November 1998: Four Years at My High School Newspaper

I crept into Mr. Feres' room trembling nervously, searching for my niche in the new abyss of high school. 

"Freshman!" he shouted at me emphatically.  "Are you gonna work for this stinkin' paper or what?" 

I would love to, I replied, and I scraped off his desk the only remaining story assignment for the first issue

of the year:  It was a piece for the op-ed page that wondered why there were no mirrors or stall doors in the

boys' bathrooms.  I interviewed Mr. Dick Rolf, the head janitor, and discovered that the senior guys had

demolished the mirrors and doors themselves, and therefore the administration had little incentive to

replace them.  

I've been addicted to news ever since.  Most kids at school never knew or cared about the lack of bathroom facilities (not the most vital issue, I admit).  But there were interesting and newsworthy reasons for the absence.  And as I worked more and more on a variety of different stories, I came to realize that there are stories all over the place, even a place as concentrated as a high school campus.  I discovered that the school did not actually own the campus parking lot, that the magazine drive fundraiser was providing enormous financial assistance to the school, and that many of my contemporaries cared little whether they cheated or not, as long as they got good grades.  I even attended an Alateen meeting and realized that kids I see every day are dealing with a reality profoundly different from mine. 

I worked my sophomore year as an exchange editor and my junior year as an assistant to the features editor.  I also undertook a seventh period in journalism from the eccentric Mr. Feres.  This class taught me primarily about the production of a newspaper and the distinguishing characteristics of each section.

But during April of my junior year I experienced a wholly different type of education.  I was fortunate enough to be chosen to attend a journalism conference in the most powerful and exciting city in the world: Washington D.C.  Here I encountered a myriad of influential and talented journalists.  The president of the Knight-Ridder news service graciously answered my questions and returned my curiosity with a twinkle in his eye.  The Assistant Press Secretary to Bill Clinton looked me in the face and told me person to person that his was a challenging career, but that he loved his job.  His enthusiastic demeanor convinced me that I wanted nothing more than to be an ambassador of information, an advocate of  public education through the written word.  The passion of many kids at the conference for news and information only reinforced this notion.

I was not swallowed by the Washington media-monster.  I learned as much about spin as factual and objective representation of the news, and I am fully aware of the dangers of civic journalism.  I also know that compelling news is not confined to the Beltway.  There is so much happening around us all the time; there are always gaps in our education.

I returned to my school paper my senior year as News Editor, a position I coveted more than any other.  Mr. Feres greeted with me with a whooping “Andy Baby!!!,” and we have an affection and mutual respect for each other rooted in our endless pursuit of knowledge and public education.  

This year I have delved into issues varying from the potential relocation of my school, to the possibility of mandatory drug tests for students, to the overpopulation of San Diego.  I am proud when I see other students read our paper and compliment me on its improvement.  I love what I do.