top of page
When I first joined staff in tenth grade, I knew I wanted to be an editor. While holding section editor positions during my sophomore and junior year, I loved getting to read others' stories before publishing and to provide guidance and input.
But being EIC is more than simple story editing.
I found it difficult at the beginning of my term to boost morale and instill quick progress in our staffers' pieces. No matter how many positive messages I sent in our GroupMe, boxes of cookies I brought in to celebrate small accomplishments, or reminders I gave to those who needed to complete their work, I still wasn't seeing the changes I always wished to set in stone.
Now, I know that being EIC doesn't require that I turn a first-year staffer into a poet in a few months---as long as I am encouraging and aiding my staff to improve in their journalistic coverage, my job is complete. I still love reading others' stories to enhance their writing skills, but my support is more important than my approval. My job isn't to attain perfection, but to strive for development.
Editing
Throughout my past three years on The BluePrint, I have been editing stories and multimedia content, even when I wasn't an editor. My sophomore year, I began to receive stories from my main editors to review as a peer editor. Learning how to edit early on has allowed me to grow both as a writer and leader on staff.
In addition to peer editing, I was our honorary multimedia editor during my sophomore year, giving video advice to our staffers, whether it be in production or post-production. I then became news editor my junior year, giving me further opportunity to edit quick turn coverage.
Now as editor-in-chief, I am able to read all of our stories. I love getting to help my staffers throughout the story writing process and see their reports come together.
Our editing process
In all three years on staff, our editing process has been our key to successful stories, and a successful publication. The screenshot below shows the editing process slideshow we present at the beginning of each year.
For all enhanced stories, such as developed features or opinions, the writer must complete a pre-plan, plan, rough, and final. The pre-plan includes their brainstorm for a story, the plan shows interviews and research, the rough is their first draft of the story, and the final is the fully edited and revised piece. Likewise, quick-turn coverage, especially news, requires the pre-plan, a combined plan/rough draft (due to time constraints), and the final.
By having multiple editors, including myself, review each step of the story writing process, we have more opportunities to step in and help staffers along the way. Catching issues early on in the story writing process benefits both our editors and writers, giving them the chance to learn from mistakes rather than stress over fixing them quickly to make their deadline.
Additionally, a flow chart was created for each type of story (enhanced, quick-turn news, and event coverage) for staffers to follow. Setting concrete deadlines for story pre-plans, plans, roughs, and final drafts further assists them in planning when to gather interviews, photos, and other materials necessary to meet their post-date.
Click the photo to view our editing process slideshow.
The Pre-plan
When editing story pre-plans, I look for what the main point, or angle, of the story will be. If it's an opinion, is their argument concrete or too vague? For news, is there any important information on the event that is necessary to include? In a feature, is the topic interesting to our audience and what aspect of the topic will this story focus on?
Pre-plans are meant to show our editors that the writer has a solid idea and, you guessed it, a PLAN for their story. Writing a pre-plan keeps our story topics interesting, and well thought out, and a space to assist staffers who may need help writing interview questions or finding sources.
I left this comment on a pre-plan for an opinion piece on HB 1 of 2024, which could potentially ban social media use for minors in Florida, even if they have parental permission. Her pre-plan was solid, but I had to make sure she researched not only what this law, if passed, could result in, but what a better solution would be. Opinions should contain not only the writer's argument, but a reasonable alternative to the topic they take issue with.
Click to view the final story.
The Plan
In story plans, I look at all the interviews and complete research for staffers' stories. At this stage, I learn whether I need to worry about the story's progress or not. Guiding staffers in the plan can make or break a story. If weak interviews and baseless research aren't caught, the story will not be up to journalistic or ethical standards.
Currently, one of my staffers is writing a feature story on the effects of caffeine on students. I had read his questions beforehand in his pre-plan, editing the wording to avoid "yes" or "no" questions. However, many of his interviews had quick responses that could not be quoted in the story. I left this comment on his plan to remind him to ask open-ended questions before he finished conducting his interviews. By viewing his interviews in the plan, I was able to help guide him in completing the story well rather than bombarding him with heavy edits afterwards.
The Rough
Just like its title, this step in the editing process can be rough. Two-thirds of our staff are first-year writers, so writing in-depth reports and longer stories can be a struggle, for some more than others. In the rough, I look for a lead that hooks me into the story, a steady flow between different topics, accurate information, and effective organization of thoughts and ideas.
Click each title to view the final story.
