, reinforcing the idea that authentic voice matters more than format.
“The Jag is the only school communication that purely highlights the student voice,” Mira added. “Each word published comes straight from students at SMUS and showcases their opinions and experiences.”
What gives the magazine its polish is not just creativity, but process. Drafts move through multiple rounds of feedback. Editors comment, question and refine. Pieces are shaped carefully before they ever appear on the page.
For many students, this is their first experience editing for publication. Writers learn to revise with intention. Editors learn how to guide without overpowering. Confidence builds quietly.
In some cases, that confidence carries forward long after graduation.
Mido Luo ’21, who worked on The Jag, later reflected that the publication sparked something she did not want to lose. Now studying medicine at UBC, Luo continues that creative outlet through the Growing Pains Student Podcast, where they share what’s on student’s minds as they navigate post-secondary life. Another alumnus, Justin McElroy ’01, now working in broadcasting, traces part of his career path back to his time on The Jag. The experience helped spark his interest in journalism, and he has since offered to connect with current editors about professional media work, giving back to the publication where he got his start.
“They feel like they have a voice,” Kim said. “They get to say, ‘This is who I am in the world. This is how I see it, and this is what matters to me.’”
With three issues still ahead this year, the club’s work continues. Ideas are pitched, drafts exchanged, layouts refined. Somewhere in a shared document, another student perspective is taking shape.
Behind every issue of The Jag is a group of students choosing to write honestly, think critically and contribute to school life in their own words.
