Talon Mid-Semester Check-in by Mara Hankins

2024-11-05 17:31:25 UTC

Writing articles more spaced out

2024-11-05 17:31:39 UTC

I want to become a better writer and create content that I am proud of. I also enjoy the people in this class and being able to meet others who have similar interests as me.

collaborating with my friends/peers + having an opportunity to write about things I am passionate about and things that are important to me

2024-11-05 17:31:43 UTC

2024-11-05 17:31:58 UTC

Pushing a lot more content through and on time

2024-11-05 17:31:58 UTC

Something important to me about journalism is being able to make connections with other people around campus. When writing articles I am able to go to more events and learn more about what is going on at our school.

Passion

2024-11-05 17:32:17 UTC

I have learned these past 3 years in this class that Journalism is one of my strongest passions. I want to improve everyday, to write better, to interview better, to become a better journalist. I think Journalism is critical in our current society and I want to be part of this undeniable impact.

2024-11-05 17:32:19 UTC

working with others and hanging out with my friends at my table groups. It makes my day better and I always have so much fun!

2024-11-05 17:32:21 UTC

I am in Journalism 2 because I want to pursue writing/journalism in the future. I want to become a sports writer for a publication. It's important to me because it helps me expand ideas more efficiently and it has helped me improve my writing skills and time management.

2024-11-05 17:32:24 UTC

One that challenges conventional beleifs or is in some way informative/thought provoking

I'm in journalism because I like to write and I found that I like to give voice to the voiceless and advocate for others. I also love the collaboration that journalism brings and getting to report on things in the community that people might not be aware of

2024-11-05 17:32:29 UTC

the class in general is way more motivated to write and come up with unique topics compared to prior years

2024-11-05 17:32:32 UTC

I like the freedom that journalism has. I am able to pick my own topics that I'm interested in and write my opinion on topics. It also gives me an opportunity to create art and express myself through drawings.

2024-11-05 17:32:33 UTC

I love being able to meet new people and work with people I may have not known if it wasn't for this class

Why am I in journalism?

2024-11-05 17:32:34 UTC

Journalism is a branch of writing that I had the opportunity to explore somewhat at the middle school which I wanted to build upon, leading me to this class

2024-11-05 17:32:36 UTC

Politics

I enjoy writing and staying curious

2024-11-05 17:32:40 UTC

One of my favorite aspects of journalism is that I can learn and investigate ongoing topics and affairs. I like reading and want to develop my skills as a writer.

2024-11-05 17:32:49 UTC

Working with others

I took the class in freshman year w/o knowing what it was and ended up loving it. I applied for J2 and have been here ever since. It introduced me to a lot around the community and I love the writing style.

2024-11-05 17:32:51 UTC

2024-11-05 17:32:59 UTC

My favorite part about this class is blast day because it makes me feel accomplished about my work and the effort I put into my writing.

2024-11-05 17:33:02 UTC

I think that we have done an amazing job on timeliness and just getting blasts out in that two week time period. even though it can get a little stressful with other work, I think the end result is worth it

My favorite part is filming the videos and collaborating with my friends/peers on article ideas

2024-11-05 17:33:02 UTC

On a personal level I just like having my voice heard because I am a pretty opinionated person, so I love writing opinion pieces that provide some sort of commentary. But I also love being able to really connect with more people all over campus through articles and learning more about people and activities I wouldn't be familiar with if it wasn't for journalism.

--

2024-11-05 17:33:12 UTC

I originally joined Journalism because my friend from a club team was EIC at Calabasas. Her passion for writing really inspired me, and I took the opportunity to join J1 my freshman year.

I stayed for J2 because I've come to realize this is a place where I'm forced to sit with my thoughts. It's helped me grow not only as a writer, but also as a person who's able to express emotion through words.

2024-11-05 17:33:14 UTC

It is my English class and how I learn to write better

It's my passion

2024-11-05 17:33:15 UTC

I've always been very focused and indecisive on what I want to do with my life, but one of the constants has always been writing. It's something that I've always thrived in and as soon as I stepped into JI last year I knew it just made sense for me. Not only do I get to write but I also get to make an impact with my writing which is so important to me.

