With my last issue of the Forge completed I feel like reflecting on my time as a part of the staff. Now that the end has come I start to think about my induction into the paper. I remember during my journalism class on the first day freshman year our adviser, Ms. Bartz, took the entire class to the Green Academy just a short walk up the hill from our classroom. She pointed to the Green Academy and asked us how was school fortunate enough to have such a program. As we all remained silent she replied that this was what journalism was all about, finding out the facts about what is going around us on campus.
After grappling with whether or not I really wanted to be a committed member of the staff as a freshman I went into sophomore year as Entertainment Editor. What helped me decide that I did want to do this was my end of the year project in which each staff reporter is required to put together an entire page that is publishable for the Forge. After completing it I thought that this was something that I could actually do. Becoming Entertainment Editor came with its own problems. I started writing a column on video games because that was the type of writing I liked to read and I knew that there was a population of the school that wasn’t being catered to. But in doing this I got labeled as the “video game guy.” It was then that I became committed to never being referred to that way again. I went on to take more responsibility as Managing Editor and later Editor-in-Chief.
Since then the reactions I have received regarding the Forge have not all been pleasant. I have personally been called immature by Dr. Capritto in my refusal to print a retraction for accurately quoting our Senior Class President Karl Sandrich in the King of Hearts issue. One student told me that we presented information inaccurately, that there are numerous misspelled words (even though we spell check everything before it is printed), and other comments that are not fit for print.
If I have learned anything though from the malicious attacks on former News-Press Editor Jerry Roberts is that people will say anything to discredit and put down a journalist with whom they have a personal problem. I do not liken myself to Roberts in anyway but there does seem to be a common thread in our experiences.
All journalists must take the bad with the good criticism and I have been forced to do this with the controversial topics I have covered during the years. If the Forge has taught me anything it is the ability to take criticism. This would be one of the most important gifts the paper has given me. But it has also taught me to take a stand for myself and good journalism.
From day one our adviser has told us that when people want to know what was going on at Santa Barbara High School in the coming decades the first page of history they will look at the Forge. My only hope is that I have been able to leave a clear picture of SBHS during my time here so that this is possible.
I am extremely proud to have worked with all of the members of the various staffs since I have been here. Last year we were rated as a First Place Paper by the National Scholastic Press Association and were awarded as Gold Medalists by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
The Forge had so many talented seniors that left last year that I have to say that I was concerned about the ability of this year’s staff. My assumptions were quickly put to rest after the first issue of the Forge. This year we had the best staff in my four years on the staff. While some have had trouble with their commitment to the Forge, when the time came to put together this last issue of the year everyone came together and worked hard.
Those who are staying next year have my full confidence in their ability to put out a professional newspaper and I look forward to seeing how they continue this great tradition.
Danny Langhorne
Staff Reporter 2004-05
Entertainment Editor 2005-06
Managing Editor 2006-07
Editor-in-Chief 2007-08
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