Foundations of story writing
For his first story of the year, and ever, one of my staffers wrote a profile on the new Early Childhood Education teacher. However, it was less of a profile and more of a news story. I gave this staffer guidance on what type of details and specifics the story needed about the teacher, as many of the quotes were from our administration and not her. I gave examples of what would make an intriguing lead, how to make the paragraph transitions smoother, and even shared a link to a profile I had written my sophomore year as an example. In the end, the story was improved both in length and detail after edits were made.
Sensitive topics
Our opinions editor, who is ethnically Jewish, wrote a thorough opinion story on antisemitism being prevalent on our campus. While the story ended up great, there were some comments made in the rough draft that could be easily misinterpreted by our readers. Her points were solid and I agreed with her opinions, but I knew that the wording of her thoughts could be seen as blaming a particular demographic on our campus of antisemitism, when really, this behavior is not limited to any particular religions or race. I helped her rework her opinions, maintaining the overall message while reframing the images she previously had depicted.
Story organization
Not only does the writing and information within a story matter, but the order in which it is presented. The same staffer who wrote our ECE teacher profile wrote another profile this year on our school's TV program personality and his wide range of hobbies and campus involvement despite learning disabilities. In this story, it was important that his struggles and perserverance were represented, but the rough had little mention of his hardships. I left this comment to help the writer have a clear structure for the story, allowing it to be easier to read and comprehend. From his first story of the year to this profile, I saw immense improvement in the quality of writing and story-telling in this staffer.
Click to view more story edits.
Multimedia Edits
When it comes to videos, podcasts, or website displays, most of my editing is done in-person, especially during classtime. However, if a video or other multimedia needs some final fixes, I will have staffers send me their coverage through Google Drive. After watching our listening to the coverage, I will direct message the staffer my edits and thoughts for improvement. Here, I've pictured some examples of messages I will send when it comes to multimedia content or website displays. I try to explain thouroughly how to make a fix, that way the staffer can implement it into their next piece on their own.
Layout Edits
As editor-in-chief, I not only oversee the production of our website and social media, but the publication of our print issues. Creating six issues a year can seem daunting, but having a solid understanding of page layouts and design has helped me to help our staffers create pages.
During our press days, when we stay after school to complete the print, I have all staffers print out their rough pages in the class earlier that day. This way, I can make hand-edits on pages and help them fix their layouts. When making layout edits, I not only re-read stories to check for typos and errors, but also set up their pages, photo arrangements, and how I could improve the creativity in the design.
Here I've pictured an example of a page currently being made for our upcoming issue (which will be distributed at the end of February.) The first image shows the original page given to me, and the second is their first draft after initial edits. I don't expect pages to turn out perfect after one round of editing---that is just illogical. Going through multiple rounds allows staffers to better understand the basics of design and make improvements for future pages.
View an example of my layout edits below, click images to enlarge.
Before
After
Self-Editing
Not only do I edit my staffers' pages, but I must also strive to improve my own. Below, I've included the original drafts of some of my designs and then the final products.
Click images to enlarge.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Leadership and Team Building
Leadership: Journalism Lessons
As editor-in-chief, it is not simply my job to edit stories and expect improvement, but to effectively teach my staffers proper journalistic practices. In the classroom, I have done this through open discussions and presentations, bringing attention to common mistakes found in stories and reporting.
However, as a journalist, I also aim to help those outside of my staff and in my community.
As the former District 3 Student Representative and the current Vice Chair of Communications for the Florida Scholastic Press Association, I have presented lessons at both the district and state conventions. Teaching not only allows me to help those around me improve their journalistic skills, but encourages me to further question my own practices and make self-improvements.
Multimedia for Dummies
I presented my first journalism lesson, "Multimedia for Dummies" at the FSPA State Convention in 2022. As a sophomore and first-year attendee, I was initially overwhelmed at the thought of presenting my own work and techniques to others, especially at the state level. However, through this presentation, I was able to develop my leadership skills, improve my public speaking, and effectively teach others about video editing and reporting. Working on this with my Online Editor challenged my communication and teaching skills, but the challenge made me a better editor and leader for my own staff.
In this presentation, we focused on the basics of multimedia journalism and how it can be implemented into other staffs. Our staff is used to publishing a lot of multimedia content, but I was surprised at how unusual this was for other staffs around the state. With heavy interest from attendees, Skyler presented on podcasts while I took over video editing and reporting.
Click the image to view the full presentation.
