Our Staff Officers

Olivia Clemmensen, Editor-in-Chief

Olivia is a Junior and Editor-in-Chief of The Lightning Rod. She has been writing for The Rod since she set foot in the High School and has written many articles including those on life in Saratoga and her series, “Global News Updates”. She is extremely proud of the paper and all its accomplishments and is excited to continue writing! When she isn’t running the paper, Olivia is at the Saratoga City Ballet studio, travelling the world as a club officer in the Advanced International Historical Studies club, listening to music, reading great books and creating art.

Elias Prodger, Managing Editor

Elias is a Junior serving as the Managing Editor of The Lightning Rod for the 2024-2025 school year. Elias has been writing for The Lightning Rod since his sophomore year creating reoccurring segment “Prodger’s Playlist” covering the biggest music news of the time. When not writing for the paper, Elias is playing guitar, going to concerts and playing basketball with his friends.

Sanaiya Noisette is a Junior at Saratoga and is serving as Public Relations for the Lightning Rod.  Sanaiya has written a few articles for the Lightning Rod during her Sophomore year and wants to start working on and exploring Opinion writing. When Sanaiya is not posting on the Rod’s social media page or bringing a fun energy to our weekly meetings, you can find her babysitting, hanging with friends, or singing with SSHS’ Choraliers.

Emilia Hall, Treasurer

Emilia Hall is a junior and currently serves as the treasurer for the school newspaper. She is also part of the varsity field hockey team, which she absolutely loves. When she isn’t on the field, Emilia is involved in Unified Sports and Best Buddies, where she enjoys building connections and supporting an amazing community. She is looking forward to this year’s paper! 

Emma Gowen, Graphics Editor

Emma is a Senior and Graphics Editor of The Lightning Rod. She has been writing for The Rod since 10th grade with articles spanning topics from current events to school news. When Emma isn’t writing an article or designing the paper, she can be found dancing at Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet, singing with Choraliers or reading in her room. She is super excited to spend her senior year as an officer for The Rod.

Max Greenblatt, Senior Photographer

Max Greenblatt is a 16-year-old photographer and videographer. He has created media for local non-profits and co-produced multiple award-winning short films. Max is deeply committed to photography within his community, both in and outside of the high school.

Our Staff Writers

Ava Tatum

Ava is a senior and a staff writer for The Lightning Rod. This is her first year writing for the paper and she writes mostly opinion pieces. Even though she’s new to Saratoga, she isn’t afraid to interview or ask questions. When she’s not writing, she’s hanging out with friends. She loves trying new food with the people she loves and will eat almost anything except pumpkins and oranges. She can’t wait to continue contributing to The Rod and writing about things that matter to her.

Alex Wersten

Alex is a senior and a dedicated member of The Lightning Rod, where he contributes as a third-year writer. Passionate about storytelling and the humanities, Alex enjoys writing on a wide array of article topics, ranging from news, events, and even clowning for Taylor Swift updates. Outside of writing and developing ideas, Alex is an active participant in fitness, tennis, and socializing, and loves creating art, exploring new ideas, and engaging in community volunteering. With a strong desire to pursue a Career at Walt Disney Imagineering, Alex is committed to developing his writing and creative skills and sharing meaningful stories with others.

Sarah Pipino

Sarah is a junior and staff writer for The Lightning Rod and, despite it being her first time writing for the newspaper, she loves it! Although she occasionally ventures out, she focuses her articles mostly on art, whether that’s showcasing art made by students at Toga or deep diving into the classics. She loves spending time with her friends, playing with her dogs, and participating in the school drama club. She is ecstatic to continue to contribute to The Lightning Rod!