This collaboration represents a return to work begun under Jock Lauterer, the founder of The Durham Voice and a longtime advocate for community journalism and student reporting. By building relationships between student newsrooms, we continue his vision of journalism as a tool for community engagement, learning, and storytelling.

Through this partnership, The Durham Voice will republish selected articles produced by The Pirates’ Hook, giving Riverside High School student journalists a wider audience for their reporting. In addition, members of The Durham Voice newsroom will serve as mentors to student reporters, offering guidance and encouragement as they develop their skills in reporting, writing, editing, and storytelling.

We believe journalism is the strongest when experienced journalists invest in the next generation. This partnership creates a space for students to learn from one another, explore stories that matter to their communities, and recognize the importance of amplifying voices that deserve to be heard.

We extend our sincere thanks to Bryan Christopher, teacher and editor of The Pirates’ Hook, for his commitment to this collaboration and his work in helping bring it to fruition. We look forward to building a lasting relationship between our newsrooms and supporting the growth of Riverside High School’s emerging journalists.