How to Make your Site Slay
_edited.jpg)
In my junior year, I presented my second journalism lesson, "How to Make your Site Slay" at the FSPA District 3 Fall Workshop. During this presentation, Skyler and I (dream team) presented on website design and online publication standards. As the first publication in the nation to be named a SNO Distinguished site last year, we focused on the requirements for SNO's different badges, giving advice on writing, multimedia, and staff leadership.
Click the image to view the full presentation.
How to Make your Stories Serve
This past fall at the District 3 workshop, I presented "How to Make your Stories Serve" (I like pop culture references in my lesson titles.) Working on this presentation with my print editor, Kailey, we wanted to focus not only on our staff's writing and editing process, but on how to brainstorm unique story ideas. We were able to hear from other staffs on their writing and editing process during the Q&A session at the end. I not only taught others, but learned from the other schools and editors that attended.
Click to view the full presentation.
Classroom Presentations
I talk every day in class, giving shout-outs, reminders, and due dates, and for important topics, especially ones I want staff members to have access to later, I'll create a presentation. Last year, I created this presentation on how to write quotes for our staff to review. Even though we were halfway through the school year at that point, some new staffers were still finding difficulty in little details, such as proper grammar and selection for quotes. After reviewing these basic guidelines, I found the news stories I received to have improved quality in grammar and more interesting quotes. So, no matter the time of year, it is never too late to teach a topic.
Click the image to view the full presentation.
Before we left for winter break, my print editor and I wanted to go over some fixes we needed to make for our next print issues. We took the feedback we received from FSPA's review of our first issue and put our main concerns into the slideshow. Including the feedback and how we could make these fixes for our next issue gave our staffers specific direction. Receiving feedback from judges allows us to improve our reporting and print issues, but that cannot be done unless I lead my staff to take action.
Click to view the full presentation.
Team Building: Staff Discussions
On most days my staff will start class sitting in an open circle. Scooting our chairs to shuffle towards the middle of the classroom, we hold staff discussions almost every class period, which we call "Circle Ups." During these meetings, led by me and my main editors, we go over our staff's stories for the week, who is posting that week, what we will be focusing on during that class period, and give any story ideas that should be covered that upcoming week. By having meetings with the entire staff, I can hear what everyone will be reporting on that week so I can keep easy tabs on my staffers.
Pictured above, my staff goes over our plans for the week during our circle up. In addition to going over webstie schedules and posts, these discussions also allow us to discuss current events and issues, encouraging the news literacy and national or global awareness of my staff. By having a more informed staff, our coverage and writing improves in accuracy and reliability.
Pictured above, staffers discuss their opinions on recent social media laws that could potentially ban platforms for those under 16. For every issue of our paper, we include a staff editorial, where we combine the mixed opinions of our staff on a certain issue into a cohesive opinion piece. The job of writing this editorial is divided between me and my print and online editor. The task of writing an editorial that accurately and responsibly weaves the opinions of others can be difficult, so it is important that we get a clear picture of what our staffers' stances are on the subject.
Often, we will use our circle up times to hear everyone's opinions on our chosen topic for that issue. Circle up times are not only beneficial to the efficiency and quality of our staff's stories and reporting, but to the critical thinking and open mindedness of our staffers. In order to be a good journalist, we must be able to dive into and understand the stances of others, and more importantly, why they have that stance. By having deep discussion on subjects from parental rights to parking passes, I increase the curiosity and understanding of my staffers.
For our latest issue, I wrote the staff editorial, where we focused on online courses and if they really benefited students.
Click the image to read the story.
Team Building: Staff Awards
In the past, our staff has given out occasional shout outs, but I wanted to create a solid system for staff awards as EIC. Awards are not the reason for doing good work, but they serve as encouragement for new staffers and boost our morale.
At the beginning of this year, I started an award system called "Prince or Princess of the Print." After each print issue, we circle up and say thank you to another staffer who helped us, a story we really enjoyed, and one thing we can improve for our next issue. Now, after this tradition, I will hand out goodie bags to staffers who stayed long after school (Stay-After Queen/King), wrote great in-depth reports (Story Queen/King) and finally, to the staffer that supported that issue the most, I crown our Prince or Princess of the Print.
Similar to Miss Universe (since the print can sometimes become our entire world), I will have our last Prince or Princess of the Print pass the crown on to the new ruler. This system, which is decided each issue between the three main editors and adviser, brings a fun bonding activity that our staffers can look forward to after a stressful week of finalizing our printed issues.
At the end of the semester, I decorated our class board to showcase our SNO and Columbia Scholastic Press Association recognition, Prince and Princesses of the Print, our stay-after-day themes, and some fun pictures taken throughout the semester. The board brightened up the classroom and shows everyone the positives that happen throughout the year.
