Every year, returning staff members spend one to two class periods reviewing applications turned in by students wanting to join the newspaper staff. Seniors are not involved in the decision making process, as they will not make up the staff next year.

Sarah speaking:

One of my favorite days of the year in the past has been picking news staff members. I have been involved in the process the last two years and it seems strange now to not be involved in picking a new staff. Returning staff members spent two class periods last week choosing new members. One of the things I have enjoyed most about being on the newspaper staff for three years has been how the class is run by students in many ways. The process of picking staff members is a prime example of the amount of say students have in the making decisions for the staff. While adviser Kathy Habiger explained the staff decision process to the staff members last week, she was not present in the room where the students actually made the decision. Students have the final say in picking their staff. Students evaluate writing and photography samples along with teacher recommendations to pick staff members. Last year, our staff decided to accept a larger number of applicants than we had in the past. We ended up with a total of 30 staff members, the most in our newspaper’s history. That was completely a student decision. When I got the letter telling me I had been accepted onto the newspaper staff as a freshman, I couldn’t have been happier. I hope the new staff members, who will be notified this week, will enjoy their time on staff as much as I have.

Jill speaking:

It was so weird having the staff members pick the new people for next year’s staff and not being a part of the process. It is the first of many reminders that newspaper will go on even without Sarah and I here, which is weird to think about. It is also fun to see my underclassmen friends, which I have helped over the years, move on to teach other people. Newspaper is a constant cycle and it takes a real dedication from new and old staff members to keep it up to standard year after year. The staff next year I believe will be smaller than the staff is this year, and it will be so interesting to come back and see how things are continuing even when I’m not a part of it. I know everyone who is a part of staff will make next year’s paper even better than it is this year, and I can’t wait to see the results.

Lesson of the week:

1. While being an editor-in-chief is fun, it’s almost time for it to come to an end.

Lesson 31 of being an editor-in-chief: Check.