While many are aware of the Reedy Newspaper, most do not know the team behind the pen and the intricacies of the department.
The newspaper team is constantly evolving and growing. This year, especially, OPENDen is gaining momentum as they start new initiatives. The Newspaper department has long pushed out excellent stories and journalists.
“Newspaper has grown tremendously,” newspaper teacher Brielle Hall said. “The number of writers on newspaper have increased from five to now 18 students. Our goals for the newspaper are to give opportunities, grow our numbers, and promote the organization.”
The current environment in the newspaper has evolved into something that the students cherish. Many students appreciate the blend of an educational and relaxed environment.
“It’s a really kind of calming environment to be in,” newspaper student Tessa Krueger said. “And I feel like I always am in a better mood when I’m in the newspaper [class].”
Some students take on a bigger role in the newspaper with the goal of a more rigorous environment.
“I think before, the environment has been very laid back,” editor in chief Presley Sockwell said, “but this year, as editor, I’m trying to be more on top of it, especially because we’ve grown so much.”
Not only do newspaper students like the environment, they also learn valuable skills that will help them in their personal development.
“[The newspaper] has helped me with my confidence a lot,” Sockwell said. “It’s taught me a lot about being able to go up and talk to people and search for new things and look at things in a different perspective.”
Furthermore, students have been able to learn important values of life while being on the newspaper team.
“I think I’ve learned better through last year in journalism and then these past couple of weeks in newspaper how to collaborate and communicate better,” newspaper student Iha Karthikeyan said.
One student identifies the newspaper as an extremely important extracurricular to be a part of as it helps you along your career path.
“I do think that it’ll be helpful for pretty much any career that anyone decides to do,” assistant editor Kaela Thomas said, “because writing skills are really important, and being able to research and interview people and learning about things that you didn’t know about before, It is helpful for any career.”
Some students have even taken out of the newspaper a new perspective on a career choice they want to make in the future.
“I plan on going into the film industry, and I feel like this class does give me a leg up in that with being exposed to the media and what stories and journalists look like,” newspaper student Makenna Nasche said. “I have that insight for when I go into the other side of being a journalist.”
The newspaper team is full of passionate and innovative writers. These students have expressed an excited anticipation for future projects and stories.
“We’re going to have a print newspaper this year, and I am really, really, really excited for that, because I just think that it will be such a cool opportunity,” Sockwell said, “and it’ll be something new for us, for sure.”
Newspaper students are steadily gazing ahead to a bright and creative future on the team.
“I’m looking forward to our printed newspaper,” Thomas said. “I think that’ll be really exciting and cool.”
There is much to look forward to this year coming from the newspaper team and everyone can agree that the newspaper is being raised to a new standard.
“I just feel like we’re really elevating the newspaper this year,” Sockwell said. “I am so grateful for this program and the people in it.”