Team Building: Press Days
To get three print issues done per semester, a lot of after-school hours need to be put in by our entire staff. Working in the classroom is the most effective and beneficial way for us to complete our printed issues, but class time is also very limited. So, for every print issue, we hold a Press Day where our staff works to finish our pages and make detailed edits in our copy and design. Ordering pizza, bringing in home-baked cookies and snacks, and having themed dress-up days make these stressful hours less dreadful and more enjoyable.
For our first three press days of this year, we held Slumber Party (September), Five Nights at Freddy's (October), and Hunger Games (December) press days. Theming these days around pop culture events or holidays adds another level of excitement and fun to our staff.
Scroll to see some photos from our Press Days.
Team Building: Celebrations
One thing our entire staff can agree on...we love to celebrate. From birthdays to holiday parties to SNO Distinguished Site cakes, I try to look for the little accomplishments we can celebrate as a staff. These celebrations aren't simply an excuse to bring in treats (although, those are a plus), but a way to make my staffers feel appreciated and supported by me and my editors.
Secret Santa
To celebrate the holiday season, my print editor and I set up a staff Secret Santa so we could exchange gifts on the last day before winter break. Decorating our holiday tree (made from the boxes our latest print issue had been delivered in) and gathering around the projected yule log got us all into the giving spirit. I always look forward to this tradition, and my favorite part was seeing everyone light up when they opened their gifts.
Birthday Celebrations
At the beginning of the year, I created a spreadsheet with the birthdays of all our staffers. From there, my print editor and I used a randomizer to give everyone on staff a "Birthday Buddy." On birthday celebration days, our staff also has some unique traditions. First, staffers must select one of two birthday hats (which I fear to put on my head.) Then, our advisor will play The Happy Birthday Song on YouTube, except it's AI-generated to say your name. We then pass around the treats brought in by their buddy to finish off the celebration before getting back to work.
Celebrating Milestones
As a leader on staff, it's important to give shoutouts and praise, even for little accomplishments. So when it comes to big-deal breakthroughs, serious celebration is in order.
SNO Distinguished Site
In January, our website, hhsblueprint.com, was named a SNO Distinguished Site after earning SNO badges in writing, website design, multimedia, and more. This achievement took a long time to figure out, especially with a smaller staff comprised of mostly new journalists. Nonetheless, we powered through to get the badges and celebrated in class with a custom cake
(thank you Mr. Taylor!)
SNO Published Stories
For every story we have published by Best of SNO, we will celebrate both in class and online. I want to show my staff the appreciation I have for their hard work in story writing, but also how this hard work reflects well on our program. So, as seen in Web and Social Media, I will upload our SNO certificates to our Instagram page under the "Best of SNO" highlight. Posting these awards allows my staffers hard work to be viewed by our audience and bring interest to our program.
In addition, we have our Best of SNO cabinet, where we keep all of our SNO certificates for the year. This year, we have had 20 Best of SNO stories published (as of Feb. 6.), which is the most our program has had in its history.
Below, I've included our Best of SNO cabinet, some examples of the Instagram posts I make for my staffers, and the positivity spread in our group chat when we get new stories published.
Leadership: Classroom Management
Having a passionate staff is important, but having a punctual staff is equally as important. In order to help staffers keep track of their due dates and posting dates, we have an editing process (as shown in Editing) as well as a staff calendar and master story list. On the staff calendar, we can all view who will be uploading that week, in what section, and what the topic of the story is. Having a clear calendar makes it easier for my editors and I to check up on our staffers' progress on stories and check in with those posting that week. At the start of every class period, I will lead the class in reviewing the post dates for the week, then I will go ask to see their progress and ask if they need any assistance to finish their work.
Staff Calendars
On our master list, we keep track of all our story dates for the quarter, organized to show all due dates for each staffer. Here, we also label whether the story was completed on time, a few days late, or over a week late. By doing this, we can pinpoint who may be struggling so we can seek them out and help them with future stories.
Instagram Followers Race
As seen in the Web and Social Media section, I really emphasized our social media presence at the beginning of the school year. To encourage our staff to reach a wider audience and grow our following, we had an imaginary race with our cross-town rival, Oviedo High School's newspaper. At the beginning of the year, we had 1,348 Instagram followers, and our goal was to reach 1,400. By the end of the first week of school, we had 1,421 followers, and as of February, we now have 1,813. Growing our following was a big deal, so we threw a cookie party to celebrate our accomplishments.
August
February
bottom of page