2024-11-05 17:33:21 UTC

I am in J2 because this is honestly something I have really fun doing. I am able to learn and write about things that I care about. This is one of the extracurriculars that I do where I am so proud of all the work I've done. I also really love the environment and the people. This is a place where I can do something I am really passionate about and try new things.

Team + Stories

2024-11-05 17:33:24 UTC

The class is wonderful, everyone this year is willing to help and genuinely interesting in writing high quality articles for our community. I also love the brainstorming, it works my brain and creativity.

Student Run

2024-11-05 17:33:25 UTC

I like the interactive slides the EiCs do each class. (instead of it being lecture oriented)

2024-11-05 17:33:27 UTC

Getting content uploaded and having great coverage of articles among activities, clubs, sports and more

2024-11-05 17:33:29 UTC

I love to express through writing and it helps become better at communication when your always trying to tell a story

2024-11-05 17:33:32 UTC

I would say putting articles out in a timely manner has been the best thing so far this year and making sure that article are written well.

What is a meaningful article?

2024-11-05 17:33:35 UTC

An article that provides new insight or useful information on a topic while having some form of humanity injected by the writer.

2024-11-05 17:33:41 UTC

Journalism is such an important part of my life because at the root of it, I want to learn about my community. Journalism is a way to seek out those stories, viewpoints, and people that make up Oak Park and the world beyond our school, hence why I'd love to do a double-major or minor in journalism for college.

2024-11-05 17:33:45 UTC

having more time to fully flesh out articles - we need to have our articles in pretty quickly and because of that we publish a bunch of articles at once and I don't think I always put out my best possible work

Joy

mhanki03 — 2024-11-05 17:33:55 UTC

I've always felt better after I write, and journalism has been my outlet since freshman year. I never knew it was a possibility until I took J1 and now I'm confident it will be my future career. I want to learn all I can and become a better writer in order to make it work and give back to all that the class/practice of student press has given me.

My favorite part of the class is probably writing for the magazine. I love collaborating with other writers, seeing what the editors have to say, and the reaction from the students when they see it.

2024-11-05 17:33:56 UTC

Published more student centered content and we are really trying to get out publication out there and improve it. Always looking for ways to grow

2024-11-05 17:33:56 UTC

2024-11-05 17:34:01 UTC

Having more articles come out when they are timely and then also I feel like we don't do as much community coverage and more just OPHS

I like how collaborative the class is. I get to work with many different people on different projects. Whether its walking with a classmate to go get interviews or discussing the design a writer wants for their art, the collaborative nature of this class is my favorite part.

2024-11-05 17:34:02 UTC

2024-11-05 17:34:08 UTC

I would define a meaningful article as a piece of writing which creates an impact towards the reader.

2024-11-05 17:34:08 UTC

This class is important to because it helps me tap into a more creative side that I didn't even know I had. I can enjoy writing about things that teach me more about my community and school. I have met so many smart and kind people in this class and being surrounded by all of these good writers helps me become better in what I love to do.

Why are you in journalism?

2024-11-05 17:34:14 UTC

I'm in journalism because I like writing and I think that it is important to find some way to express my voice and opinion. When I write, I get a chance to show others what I want to say without having to force it upon people. Rather, I get to tell my opinion and be informative in a way that is easy for me to express.

2024-11-05 17:34:17 UTC

I'm in J2 because I really enjoy writing articles and helping to inform people. It always feels good when someone comes up to me or texts me and is like "wow your article was really good" or "your article was really informative I didn't even know about that".

2024-11-05 17:34:20 UTC

Publishing/Blast + On time

2024-11-05 17:34:20 UTC

I love how active we are this year in publishing our articles. We are getting more articles done on time and creating a lot of content for the Talon. I am very proud to be part of this team because of this.

2024-11-05 17:34:24 UTC

something that you are passionate about, and that passion shines through in the writing. I think its less about the topic, although that is really important, but more about why you chose that topic and what it means to you.

