Every Wednesday after school, the third floor of the Driscoll School bustles with excitement. This bustle is the sound of students writing articles, planning out their next issue and sharing their ideas. This bustle is the sound of preparation for the next print issue of their paper. This bustle is the sound of the only middle school newspaper in Brookline: The Driscoll Dragonian.

The Dragonian was founded by Driscoll teachers Marina Bottiglieri and Zoe Borden in 2021. It was modeled after Brookline High School’s newspaper, The Cypress. Sixth through eighth graders can participate, and currently there are 28 members. Students write the articles while Bottiglieri and Borden edit them.

The club gets its funding from its 82 subscribers and grants from the PTO. Their goal is to print six issues a year, which they distribute to classrooms and families who subscribe. According to students and teachers alike, this club has provided students with an educational and fun environment. It allows them to learn a new skill while joining a welcoming community.

Bottiglieri had the idea for the newspaper because her son was a member of The Cypress. She felt that there was little opportunity for middle schoolers to participate in after-school activities run by the school, and decided that the newspaper would offer a chance for students to provide feel-good news.

“I always call it ‘positive news’—everything that goes in the Dragonian has to be related to Driscoll somehow, and in a positive way,” Bottiglieri said. “We do food reviews too, but I just wanted middle schoolers to get more involved and have more opportunities and things to do.”

Bottiglieri approached Borden with the idea for the newspaper in the summer of 2021, and they now both work with supporting writers by helping them set up interviews and plan their writing. Borden said she hopes the kids take away a greater feeling of independence from their experience.

“I hope that they feel proud of themselves. I hope that they feel like their opinion and perspectives are valued in the community context. I hope that it makes them more independent, and that they’re able to advocate for themselves and have conversations with adults and people that they might not know previously,” Borden said.

Eighth grader Amelie Theunissen joined the Dragonian in seventh grade. She has recently written reviews on Oreos and a Billie Eilish concert review. She said the newspaper has allowed her to learn more about the community.

“It’s been such a big part of my middle school experience and it’s made it much more memorable and more enjoyable,” Theunissen said. “I think I learned that the [Dragonian] community is always going to be there for you and they’re always gonna help you out.”

Bottiglieri said that from sixth to eighth grade, she has seen students improve in writing articles. One hope she has for the future is to teach the older kids how to use platforms like Adobe InDesign and learn editing skills.

“Our school is getting much larger, so it’s nice to see a familiar face in the newspaper, right? ‘Oh, there’s my brother in the newspaper.’ Or, you know, ‘so-and-so had this quote in the newspaper.’ I like how it brings everyone together,” Bottiglieri said.

Eighth grader Amelia Lo Proto joined the Dragonian in sixth grade when she moved to Brookline from Australia, as she was looking for a community and loves to write. She said she loves seeing her tangible work in print issues.

“I think that a newspaper is a good way for young people to learn how to get their opinions and voices out, because we do have an opinions column. It’s also about getting other people’s voices and learning how to do interviews and write more formally. It’s a really good opportunity, and not a lot of middle schools have that,” Lo Proto said.

Borden said that the newspaper is also a great way for eighth graders to connect with sixth and seventh graders. She said that she hopes to continue to cultivate this space for students for the future of the Dragonian.

“Younger students feel celebrated when they get featured in the paper. Middle school students feel agency and pride in their own work and writing,” Borden said. “I think my goal is that I can continue to develop systems that put the student voice first while also creating a space that is inclusive and functional for all students.”