Community High produces great Ann Arbor publication
Sitting in my daughter’s high school open house earlier this month, I was surprised by the visceral reaction I had when the principal started talking about Community High’s school magazine. My heart jumped, as if I was the one who could join! I’m sure memories of being part of the high school newspaper staff had everything do to with it.
I can sincerely credit that class and teacher, Mrs. Norton, for inspiring me to pursue a career in journalism. I also wrote a bit for a local newspaper, the Millington Herald, and here’s one of my first articles for them:
Now imagine being a high school student and working on this:
I read through The Communicator Magazine yesterday and was stunned at the quality of the photographs and graphics – all student led. They put out both a print and digital version. I was even more impressed by the reporting and interviewing skills these students possess. Some of the students took on incredibly difficult topics, including covering Hillary Clinton’s visit to Ann Arbor and an interview of a former Community High student whose mother was under threat of being deported.
Students came up with several clever, light-hearted pieces, too – a unique photo story on a student's trip to Dallas, Texas and a feature on teachers reliving their past road trips. (I didn’t even think of my teachers as actual human beings who led lives before Lakeville.)
Other articles included local business news, cultural events, and an article on a new juggling club. I learned about the interesting history of a local bakery I drive past nearly every day and the UM student protest of white supremacist Richard Spencer.
I’m so impressed that I would even go so far as to argue that these high school students are producing one of the best print publications in Ann Arbor. What these students and their teacher have created is inspiring, and I imagine the experience and confidence they’ve gained from being a part of this editorial team will serve them well, wherever their paths take them.