2024-11-05 17:34:31 UTC

Politics for sure!

mhanki03 — 2024-11-05 17:34:31 UTC

Working with Penelope :) and everyone else, hearing ideas, collaborating, getting to share.

2024-11-05 17:34:32 UTC

My favorite part of the class is probably the reporting. I love interviewing and communicating with people because I also love a chance to talk and get to know more people at our school. I feel like it's so important for people's accomplishment at our school to all shine, because they work hard in it just like we do with journalism.

Getting more social media presence and reposting articles on our own personal accounts once it is on the oak park talon instagram account

2024-11-05 17:34:34 UTC

Purpose

2024-11-05 17:34:36 UTC

I believe that it is our duty just as a citizen to remain informed on societal and political matters. However, the world isn't necessarily striving to accomplish that so it should be our purpose to inform the public for the greater good.

Cool Article Ideas

2024-11-05 17:34:36 UTC

When I look at the Talon website, I think all of the article topics and ideas are really unique and interesting.

I honestly think we have been very timely with our writing, editing and publication. The harsh deadlines are definitely working.

2024-11-05 17:34:40 UTC

2024-11-05 17:34:41 UTC

I love that I get to constantly work on my writing skills and get feedback from my own peers. It feels so personalized, and getting to work with others through a dedicated process is really uplifting.

2024-11-05 17:34:43 UTC

I am in J2 because journalism is fun and I enjoy writing. I like writing and want to hone that skill. It allows me to write about what I want to write, and experience new perspectives through interviews. Journalism is fun to do in general, so that's why I'm here

2024-11-05 17:34:46 UTC

I'm in J2 because I do a lot of creative writing and journalism is another form of that I can explore through this class. It feels more centered towards other students and I like being able to write content meant for my peers.

the people

2024-11-05 17:34:48 UTC

The people I've met in this class are some of the most hard-working and dedicated people, but they also remain kind and warm and so completely well-rounded it's almost inspiring.

-not publishing every article on the same day so that we have consistent viewership throughout the week -AP Style: a lot of people have improved and have great knowledge of AP style but many people continue to make the same errors in their articles

2024-11-05 17:34:52 UTC

poltics:)

2024-11-05 17:34:54 UTC

having an oppurtunity to write about things that I enjoy and having the chance to talk to people I usually wouldn't talk to

2024-11-05 17:34:57 UTC

2024-11-05 17:35:02 UTC

Writing about things I feel passionate about and coming up with ideas for the talon that make me excited to do. I feel like we're always coming up with fun new ideas and it's great to work with other people on making them happen.

--

2024-11-05 17:35:04 UTC

I'm grateful for the people around me who give me corrections to my writing, aka the editors. Sometimes when I write, I have "writers blindness" where I'm completely obvlivious to the mistakes I'm making. And having people who are willing to take the time to read through my writing, and give me critiques is something I'm extremely thankful for.

2024-11-05 17:35:10 UTC

I think more topics on like things I am interested in - clubs I am in, topics that find interesting like politics, less about things I can find on the website and more investigative pieces that answer a broader question of mine

2024-11-05 17:35:11 UTC

I love the teamwork that's used almost all of the time and great people in this class

2024-11-05 17:35:13 UTC

I think the accountability and the amount of content has been amazing. I love how everyone is writing articles they are passionate about and I think Mara and Penelope have done a greta job as both support and authority.

mhanki03 — 2024-11-05 17:35:18 UTC

Establishing a supportive and welcoming environment, which correlates to producing more and pushing more ambitious projects.

2024-11-05 17:35:18 UTC

We are always on top of our blasts

Pushing out the blasts this year on time has been a big change. Ever since I joined journalism, there have been many issues w/determining when the blasts will go out and if they even can. Ofc there are some deadlines people miss but overall we are doing really well.

2024-11-05 17:35:19 UTC

2024-11-05 17:35:23 UTC

I really enjoy writing, and I feel like I share my opinions/use my voice best through writing. I love reading newspapers; truthful news reporting is really important to me, so it's so special to be a part of a class that is dedicated to that. It also is really rewarding to work so hard towards a project and then watch it be read/enjoyed by students.

