PAWs Down the Best Staff

Seven days of creation, seven wonders of the ancient world, seven continents, seven Roman emperors, seven colors in the rainbow – seven members on the PAW staff for 2016-17.
It is no coincidence that this year’s PAW staff has the exact number of members as the biblically symbolic number of complete perfection. Although I may be slightly biased as this year’s PAW adviser, I see great things already brewing behind the scenes. So, let me introduce these newsworthy individuals to you.
Co-editors Clara McMillan and Blake Rothberg, although only sophomores, have the most experience as second-year PAW staffers. Both are looking forward to a new year with more responsibility and leadership opportunities. When asked why he decided to sign up for Journalism again, Blake responded, “I like presenting ideas that I want to write about.” Clara sees this year’s smaller staffed PAW as “more of a challenge”. For this reason, Clara is especially excited to connect the PAW and newly founded Authors Society – giving other P.A. students the opportunity to free-lance some of their writing to be published in the PAW.
The PAW’s only senior Leah Barron may have picked Journalism as her second choice elective, but is proving to be passionate about the profession. Although Leah stated that she is “not sure about the writing” that she will have to do, she surely has the skill to ask the tough questions. Her drive to find the truth is one of the core values of any journalist.
Sophomores Riley Nechanicky, Caroline Mahowald, and Joey Fafinski are all excited for the opportunity to get around the building and hear what others have to say. Caroline and Joey both agreed that interviewing others is the best part of the job. While Caroline is just as excited to interact with the PA community, she is a bit nervous about showcasing her writing. “I want my articles to sound professional,” Caroline said.
The seventh member of the PAW staff is not only the youngest, but also the freshest member of the team. Freshman Helena Peppin is new to PA, but she said her involvement on the PAW helps her to be aware of things that she was unaware of before.
As a team, these seven have already proven to have an innate understanding of the world of journalism. They each bring a new perspective, different interests, and unique motivation to diversify the types of articles and reporting for the PAW. Together they will not only develop their skills further in writing articles for the PAW but will also learn from other professional journalists by studying Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenthiel’s The Elements of Journalism.

From their studies, the seven have already come to grasp the fundamental meaning behind their profession as journalists. They have come to see that journalism is not a profession to be taken lightly. As Pope John Paul II remarked, “It must instead be felt as a mission in a certain sense sacred, carried out in the knowledge that the powerful means of communication have been entrusted to [them] for the good of all.”
With this elevated sense of duty to their community, the PAW team is committed to writing truthful and meaningful articles that promote the PA values, build an even stronger sense of belonging, and stir others to action.