WHS, Reed starts monthly newspaper

Wrangell High School has a new student newspaper available to students, parents and Wrangell residents as an emailed file for those that wish to subscribe.

The paper, titled “WHS News Monthly” is the senior project of Haley Reed and includes writing by students Haley Reed, Nicole Hammer, Kacie Galla, Courtney Haggard, Briana Sample and Victoria Ingram.

Reed said she chose to do a newspaper because it offered a plethora of ways to serve the community and do something she loves to do – write.

“I wanted to do something for my senior project that I could take a genuine interest in,” Reed said. “I really love writing and I know others in the school who have it as their passion as well. I also wanted to provide an outlet for them to write and it was something they could do outside of school to develop their own voice. At the same time it will help the community and keep people in the loop of what’s going on at the school.”

Barbara Neyman, an educational aide at WHS and Reed’s mentor on the project, said she helps with the finished product but that the lion’s share of work is handled by Reed and her writers.

“I look at her editing and make suggestions,” Neyman said. “I used to work for newspapers back east and I edit many essays here at the school, including some current staff member’s assignments, so writing is a passion of mine. I like to see them stretch in different areas that we haven’t gone before and a newspaper or monthly magazine is a great way to do that.”

Technology skills are also a big part of the lessons Neyman is trying to impart on the newspaper’s staff.

“For Courtney, this is teaching her new skills in InDesign and stretching the way they all think about making a paper,” Neyman said.

And when it comes to layout of the paper using InDesign, an industry standard graphic design software application, Haggard said it could be laborious.

“It takes a long time,” she said.

The paper is available to anyone who would like a copy delivered to his or her inbox. To receive a copy each month, send an email to whsschoolnews

@gmail.com.