2024-11-05 17:35:24 UTC

I love being with people who are passionate about their writing and willing to collaborate.

2024-11-05 17:35:26 UTC

This class is a lot more connected than in previous years. We are all motivated to push the publication to be the best it can be, and we get a lot of quality content through.

2024-11-05 17:35:38 UTC

something that connects people together. I think featuring others and being able to cover what others may not know is really special and makes an article really meaningful.

impactful topics such as politics, the environment, etc.

2024-11-05 17:35:40 UTC

I think communication needs to improve. We need to ask for what we need sooner, and reach out for help earlier. Communicating small issues before they become large problems is very important and needs to be worked on.

2024-11-05 17:35:42 UTC

My favorite part is creating new ideas and getting to work with others. I love writing about topics I am interested in, and talking to others about new topics to write about.

Favorite part?

2024-11-05 17:35:44 UTC

The collaborative and systematic/organized way that the class operates

2024-11-05 17:35:56 UTC

We could try to publish more content but still space it out among writers so that people don't feel stressed

2024-11-05 17:36:00 UTC

Just like last year, I would admit I contribute to the issue as well, but just having articles all go out specificially during the blast, instead of having spaced out articles. This is something I am trying to work on myself.

mhanki03 — 2024-11-05 17:36:02 UTC

More consistency with our coverage and flow of articles.

2024-11-05 17:36:08 UTC

I really like hearing other people's ideas and reading all the interesting articles published on the website and being published myself.

--

2024-11-05 17:36:10 UTC

I've been with J1 since freshman year and all I can say is that there's been a huge change in work ethic and the amount of work put into this class.

During my first two years, work was always blown off, and nothing was really getting done. Getting hammered for not finishing work is really humbling, but also it's great for character development I'd say.

2024-11-05 17:36:12 UTC

A meaningful article is something that people can read and find value in. It can give someone a new perspective on something that they may have been more closed off to and it can help people understand new things about our school and the world we live in.

Blast/Social Media + Pics

2024-11-05 17:36:12 UTC

Our blast is already good but it could be better. More viewership would be nice. More advertising, like on social media, would be beneficial. Higher quality pictures would also be nice to add to our articles to look more professional.

2024-11-05 17:36:13 UTC

The class runs so smoothly and I feel like everything is very organized and structured so it's easy to be timely. all the editors do such a great job and the talon has included so many interesting articles and ideas this year.

2024-11-05 17:36:14 UTC

We definitely improved from last year as we are more dedicated, and focused on pushing quality articles.

one that covers an important topic that either educates or produces change

2024-11-05 17:36:14 UTC

a meaningful article is one that you put a lot of work on, something the writers is passionate about and the article has a message behind it wethere that is to inspire people or insipire change

2024-11-05 17:36:15 UTC

2024-11-05 17:36:29 UTC

being very consistent with putting articles out on the website and the consistency with the social media platforms

2024-11-05 17:36:32 UTC

An article is meaningful if a certain category of people actually want to read it and are willing to without being prompted to do so.

Art

2024-11-05 17:36:32 UTC

I think adding that visually element catches a lot of attention

2024-11-05 17:36:38 UTC

A meaningful article is an article that shows passion and interest. It's something that showcases a topic or person in a new light and for others to see.

2024-11-05 17:36:40 UTC

The environment is very friendly and I love being able to talk with others about ideas or topics for articles/other journalism related things.

Quantity!!! + Quality

2024-11-05 17:36:44 UTC

Not only have we published more work than ever before (especially coming from JI I was sort of shell-shocked to be writing this much this fast) but the quality of the articles has maintained throughout.

mhanki03 — 2024-11-05 17:36:52 UTC

Student groups who may feel underrepresented on campus, the environment, politics - but more so how people can get involved, what they can do next

2024-11-05 17:36:52 UTC

I love the process of writing an article, and I love the fact that it takes so many people to finalize one story. The research, the interviews, the writing, the revising, and the editing all make the final project special.

2024-11-05 17:36:53 UTC

I think we have done an amazing job with the blasts. We have done so much with blasts this year, way more than last year, and have wrote wayyy more articles too. Out website looks amazing and I can't wait for more amazing articles to be put on it!

