The Barque's New EICs

The three new EICs: Harry Zhao (left), Vidula Rajesh (middle), and Aimee Ni (right). Image by Mingze Shi.

Year after year, The Barque says farewell to its seniors, while current sophomores and juniors apply for the following year’s many leadership roles, including section editors, managers and chief copy editor. Among all returning members, however, three staffers are selected to serve the coveted role of editor-in-chief. Editor-in-chiefs are the primary decision-makers for The Barque, and the positions are reserved for the most experienced and dedicated members, chosen through a rigorous selection process involving an application and an interview.

Meet your new EICs for the 2026-2027, which is coincidentally the 100^th anniversary of Barque! Here’s what they have to say about their new role.

First and foremost, current Opinion Editor Harry Zhao was selected.

Hi, I’m Harry Zhao, and I am a junior. I’ve been in The Barque for two years. In my sophomore year at The Barque, I was a graphic designer; however, most of my work was focused on developing the website, which was launched in winter of last year. This year, I am an opinion editor, and I also assist with copy editing and website duties. As EIC next year, I hope to expand The Barque readership, both of the physical newspaper and the website, through school-wide notifications when we publish. Outside of The Barque, I enjoy competing in speech and debate and running aerospace club. Besides that, I’m a 2x finalist of The Barque’s annual pickleball tournament, and I hope to finally claim victory next year!

Next, current business manager Vidula Rajesh is the second EIC.

Hi, I am Vidula Rajesh, and I am a junior. I have been on The Barque since my sophomore year. As a new staffer, I was a part of the photo team, and this year, I am a business manager. As business manager, I find businesses who want to advertise with us so that we are able to fund the newspaper. I also lay out ad pages, oversee social media to decide on what should be posted and host fundraisers where people can donate so we can continue to publish. As EIC next year, I hope that we can improve readership by including more student voice and organizing a list of students who have already been reported on to recognize clubs and sports that are often overlooked. Outside of the Barque, I am a member of HOSA, captain of Bellevue gymnastics and a member of the swive team! I am super excited for next year!

The third and final EIC is Aimee Ni, current news editor and website manager.

Hello, my name is Aimee Ni, and I am a junior. I've been in The Barque for two years already, and next year I will be editor-in-chief. The first year I was a graphic designer, and the second year I became the news editor. Besides that, I also founded and manage the website. Next year, I hope to increase the quality of our articles and the publicity of our papers. In my free time, I do ballet and read. 

Next year, this passionate and talented team of EICs is ready to guide Barque to sail new horizons.