Anastasia Koutsivitis '25
“The pen is mightier than the sword” is a common expression used to show the battle between wielding your words as opposed to your might. To me, it’s always been an argument of which is more impactful, and I’ve often wondered why anyone would even care about writing. But after saying good bye to Anita Perez, editor-in-chief of The Folio, I realize that she showed me that writing and expressing your thoughts does, in fact, matter.
Over these past two years, Anita Perez (‘24) has been a dedicated leader of The Folio, leaving behind a legacy that the junior editors and I can only hope to mirror. Behind the scenes, a lot of work goes into producing the issues each month, and as the associate editor, my job is to help Anita in editing and publishing articles. It is also Anita’s job to coordinate what roles the whole club has. With the help of junior editors Molly Fox (‘26), Emma Berardelli (‘26), and Tessa Lomoro (‘26), we’re a well functioning team.
Mr. Somma, the staff editor-in-chief, also has a large part in producing The Folio. He has worked alongside Anita and me over the years, and for him, it is a bitter-sweet college send off for the student editor-in-chief.
Through her leadership, Anita has shaped the newspaper, and Mr. Somma acknowledges her dedication to the work. “The Folio is a long tradition at Fontbonne, but during Anita’s time I think she really took ownership of it. I think she really had a lot of say in the kind of articles that we wrote,” he recounts. “[She] kind of took care of it as if it were her baby.”
I couldn’t agree more. Over the years, I’ve learned from her how important it is to stand up for what you believe in, and to not be afraid to make your voice heard. Anita advocated for many student-journalists, as she knew that The Folio is a projection of student voices and passions.
Anita is off to Binghamton University next school year, and will be majoring in English. She reflects back on her time at Fontbonne, and mentions how The Folio will help in her college endeavors. “I look back on most of the writing I’ve done since I’m very proud of it, and I hope to take those skills into my academics at Binghamton. I’m going to miss the [publishing] process, as tedious as it was, because I got to do it with really good friends and an amazing teacher to guide me.”
We all know the editor-in-chief as a regular in our school plays like Matilda, and her role as Regina George in Mean Girls. She has in fact written many articles on the plays, and if you know Anita, you know she has written all about Taylor Swift over the years.
She also shares some words of wisdom for all the student journalists in The Folio, and for all of Fontbonne: “Cherish the time you have, because as fast as you may want it to go, part of you will always miss it.”
This article is my farewell to Anita, but also in a way my dedication page. While I know she won’t physically be in Fontbonne next year, she has inspired me and the junior editors to continue her legacy and to fight for the voices of the students.
So, is the pen mightier than the sword? Yes. It is. The pen imparts a legacy; writing leaves behind a trace of what you have done. Good luck Anita, and you are formally knighted by us at The Folio for your next beginning.
Here are links to a few of Anita’s past articles!
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