Co-Editor in Chief
Katie Condon
Katie Condon is hungry, and she has the urge to satisfy it with a notepad and pen. Condon entered The Lightning Strike as news editor, and currently holds a co-editor-in-chief position with her attached-at-the-hip friend, Laura Herrera. If you can't find her in the newsroom with a cup-a-soup to stay awake, you can spot her training and instructing in the Korean martial art, Han Mu Do. Condon also enjoys playing the piano, listening to the classic hits and attending local music shows.
Co-Editor in Chief
Laura Herrera
Laura Herrera is the archetypical journalist. Her handwriting is illegible, her professional attire consists of the same button-down shirt in different colors, and she doesn’t mind staying till 10 PM in the newsroom finishing the paper. Actually, she would prefer to install a couch there and make it her permanent home. Although Herrera is obsessed with pursuing stories, she also loves going to punk and ska shows, practicing (and teaching) Han Mu Do martial arts, and her two albino rabbits. She is the co-editor-in-chief of The Lightning Strike and has been along side her partner in crime, Katie Condon (co-editor-in-chief), since the first grade.
News Editor
Aron Wolfson
Aron Wolfson is a senior and the editor of the news section. She loves writing for The Lightning Strike and in her free time she enjoys swimming, water polo and making a skillful array of friendship bracelets. Her favorite books include On Writing Well by William Zinsser and Letters to a Young Journalist by Samuel Freedman. Wolfson is also severely addicted to Starbucks coffee and has no intentions on being rehabilitated.
Feature Editor
Samantha Mackson
Senior Samantha Mackson has been a staff member of The Lightning Strike for three years, and the feature editor for two years. She has broadened her career as a journalist throughout high school by attending programs such as the Florida Scholastic Press Association Convention as well as the Student Journalism Institution at the University of Florida. Mackson has a close relationship with Party Editor, Harrison Bard, and can be Googled by name with accurate results.
Spread Editor
Margie Sernik
Margie Sernik is currently the spread editor of The Lightning Strike. Her interest in journalism began during her sophomore year. After finishing with journalism-1, Sernik realized that she wanted to continue and join the newspaper staff at Dr. Michael M Krop Senior High School. She worked as a staff writer during this time, and after developing strong writing and design skills, she became the spread editor for the 2009-2010 school year. Other than writing for The Lightning Strike and designing the center spread, Sernik also enjoys reading books and magazines, shopping, going to the beach, traveling and listening to music.
Editorial Editor
Sara Berlin
Sara Berlin has been the editorial editor of The Lightning Strike for two years. She is a senior at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High where she holds is the President of the Student Government Association. With her crazy red hair and energetic personality, she loves being able to voice her opinion through the editorial pages. Berlin also loves long walks on the beach and movies with happy endings.
Advertisement Editor
Sara Napolitano
Senior and third year journalist, Sara Napolitano, has been the Business Manager and Ad Layout Editor of The Lightning Strike newspaper for the past two years. Outside of the newsroom, she enjoys playing on the Varsity olleyball and badminton team, and staying involved in school clubs, such as SHAPE, Student Government, and the National Honor Society.
Eugenia Nikitina
Eugenia Nikitina's love for literature and science has lead to her current position on The Lightning Strike as co-science and health editor. Changing not only her writing style, but lifestyle as well, has create a positive atmosphere for herself. Nikitina’s musical interests can vary anywhere from loud obnoxious music to classical Beethoven. She is also fascinated by octopi.
Co-Science & Health Editor
Helen Goldstein
Helen Goldstein is a junior at Dr. Michael M. Krop High School, and currently in her second year as part of the newspaper production class. She is one of the co-science and health editors of The Lightning Strike. Goldstein is 16 years old, and enjoys being with friends, traveling and going to concerts. She hopes to continue working in journalism throughout high school and college, and eventually start a career in some form of print.
Photo Editor
Paulette LaValley
Paulette "Princess" LaValley is the photo editor for The Lightning Strike. She has been on the newspaper staff for two years, and took journalism-1 during her sophomore year. She has written for the science & health, feature, opinion and spread sections in the past. LaValley’s hobbies including writing and photography, and she intends on majoring in English after graduating from Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School.
Webmaster
Anthony Cave
The webmaster of the Lightning Strike, Anthony is outgoing and is in his second year in the legendary newsroom. A huge lover of all the local sports teams, Anthony is always quick to adapt to what is going on. A passionate writer, Anthony loves to write for any section that is available to him. His hobbies include sleeping, hanging out with friends, and just having a good time!
Party Editor/Staff Writer
Harrison Bard
Harrison Bard, senior writer for The Lightning Strike, has been on the staff for three years. He pioneered the first ever Lightning Strike website along side with Calendar Editor, William Campbell. After college, Bard hopes to do research regarding the inner workings of the brain. He is a self taught guitarist who looks up to Jimmy Page, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, and Jimmy Hendrix. Bard has also become very close with Feature Editor, Samantha Mackson, in the past three years.