2024-11-05 17:36:55 UTC

Something that has a lot of passion and creativity and you can see it in the writing.

2024-11-05 17:36:56 UTC

the selection of articles and the amount of articles

2024-11-05 17:37:01 UTC

politics and 'not as important' sports teams

2024-11-05 17:37:03 UTC

maybe publishing more consistently between blasts instead of all in one day

2024-11-05 17:37:10 UTC

Getting articles out consistently instead of just around blast days would help increase our viewership. Also, improving the amount of social media posts and just what we post on socials in general. I think we also need to remember that we are working with other people, so reserving our frustrations and negativity if something goes wrong or gets delayed would be helpful for the class as a whole.

2024-11-05 17:37:12 UTC

I think we need to represent our student body more so that we can increase viewership because people will automatically read things that pertain to them.

Blast Days

2024-11-05 17:37:12 UTC

They are really stressful. I have so much work from other classes and I find it hard making time for my article. (that's on me) but the blast days can be smoother with some finishing touches.

Honestly I think the only requirement is that the author is passionate about what they are writing. If they are uninterested in the topic it will be very apparent and will not reflect well in their writing.

2024-11-05 17:37:17 UTC

2024-11-05 17:37:19 UTC

making the website feel alive as much as possible rather than one day every two weeks

mhanki03 — 2024-11-05 17:37:23 UTC

Something that expands upon what is already obvious or well-known, that reaches out to others, a window or a mirror

2024-11-05 17:37:23 UTC

maybe something new or new appearance for the talon

2024-11-05 17:37:25 UTC

more entertainment and student opinions or reviews. specific connections people have that may be hidden or some might not know about.

2024-11-05 17:37:25 UTC

Notion is very efficient and the blasts are always on time and well done.

2024-11-05 17:37:41 UTC

I feel like we all wait until the last minute to get articles pushed out, so we can definitely improve on not procrastinating.

2024-11-05 17:37:51 UTC

student-related opinions/features

2024-11-05 17:37:56 UTC

I honestly would say some humorous pieces such as satire as I think it can be a good escape from the tragedies of the real world and poke fun at it.

2024-11-05 17:38:08 UTC

Working with people who have a simular love and passion for writing as I do and letting them help me become a better journalist.

politics and pop culture with some sort of oak park conneciton

2024-11-05 17:38:12 UTC

I feel like some communication things. I've noticed that some writers just resolve edits to meet the deadline and then repeat mistakes.

2024-11-05 17:38:14 UTC

Author Style + Effort

2024-11-05 17:38:17 UTC

Author voice is very important to me. A well and defined voice can make your article, to me at least, seem more well-written. A creative angle also makes the article more interesting to read. Also the amount of effort put into an article is important. At the end of writing your article you should feel proud of what you have created.

2024-11-05 17:38:21 UTC

Not waiting until the last minute to try to get articles through notion.

Passionate

2024-11-05 17:38:27 UTC

Some of my best writing is when I show passion. If you aren't passionate about what your writing, it will never really interest the reader. They will also lose faith and not enjoy the article

2024-11-05 17:38:30 UTC

The class feels very structured with all the blast deadlines and a lot of good content is being pushed out. Most articles have images and are centered around the school and we cover a wide variety of topics.

I think we should represent a very large spread of topics so we cover the interests of more students on campus. Every club, sports team, class, and anything of interest really should be covered.

2024-11-05 17:38:39 UTC

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2024-11-05 17:38:46 UTC

I'd say something we can improve on is having more space for articles that might not have a direct connection to OP. I know it's important to have a correlation to Op when it comes to writing for the Talon, but I do think once in a while, we can have a more broad subject. (I can't think of any specifics right now but I think this would potentially boost viewership).

2024-11-05 17:38:50 UTC

something that makes the reader think and have a change on their views or seeing something from a different perception

2024-11-05 17:38:54 UTC

An article that really speaks to some part of the student population, whether it's by providing them with information they never would have known before, challenging their beliefs, or connecting with their own lives because they can personally relate. Meaningful articles affect people's worldview in some way.

