// SOME OF THE TOWER ROOM RULES //
//DEADLINE FOOD SCHEDULE //
PAGE EDITOR POWERPOINT
LEADING DURING FIRST HOUR
ORGANIZATION
ADMINISTRATION ISSUES
LEADERSHIP
*click on photos to view a larger version
When I first started designing pages, I had no idea where to start. What font do I use? Where do I get photos from? How do I write a headline? As I got the hang of these, I started to cultivate a 'page editor list of tips and tricks' in my head. This growing list stayed intangible for two years. Finally, the summer before this year, I spent hours and hours in front of the television creating this 49 slide page editing tutorial. I had a lot of fun making this. I presented the powerpoint to the page editors before the first issue deadline, so they wouldn't have any confusion or doubts when they first opened up their page. I kept saying to them, "Consider yourselves lucky for having this resource, I would have killed for something like this when I was a page editor". The powerpoint is always in our Google Drive and I have page editors reference it often.
I, along with a few other editors, are in charge of running first hour of Tower. Every morning we start class in the front room and go over announcements and any necessary information. The night before my Co-EIC and I type up an agenda with what we need to discuss in class. We pull the slide up on the screen, so staffers know how much time will be spent up front. Usually we go over the upcoming preplan, sign up for stories, and critique the previous issue (see editing/news for more information). After announcements, everyone disperses and does their own thing. I typically walk around the computer room, providing guidance and answering questions throughout the hour. Although I am not a morning person, I believe I do a nice job of helping people during first hour.
One of my strongest leadership qualities is my organizational skills. I have utilized our staff's Google Drive folder immensely to share and collaborate on documents. I have organzied documents for our story sign ups, points sheets, and our calanders. One thing I am particularly proud of is how I revamped our preplans. Beforehand, we would just use a google document to list the stories, writers, and what page everything is located on for the upcoming issue. I started to realize that this outdated format did not account for anysort of photo/graphic sign up. Page editors would scramble for images. Around issue 10, I drafted a new preplan template on Google Sheets, which consisted of more columns for graphic/photo ideas, extensions, etc. That issue, it was very apparent that the update added more images in our paper. Little organizational ideas like that can go a long way in making the paper be more successful.
Our staff does not have the greatest relationship with our school's administration. From last year to this year, our three assistant principals have changed. Our principal, who is on his fourth year as principal at the school, is being trialed for sexual harassment. It's reasonable to say that it is not a comforting environment for students. So many changes have occurred, and as expected, The Tower has written about the good change and the bad change. Our principal has made it obvious that he doesn't mind trying to restrict the power of journalism. He has cut our budget. He has been unprofessional in interviews, refusing to answer questions unless he had the interview questions ahead of time. He has suggested that we shouldn't publish stories. I never want The Tower to feel discouraged because of an authority's power. When issues with our principal like this occur, I try to set the best example and not get shot down from him. How is the best way a journalist can do this? Write about it. For example, I plan to attend my principal's trial as soon as it progresses. Not many high school students can say that.
TEAM BONDING
Being in charge of 75 staff members is not an easy job. Especially with the staff being split between three hours, it's important to make sure everyone is on the same page. This is done, I have learned, by having constant communication. Communication-whether with my advisor, Co Editor in Chief, or staffers- is necessary for the publication to run efficiently. Below are some examples of how I have been a successful leader.
When Mrs. Edgerton joined The Tower as advisor a year and a half ago, she asked if we had a staff manual and nobody really knew the answer. It was a bit odd that we had no guidelines to follow. Mrs. Edgerton found a manual from the 00's when Nardone was advisor and decided we should update it for our staff. Some things we changed and some things were good to stay the same. The manual includes grading breakdown, deadline food schedule, Editorial Board policies, advertising rates, Tower room rules, etc. Rules like "no eating close to the computers" and "keep the music at a reasonable level" stayed, while we got rid of rules about radio use and other outdated things. I'm happy that we were able to update the manual to fit our staff this year. It has been a great reference so far.
