The Cypress (Brookline High School)

According to the newspaper's website, it is "an independent, school-affiliated publication produced monthly by the students of Brookline High School." Each issue consists of five sections: news, arts, sports, longform, and opinions. Issues are distributed free of charge to students and staff of Brookline High School on distribution days.[3] Its name was changed from The Sagamore to The Cypress in 2023 in order to reconcile with the publication's past appropriation of Native imagery and terms.[4]

Cypress staff members must take both Journalism I and Journalism II Honor classes, which complement their work on the paper. Depending on how long a student has served on the staff, different positions become available to them.

Journalism I is open to rising sophomores and juniors. In a student's first year on the newspaper (otherwise known as their J1 year) they are restricted to a basic journalist position as a staff writer. This involves conducting interviews and writing articles as they learn about journalistic ethics, procedures, and skills in the accompanying Journalism I class.

In Journalism II Honor, the faculty advisors assign leadership positions to their second and third-year students, known as J2s and J3s. Not only are students assigned to the five aforementioned sections, J2s and J3s take on more technical roles, helping out with layout, multimedia, photography, business, and DEI. These positions are in addition to the responsibilities of the first year; however, the Journalism II class includes more production time.

J2s are assigned to be editors for their sections, while J3s in the Journalism II class are assigned to a different set of jobs at The Cypress, including managing editor status and the position of editor-in-chief (EIC). This position is shared between two or three students selected by the advisers.

Brookline High School provides The Cypress staff with a workspace and some resources (such as computers and recording devices); however, the staff, being an independent publication, raises the funds for printing, mailing, etc. through ad sales subscriptions. The business team manages the income. The newspaper's funding comes from advertising and subscriptions only.[2]

The Cypress website includes not only articles from the paper issues, but also online exclusives and features such as school calendars and files. The Cypress also has several social media accounts, including a Facebook page,[5] an Instagram account,[6] a TikTok account,[7] and a Twitter account.[8]

• Comedian Conan O'Brien, BHS Class of 1981 (Editor-In-Chief)

• Columbia Scholastic Press Association Newspaper Critique[9]
  • 2020 Silver Medalist[9]
  • 2019 Gold Medalist[9]
  • 2017 Gold Medalist[9]
  • 2016 Gold Medal Finalist[9]
  • 2015 Silver Crown Award[9]
  • 2014 Silver Crown Award[9]
  • 2013 Gold Medalist[9]
  • 2012 Gold Medalist[9]
  • 2010 Gold Medalist[9]
• New England Scholastic Press Association Special Achievement Awards[9]
  • 2020 Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online[9]
  • 2019 Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online[9]
  • 2017 Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online[9]
  • 2017 All-New England: First Place, Class I, Print/online[9]
  • 2016 Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online[9]
  • 2016 All-New England: First Place, Class I, Print/online[9]
  • 2015 Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online[9]
  • 2014 Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/Online Newspaper[9]
  • 2013 All-New England: Class I, Newspaper, Second Place[9]
  • 2013 Highest Achievement: Class I, Newspaper[9]
  • 2012 All-New England: Class I, Newspaper, Second Place[9]
  • 2012 Highest Achievement: Class I, Newspaper[9]
  • 2011 Highest Achievement, Newspaper Class I[9]
  • 2011 Highest Achievement, Newspaper Class I[9]

• Suffolk University Greater Boston High School Newspaper Competition[9]
  • 2019 First Place for Excellence in News Writing[9]
  • 2015 First Place for Excellence in Sports Writing[9]
  • 2012 First Place in Excellence in News Writing[9]

• Official Site