Calandar Editor
William Campbell
William is currently a senior and it is his third year on the staff of The Lightning Strike. His main interests include playing for the Dr. Michael Krop Senior High water polo team for which he is the goalie, hanging out with friends, and trying to have the best time he can in any situation. Campbell was interested in journalism in his 9th grade year and was accepted onto the staff of The Strike for 10th grade. He is now the calendar editor.
Co-Entertainment Editor
Fernanda Olivera
“Friendly” Fernanda Oliveira was originally born in Brazil, loves the color turquoise and can listen to 90's music all day. Her specialty is feature and entertainment writings, but enjoys other sections as well. This is Oliveira’s second year on The Lightning Strike staff and her first year as the co-entertainment editor.
Co-Entertainment Editor
Harrison Diskin
Harrison Diskin is currently the co-entertainment editor of The Lightning Strike. He is a professional musician and has worked as an engineer in the field of audio production for several years. His hobbies include playing guitar, music composition, reading and spending time outside. Diskin is an expert at the “Wu-Tang” as well.
Co-Copy Editor
Alexandra Garfinkle
Alexandra Garfinkle, more affectionately known as Aly, is a second year journalism student. Currently, she shares her position as copy editor with Alexandra Feuerman. When not acting as the grammar police for The Strike, Garfinkle can be found engaging in more creative writing, through her work on several literary magazines, including Polyphony H.S. For Garfinkle, writing is a necessity as she starts foaming at the mouth when she cannot articulate everything she thinks on paper.
Co-Copy Editor
Alex Feuerman
Alexandra Feuerman is the co-copy editor of The Lightning Strike this year. She has been writing ever since she was able to hold a pencil, and has also been singing and playing guitar for the past seven years. Feuerman would be happy to do anything that fuses her love of writing and music, and her dream is to become a music journalist and/or a singer/songwriter. Feuerman will be famous one day, so remember her.
Sports Editor
Pablo Storch
Pablo Storch is in his second journalism year at Krop High School and his first as sports editor. During his time at The Lightning Strike, Pablo has won such prizes as Second place on the Florida Scholastic Press Association’s Editorial Write Off. When he is not writing for The Strike, Pablo is a member of his school’s debate team and the Vice President of his school’s Student Government.
Staff Writer
Alex Stella
Alex Stella is a first year staff writer for The Lightning Strike and arguably the greatest person you'll ever meet in your entire life. He is a sports junkie and therefore intends on writing primarily for the sports section. When he's not dazzling The Strike with his sports knowledge Stella enjoys hanging at the beach with friends, and watching a good Will Ferrell movie.
Staff Writer
Daniela Guenown
Daniela Guenown is a junior at Dr. Michael Krop Senior High School, and is looking forward to writing for The Lightning Strike for the first time. This is her second year in a Journalism class, and she looks forward to improving her writing to help make the school's newspaper the best it can be. She also participates in the school tennis team and enjoys playing in her spare time. She hopes to make this a wonderful year with help from the editors and Mrs. Sullivan.
Staff Writer
Nicky Minski
Nicky Minski became a first time staff writer on The Lighting Strike after completing journalism-1 her sophomore year. Although she is new, she hopes to contribute stories that will only improve the already outstanding newspaper at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School.
Staff Writer
Rayssa Gomes
Rayssa Gomes rocks this world. She loves journalism and literature, Starbucks and speaking in different languages and accents. She is a singer, actress, writer, and swimmer. Rayssa lives for G-d and always speaks the truth. She is indestructible.
Staff Writer
Stephanie Liu
Stephanie Liu is an Asian-American who was born and raised in the United States. Her family is from a southeastern province in China called Fuzhou, Fujian. Her hobbies include reading, singing and playing the piano. Lui hopes to have a fabulous year as a staff writer for The Lightning Strike.
Staff Writer
Eric Eidelstein
Eric Eidelstein is a high school sophomore who has been interested in journalistic writing since being appointed editor-in-chief of his middle school newspaper. He enjoys reading novels about other cultures and playing tennis. As a new comer to The Lightning Strike, Eidelstein hopes to strengthen his writing, as well as create social ties with other student journalists.
Staff Writer
Jessica Adam
Jessica Adam, also known as Joyful Jessica, is a junior, in her second year of journalism and it is her first year on The Lightning Strike staff. When she is around new people she tends to be quiet, but once she gets comfortable there is no shutting her up. Adam enjoys going to the beach, hanging out with friends and trying new things. During her spare time she likes to catch up on her reading, but that does not happen very often unfortunately.
Staff Writer
Ariana Rogers
Ariana Rogers is a sophomore in her second year of journalism. She is extremely skeptical on whether she’ll be successful as a reporter for The Lightning Strike; however, her best will be put forth at all times. Rogers’ soft spoken personality may take some getting use to, but once you get to know her she is a joy to be around.
Staff Writer
Devin Rosario
"Diligent" Devin "Not Kevin" Rosario is a staff writer on The Lightning Strike team.
He was raised in the small town of Palmer, Alaska and just moved to Florida for his freshman year. Now in his junior year, Rosario spends most of his time writing, listening to music or with family and friends. He looks forward to writing for The Strike and hopes you enjoy reading.