STAFF MANUAL
TEAM BONDING
MIPA SUMMER WORKSHOP
VOLUNTEER WORK
LEADERSHIP DINNERS
IN CLASS CELEBRATIONS
FIELD TRIPS
I consider Tower to be my second family. We are a diverse group of students who get along like siblings. When you have to be around eachother for so much time throughout the school year, it's important to have a strong relationship with everyone. I was a bit shy my first year on staff and didn't feel the 'family' vibe until the end of the year. This year, I want to make sure even young staffers feel they can be a part of the big family. Below are some events which brings us even closer together.
It is mandatory that editors attend The MIPA Summer Workshop and it's highly encouraged that staffers attend as well. Each year we like to see a lot of Tower faces at the week long camp. MIPA offers a balance of fun as well as a lot of learning. The Tower has a lot of tradations at MIPA: sitting in the same spot every year in the business seminar room, going out to lunch, playing cards against humanity in the lounge, dressing up for the closing ceremony and taking photos together. It's nice to bond with the staffers before the school year because then you have alot of memories to bring up during the first deadline! Also, a few days after MIPA, we host a summer picnic in GP where we meet new staffers and sign up for stories for the first day of school issue.
Every year, staffers are offered to attend the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Conference in New York CIty. Similar to the MIPA summer workshop, it's a week of exploring NYC with the staff as well as learning helpful tips for the publication. I'm excited to attend again this year. Another field trip we have high attendance at is the MIPA fall and spring conference. We always eat together at the same Irish Pub everytime we go to East Lansing. Also, this year four other editors and I attended the NSPA/JEA fall conference in Dallas. It was a great week, winning first place in best of show, eating at delicious restaurants, and wearing lots of cowboy hats. There is no better place to bond then outside of our community.
CHRISTMAS PARTY
Christmas is a big deal in The Tower. We have a week long Secret Santa schedule where we leave cards, candy, toys, and gift cards throughout the week. Each staffer gets creative, sentimental, or hilarious with their gifting depending who they are giving to. At the end of the week, we have a party at a staffer's house. We give out paper plates, which always creates some laughs, and reveal secret santas. Also it is a tradition for each staffer to receive some sort of Tower gift. We wrap the gifts ahead of time and pass them out at the end of the party. This year, first year staffers received hats, second year staffers received water bottles, and third year staffers received journals. The party is a great celebration and goodbye before we go on break for a week.
At late deadlines, people are always saying "how good does sushi sound?", "I want some pasta", etc. Because us editors are such foodies, we started a trend this year where the leadership team goes out to dinner every five issues. We try to go to fancy, yet somewhat inexpensive restaurants throughout downtown Detroit and neighboring towns. It's a great time to dress up nicely, order fancy food, and celebrate our work so far with The Tower. Thinking about leadership dinners helps motivate us to get through the issues. As the picture on the left shows, we have a lot of laughs.
Once or twice a school year, editors plan a community service trip. It takes place on the weekend and we try to get as much as the staff to come. Last year, we went to Gleaners Foodbank to package vegetables. We are planning on going to Cass Community in early March to do some more volunteer work. We are always writing about people who do good things, so I believe it's important that we to do charitable services as well.
Throughout the year we organize little activities to do during class or after school. At the beginning of the year we had a tie dye tshirt party. Also, we painted pumpkins around Halloween time and we had a valentine party on Valentine's Day. Little festivities like these can make the school day more enjoyable and allows staffers to bond over crafts and snacks. Also, we sometimes have dogs come in during deadline which is pretty awesome.
// HELPING PAGE EDITORS SKETCH OUT THEIR PAGES //
// SAMPLE AGENDA //
// OLD PREPLAN //
// NEW PREPLAN //
// YEARBOOK PHOTO 17-18//
// MIPA 2017//
// MIPA 2018//
// DALLAS TRIP 2018 //
// NYC TRIP 2016 //
// MIPA FALL CONFERENCE 2018 //
// CHRISTMAS PARTY 2018 //
// WRAPPING STAFF XMAS GIFTTS //
// EDITORS AT EL BARZON //
// DEADLINE SPECIAL GUEST //
// PUMPKIN PAINTING 2018 //