Leadership
North Pointe has taught me every skill that I utilize as a leader, including patience and communication techniques. I strive to be an Editor-in-Chief that staff members feel comfortable coming to with questions and concerns, and I hope to help create leaders that are soon to be the heads of the program.
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Editor's note (Volume 55, Issue 3)
In November 2022 there were three new members elected to the Grosse Pointe Public Schools school board. When we decided to cover the story, we planned to give each newly-elected member their own section. All three newly-elected members responded to an email asking to set up an interview, however, only two followed through. Ginny Jeup, after initially agreeing to an interview, did not respond to multiple follow up emails. As we got closer and closer to our deadline without a response, I decided to reach out to the SPLC. I explained the situation to them, and asked for advice on what to say in an Editor's note. They responded in a timely manner, and I was able to put an Editor’s note in the paper that explained to our readers why she was not included in the article, and stated that we hoped to speak to her in the future.
North Pointe Source Directory
When we plan out our stories for each issue, we ask each staff member to submit their ideas for each section, along with sources. I felt that we needed a single, condensed place that provided information on every person in the district that could be a useful source for a story. I created the North Pointe Source Directory, a 50-slide guide to each category of frequently used sources. I included the school board, administration, teachers, counselors, department chairs, club advisors, coaches, and the athletic department. Additionally, I included stories that each individual would be useful for. It was published in our shared drive for the staff to use.
Readership Survey
This year, we entirely revamped the design and content of the North Pointe. While I and the staff am extremely happy with and proud of the changes, I wanted to make sure that our readers felt the same. At the end of the first semester, I created a 14-question survey that was sent out to the North community. The survey asks our audience about the elements that draw them into a page design or a story, whether our website and social media platforms are attention-grabbing and easy to navigate, what they would like to see in the North Pointe, and more. With the responses that I have thus far, I plan to make headlines more of a priority, both in terms of content and design. 62.5% of people that responded to the survey shared that a headline is the most important factor in determining wether a story is worth reading. Additionally, 42.9% of those that took the survey reported that our website, North Pointe Now, is not as easy to navigate as it could be. In the following weeks, I will focus on the site navigation, make changes, and follow up with those that felt it was slightly difficult to navigate. I am excited to receive additional responses and use them to better the publication.
Two sections
In the past three years, the North Pointe staff has more than doubled in size. During the 2021-2022 school year, the class was a single hour and had 37 students, much larger than the average class size at GPN. This year, we split into two hours. There are section editors, a managing editor, staff reporters, and interns spread between both hours. While this change allowed for more time during the school day focused on the paper and the ability to talk to each staff member individually, it brought communication challenges. I had to find a way to help my staff communicate with others they were writing with in the other hour. Through basecamp, communication in google docs, and me in both hours serving as a connector, the change has been successful. I have made a big effort to know every member of the staff, as I want everyone to feel comfortable asking me for assistance.
Mini lessons
Every other Monday, a member of the North Pointe staff presents a mini lesson, a short slideshow that focuses on an area of skill that is necessary to be successful as a North Pointe staff member. I have done many mini lessons throughout my experience, including lessons on headline writing, AP style, and the “10 rules of North Pointe”, the norms that we strive to follow as a staff. I remember being given mini lessons as an Intern, and it feels good to have acquired enough journalistic knowledge to be able to stand in front of the class and share it with other members of the staff for the benefit of the program.
Mentoring & promotions
When you join North Pointe, you are assigned a mentor. Someone that you byline your first story with, sit with in class, go to with questions, and look up to as a writer, communicator, and leader. As a freshman Intern, my mentor was a current section editor. He taught me how to write a variety of story types, and was someone that I could go to for advice and answers. After completing a number of stories, I was promoted to Staff Reporter. In North Pointe, this promotion comes with a ceremony. I was given a paper hat made out of our most recent issue and my mentor spoke about my growth in the class. Since my promotion, I have mentored five individuals who all remain members of the North Pointe staff, including Grace Rossman, who now works alongside me as Managing Editor. I was able to promote each of them to Staff Reporter and gave a speech about their progress as journalists. Mentoring has given me a true role as a leader in the workroom.
Page reads
When stories have been read twice and are accompanied by approved art, the section editors begin to design their pages. Once the content is on the page, every page is printed and given to me for a read. I check to make sure that the dates, bylines, font sizes, indents, hyphenation, photo credits, and borders are correct, and approve the design. I also read through every story when it is placed on the page. After I mark the page up with corrections, I give it back to the section editor to make changes. The process is repeated two to three times, which has led to a publication that has very few errors. I have learned to pay attention to the small details and think critically about page design.