Time

2024-11-05 17:38:57 UTC

The writers in this room are so skilled and hard-working, so they CAN write an article super quickly, but if we spent more time on articles and really perfecting/polishing them before their due date it would lead to much better articles. This might just be my own experience but I think it could apply to others as well.

2024-11-05 17:38:58 UTC

A meaningful article is one that tells a community-based story honestly and effectively. It should be interesting to the writer because through their writing, they will be able to convey that genuine interest and passion for the topic they are writing about, which will automatically get other people interested.

2024-11-05 17:39:02 UTC

I think that we have-- unintentionally-- a really great demographic in our J2 class this year. Every writer represents a different part of our school/has unique angles, so we're covering so many different topics this year.

2024-11-05 17:39:09 UTC

politics, student struggles, social justice, the environment

2024-11-05 17:39:18 UTC

A meaningful article is one that has an Oak Park connection, is timely, and is relevant/a popular topic. It is also meaningful when it is written by someone who is passionate about the topic.

2024-11-05 17:39:26 UTC

An article that is relevant and has a lasting impact on the reader in a way that makes them think about it even after they read it.

2024-11-05 17:39:41 UTC

Politics and the environment

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2024-11-05 17:39:56 UTC

A meaningful article revolves around something you care about.

I find that when I really care about what I'm writing, I get down and dirty with the research and I'm really learning a lot in regards to the topic of the matter. Vice versa, when I don't really care about the topic, I have a "as long as I get this done" mindset.

It is an article that someone would find engaging. It doesn't always have to be the most poignant thing ever, it just has to be interesting or informative to individuals.

2024-11-05 17:39:57 UTC

Politics + Entertainment

2024-11-05 17:40:02 UTC

More politics should be covered as we are directly impacted by them every day. But we should also realize we are a school publication and its okay to post fun, silly content every once and a while.

2024-11-05 17:40:12 UTC

We need to improve the quality of our writing; aside from grammar issues, some articles seem rushed and look like they have little effort put into them.

Longer Investigative Pieces and politics

2024-11-05 17:40:16 UTC

This is my favorite type of writing and I enjoy the curiosity side about it. They take much more effort but they can pay off in the long run. Also a political view would be cool

2024-11-05 17:40:16 UTC

Adding different types of media to articles, such as interactive games or polls, playlists, animations and more. Making the website and articles more visual and eye-catching for readers.

The stuff that majority of high schoolers may not know about (e.g. clubs, politics, events)

2024-11-05 17:40:47 UTC

Intention and Impact

2024-11-05 17:40:53 UTC

A meaningful article is one that is written with purpose and a specific goal in mind - the motivation behind it - but also one that has a deep impact on the reader. Oftentimes those two go hand in hand.

2024-11-05 17:40:58 UTC

student voice, community features (what are the important places/traditions/values of our community?), outside topics that have an impact on us (politics, laws, etc)

2024-11-05 17:41:23 UTC

A meaningful article is one that the writer is passionate about, and one that gets a reaction from the reader. Meaningful articles surprise the reader, inform the reader, inspire the reader, etc. This is a lot easier to do if the writer is passionate and knowledgeable about their topic.

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2024-11-05 17:41:40 UTC

High school is a place where a lot of character development happens, and although it might seem like a generic topic that everybody's written about, it's important for students to know that people are there for them through all these changes. It's completely fine for students to not know what they want to pursue, and it's even more ok for students to explore.

Current issues

2024-11-05 17:41:41 UTC

politics, events, etc!

2024-11-05 17:41:47 UTC

-Climate change/eco-friendly topics

-Pop culture

-Things that have good Oak Park connections

2024-11-05 17:42:04 UTC

quality articles on pop culture/community issues: restaurants, concerts, trends

2024-11-05 17:42:49 UTC

A meaningful article has a topic that is close to the writer's heart and a purpose for writing about it. It shouldn't be cliche and should be special to the writer, as well as dive deeper into its specific topic.

2024-11-05 17:43:45 UTC

Reviews, highlighting student accomplishments