School paper melds the 'I' and the 'us'

Life is full of challenges -- challenges that make you stronger. That is why I am glad I challenged myself to take a job with the school newspaper.

When I applied for a position on my high school newspaper, I knew very little about journalism. However, if I had not applied, I would have missed the chance to gain knowledge I now have.

Cooperation is the key to a successful staff. The individuals in my class pull together to produce a high-quality newspaper.

Our newspaper adviser, Mrs. Putnam, makes us strive for nothing less than our best. We would not be able to make our newspaper as professional as it is if she were not there to direct us.

We do not treat it as a class. It is more like a job because we have a responsibility to our school to give them our absolute best.

However, writing for the paper is also more of a privilege than a strenuous job. I have learned that writing can be the only profession in which no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money. We write for the love of writing.

Being a part of the staff has also opened my eyes to problems in the world and community that I would not have known before.

I'm very proud of an article I recently wrote about the crisis in Darfur. I knew a bit about the genocide happening in Darfur, but I was especially shocked to find out that some students had never even heard of it!

I thought it was my duty to inform them about the crisis to the best of my ability and tell them how to get involved in raising money. I persuaded students to lend a hand, and I also emptied out the change in my wallet. I learned through this article how powerful the press can be.

On top of being a staff writer, I am also the copy editor, which means I proofread all of the articles. I favor reading the editorials most.

Many of our editorials have been about new rules at school that some students are hesitant to speak about.

For example, I enjoyed an editorial written by staff member Lisa Huynh on the Pledge of Allegiance.

I thought she did an amazing job explaining why she does not stand up for the pledge. It made me want to start writing about something other than just my normal entertainment articles.

After reading the many editorials brought by my staff, I have learned that the editorials are often more substantive and meaningful than other stories we publish. The editorials are often where the best articles can be found.

Reading the editorials reminds me of a quote by Aristotle: "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

One of the best parts about a newspaper is that we take the different writing styles of each individual and put them together in one place. My advice to young writers is this: Don't just follow other writers. Express yourself in your writing.

We all learned to write in elementary school. Some can go on to great things with that talent.

(Nesren Elhertani is a senior at Millbrook High School and has been writing for the school paper for three years.)