Gone this year are the journalism room’s now ancient 2007 model iMacs. In their place are sleek, new 2014 iMacs available for all students to use.

Jennie Werner, who graduated last year after being a yearbook editor, and newspaper editors-in-chief Sabrina Chen, Megana Iyer, Deepti Kannan and Amy Lin pitched their urgent need for updated computers, laptops and new software during a meeting with the SHS Foundation last spring.

With a generous donation of $20,000 from the Foundation, the journalism room is now equipped with a new set of 33 iMacs and 10 Macbook Pro laptops. The 2007 iMacs are being reprogrammed with a Linux operating system and will be used by different teachers as well as by the Learning Center.

The journalism program has also spent the last four years saving money for new equipment. Combined with the money from the Foundation and $15,000 from private donors, adviser Mike Tyler was able to place an order for the computers last spring. THe total cost for the new computers and software was roughly $60,000.

By providing students with the most updated versions of technology, the journalism program is giving students the tools they will be using in the future. The new iMacs come with CS6, a faster, more modern program.

“Having more modern computers and software replicates the work environment that they will find later in life,” Tyler said. “We’ll now be able to work faster and with more speed, comes the ability to put out a better product.”

Kannan also believes that the new computers are a great addition to the room.  

“I’m excited to see that the new lab has brought our publications up to date in the digital era and is competitive with the resources other journalism programs have access to,” Kannan said.

Iyer added that the new computers benefit all students and not just the journalism students.

“The new computers help the entire school because there are so many people that use the journalism room as a resource,” she said. “It will help increase efficiency tremendously.”