Staffers Samantha Miller and Nzinga Richardson hold copies of the first edition of The Raider Press.
It’s the first school newspaper at Derby High that anyone can remember, according to art teacher Tracie Bolack, who, with English teacher Rebecca Syombathy, acted as advisers and editors of the first edition.
The roots of the first edition of The Raider Press were planted last year, when Bolack, a second-year teacher with the district, started asking questions about why the high school didn’t have its own publication.
“It bothered me that as a community, our students didn’t have a voice,” Bolack said.
Then, at the start of this school year, principal Greg Galliard connected Bolack with junior Melissa Lewis, 17, who had told Galliard she wanted to start a newspaper.
“I had heard there had been a few attempts to get something off the ground, but it hadn’t worked,” Lewis said.
Lewis, who is the paper’s junior editor, said she had a desire to write — and to recruit fellow Derby students to get involved.
“I just really wanted to get news out to people,” Lewis said.
It worked.
The first edition of The Raider Press is four pages long with about 11 articles. In addition to the faculty advisers and Lewis, there are 14 students on the paper’s staff.
They are:
Sports editor:
Joe Morgan
Editorial staff:
Emily Borrelli
Carmen Benavides
Ana Defeo
Samantha Miller
Maria Orellana
Sarah Panilo
Andrew Rainish
Nzinga Richardson
Ashley Smith
Ximena Varas
Amy Zheng
Photographers:
Carmen Benavides
Samantha Miller
Melissa Lewis (contributed photo)
Page one also features a story by Samantha Miller and Nzinga Richardson about the high school’s efforts to help TEAM Inc.‘s annual “Toys for Kids” drive.
Page two features a column by Miller on underground music, a column by Ashley Smith on fashion icon Coco Chanel, and a talky column by Andrew Rainish on a recent school dance. “Student A” was disappointed with the DJ and food, while “Student B” thought the dance was fun.
Joe Morgan’s sports story wraps up the Derby Red Raiders’ football season, while the back page features an advice column and a “He Said/She Said” column by Sarah Panico.
All in all it’s a lively effort by the aspiring journalists, who met once a week every Tuesday in the art room for 90 minutes to brainstorm ideas, write stories and work on layout.
“I feel like I accomplished everything I set out to do,” Lewis said.
It was a ton of work, but Miller, the paper’s music expert, said it was worth it.
“I enjoyed it. It really didn’t feel like work to me,” said Miller, a 17-year-old senior.
Lewis said she can’t wait for the next edition. The goal is to make The Raider Press a monthly publication. At the top of her new story list — interviewing Superintendent Stephen Tracy about the upcoming school budget.
“It feels amazing to be publishing the very first, first articles,” said Richardson, 17.
(From left to right) Nzinga Richardson, Tracie Bolack, Rebecca Syombathy and Samantha Miller.
“A couple of my friends read it and said it was good. I felt so flattered someone actually read it,” Miller said.
Bolack and Syombathy, the advisers, said they’re happy that the newspaper gives Derby students a voice.
“Very often students aren’t represented. They don’t realize they have power,” Bolack said.
It also teaches them everything from how to write a story to how to meet deadlines.
A copy of the first Raider Press is printed below.
Note: The Valley Indy staff was proud to have met once with the student journalists before The Raider Press was published. The publication donated reporter’s notebooks, pens and an Associated Press Stylebook.
