Senior Editorial Staff Reflections
Hunter Richardson, Sports Editor:
I joined journalism during my sophomore year because I thought it would be interesting to learn about the craft. But little did I know that I would continue to take it until my senior year.
I have learned so much and got to meet some pretty incredible people who love writing more than me. And that has made my journalism experience so much better: collaborating with people who have passion for what they do.
I remember thinking that all you did in journalism was write, but that was far from the truth. You not only get to interview people in your community, but people in school about topics that you care about, which for me was sports. But my favorite part of journalism was being able to go to the Washington Journalism Education Association conventions. Now I know what you are thinking: “Could this guy be any more of a nerd?” But hear me out: You get to go somewhere else, miss school, and learn about different crafts pertaining to journalism. And you get to hang out with people who care about the product that they put out.
Journalism has changed me for the better. It has made me think about what good writing looks like, for me and others. I wouldn’t take any other class but this one, and as it comes to an end, I can’t help but feel sad that all the memories and laughing will stop, and I will move on in life, and my other editors will too. I can’t help but feel like I will truly forever miss journalism. So if you ever have a chance to take journalism, I can promise you won’t regret it.
Kyann Arendse, Ad Editor:
One thing to know about me is that I despise English. It’s not that I don’t like reading, but rather that analyzing books and essays is incredibly boring to me. That’s why I took journalism in junior year, hoping the class would be easy. I had never enjoyed writing that much and was just hoping that I could get through the semester.
When I walked in, however, all of my preconceived notions about this class were shattered. Journalism isn’t just about writing, it’s about talking to people and conveying their stories and ideas to the public. Writing stories didn’t feel forced like before. For the first time in my entire educational career, I actually enjoyed writing.
Journalism isn’t just print media though, and so to keep up with an ever-changing field we have to constantly learn new skills. We were able to do this by working with PBS Newshour Student Reporting Labs to produce a segment for the On Our Minds podcast. And although I spent every free period in a closet behind Mr. Dilly’s room and more hours than I can count editing audio, I learned so much about the process of producing a podcast, and the opportunity to work with professionals in the journalism field was invaluable.
While I am not planning to pursue a career in journalism, I have learned so much about the field and have learned skills that will help me in my future endeavors. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities I have had because of journalism and will miss this class and the people in it.
Nadia Mazonson, Opinion/Editorial Editor
I didn’t expect to be writing this. I first took journalism in the first semester of my freshman year, and although I liked writing, I quickly discovered that I lacked the time and the enthusiasm to adhere to so many deadlines. I decided not to return the following year.
Soon afterward, the world stopped
Lately I’ve noticed how reluctant people are to speak about the pandemic. I think it’s representative of what two years of collective isolation created: a breakdown of communication, an inability — or maybe an unwillingness — to connect with one another. The thing about journalism is that it inherently requires these qualities. It requires a certain boldness; a willingness to speak. Maybe that was why I signed up for journalism again this year: after so much silence, I was ready to raise my voice.
This time around, I liked journalism much more. I guess it liked me back, because within a few months, I and three other Cub editors were given the opportunity to produce a segment for a podcast produced by PBS Newshour Student Reporting Labs. From December to March, we frantically pieced scripts and interviews into something listenable.This experience, to me, exemplified what it means to be a reporter. It taught me to think on my feet, to search for stories in unlikely places, and to be unafraid of asking hard questions. And more than that, it taught me the vital and tenuous responsibility of a journalist: to be both a communicator and a caretaker of stories.
Next year, I’ll be attending Brown University, where I plan to study comparative literature and linguistics. As I enter this new chapter, I’ll carry all the values that journalism has instilled within me: flexibility, curiosity, compassion, and — above all — an appreciation for the power of communication.
Faith Simon, Editor-In-Chief
Freshman year, I was a shy student that was scared of the big high school. I signed up for a class that I was not really sure about. When walking into a class full of writing, which was not my strong suit, I froze and sat in a seat I was not familiar with.
As the little things were playing through my mind, I could not even write a paragraph without making up a word or a grammar error; so how was I going to be able to pass a class that was just writing?
If you have not caught on, this class was Sedro-Woolley High School’s journalism. Though I was nervous that I was not going to pass, the leaders of the paper made sure that I was getting things done and that my writing was “perfect”. The leadership in journalism is what made me want to come back.
When my sophomore year came around, so did Covid-19. As a new editor, all the nerves came back that I had in freshman year. With a small staff, we had to troubleshoot more than I’d like to admit. Though, when I started designing, I FELL in love with it. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was given the option to express my creativity.
Junior and senior year were my most enriching moments. I had an amazing group of editors that continue to grow daily. I completely changed the design of the Cub newspaper and website to make it more attractive to students at SWHS.
My editors were excited to express themselves by writing or designing. I was able to go on insightful trips and conventions that brought us closer together. Journalism would also not have been as impactful without Ms. Ferdinand. Overall, I would not change a moment I had these last four years.