Second reads
As Editor-in-Chief, it is my job to do the second round of editing on stories. This includes checking for grammatical errors, AP style violations, false information, and correct story layout and content. I remember the fear that I felt as an intern when my stories went through the reads process. I make sure to keep this in mind when I leave comments on a story, thinking critically about its content and the best and most productive way to recommend changes. Often, second reads require multiple rounds of comments, but they always end with accurate, inspirational, and well-written stories that I am proud to publish in the paper.
Icebreakers
The community and family that is created within the North Pointe production room is one of the many reasons that I am excited to work each day. However, that connection is not formed instantly. At the beginning of each year, many of our class periods are started with an ice breaker. Often, ice breakers are dreaded, uncomfortable, boring activities. That is not the case in North Pointe. This year, I created a scavenger hunt for my ice breaker. I made a list of objects and places to find in our school parking lot, printed out a list for each group within the class, and designed it as a competition. On the day of the icebreaker, groups were running through the parking lot, sweating, and screaming, attempting to take a picture with each item on the list. The activity brought each group closer together and created a conversation. This was the beginning of the formation of the North Pointe family.
Issue awards
At the end of every monthly issue cycle, we gather as a staff to thank each other for any assistance that was given throughout production, plan goals to assure that our next paper is the best that it can be, and I give out awards to staff members that I feel went above and beyond in the specific production cycle. There are two prizes. Milky Ways are given to individuals who were ‘out of this world’ in some aspect, while Lifesavers are given to individuals who helped out in a time that we needed it. It is amazing to see the smile on people’s faces when I give them an award, and I am glad that we get to celebrate the individuals that deserve recognition. When I received recognition in this form as an Intern or a Staff Reporter, it only made me want to work harder, and I can see that same determination in our staff now.
The Link
When I was North Pointe's Managing Editor, the Editor-in-Chief and I created a reoccurring podcast called "The Link." Its name stemmed from the podcast's purpose and theme, to expand on a story from each issue, sharing our opinions and knowledge on each topic that we discussed. Each month, the Editor-in-Chief and I would review our spread of stories and choose the one that we felt most connected to, the one that inspired a discussion. Recording a podcast requires quick thinking and precise and accurate speech. In the first episode, my voice was timid and my words were safe. By the time we recorded our fourth episode, I was confident in my conversation skills and was not afraid to insert my opinions. In the future, The Link will continue to be a reoccurring podcast each year, created by North Pointe's Executive Board.
Episode 1: The Continual Disrespect of Teachers
Episode 2: Equity of Grading Practices Questioned
Episode 3: Your Lack of a Developed Prefrontal Cortex isn't a Smokescreen
This spread showcases the energy of my hockey team on a game day, and it received first place in the North Pointe People's Choice Awards.
People's Choice Awards
Every other Monday, on what we call "Mini Lesson Monday," a member of the North Pointe leadership team leads a lesson on crucial skills related to writing, design, communication and photography. The assignment that follows these lessons is often a writing or design task. The task is submitted, shown to the class, and the best submission is voted on. In our recent assignment to create a collage of emotional photos using a variety of photography techniques, including birds eye view, rule of thirds, leading lines, and silhouette. I decided to capture the energy of my hockey team on game day, and my submission was voted to first place. I also received an honorable mention in the People's Choice Awards for GPN student media logo.
Staff Connections
I am a dedicated and confident leader, but I could not produce the paper that I proudly publish each month without the North Pointe Staff by my side. My managing editors have become my rocks. They are always available and willing to help and are talented in both writing and design. I am so grateful to work alongside such outstanding people and journalists.
Workroom Dynamic
The North Pointe production room is one where I feel comfortable, supported, productive, and inspired. The room and the people within it push me to think critically and creatively. The entire publication is produced within this environment, where I edit stories and pages, work in indesign, and plan out each issue.
Late Nights
As I advance as a member of the North Pointe staff, I find myself dedicating more and more time to the publication. Outside of the two hours that I work with the staff in school, I stay after school two to three times each month to work on pages, edit stories, and send the finished product to the printer. Those late nights often last until 8 or 9 pm. We eat dinner and encourage a productive environment for one another.