Power of the Pen by Nicole

Power of the Pen by Nicole - January 2024 Scholarship Essay

Amidst a tumultuous change in the school’s administration, involving three principals in three years, and a rocky return to in-person learning post-COVID, the school newspaper was born. The goal: spread awareness within our school community. As it was new and member-less, there was no established member-screening process. However, I rose to the challenge, and became the sole editor of the Health and Wellness section, managing multiple writers.

The faculty advisor wanted one article per section released every week, but nobody knew if that was achievable or sustainable. She also wanted editors to give writers a crash course on journalistic writing, APA-style. It was a steep learning curve, to say the least, deciding how to balance and organize meetings while managing and educating writers. I was overwhelmed and nervous that I would not be able to support my team sufficiently.

As I anxiously sat down for my first meeting, it became evident that I wasn’t the only one new to the process—my writers were too. We were all equally out of our depths, embarking on this new journey together, and as Section Editor, I wanted to create an environment that could help us learn together. While one of my writers quickly adapted to the flow of the newspaper and required little guidance, it was clear another was going to require more hand-holding.

This writer lacked punctuality, solid content, and proper grammar, but also happened to be a good friend, making even constructive criticism difficult. After many rounds of editing, and eventually consulting my advisor, we reluctantly agreed their piece was simply not salvageable, leaving us short an article. As Section Editor, it was my responsibility to inform my writer about this decision, but as their friend, I dreaded it. It was uncomfortable, but I found a way to straddle the delicate balance between earnest encouragement and factual feedback—thankfully keeping our friendship intact. However, it still left me in the undesirable position of one article short at the eleventh hour.

So, late on a Sunday evening, determined to fill the gap, I drafted my first article on a topic that I felt was salient for many. It was a rough transition from the lax academic atmosphere of Covid, to rigorous, in-person AP classes. Many sleepless days and nights were lost to studying and caffeine dependency, and I knew, just walking the hallways, that I wasn’t alone. I hunted down interviews from peers and sought help from fellow editors.

Five hours later, I sent it to the Editor-in-Chief for review.

Five days later, it went live on the school newspaper’s website.

Checking the website shortly after publication, I received comments from students and teachers alike, sharing how it resonated with them. The article generated one of the highest view counts, causing some to quit caffeine, and others to stop viewing lack of sleep as something to brag about. Turning this difficult situation into a productive discussion at school was especially meaningful, because it was a personal struggle that, when brought to light with facts, raised awareness regarding a student’s mental health and physical wellness. Exposing this dark side of high school culture, while writing and publishing this article felt so gratifying—not only because I successfully filled the gap for the newspaper, but also because it made a positive impact in my school community. We now have a greater focus on student health and wellness.

Looking back, this firsthand experience of being exposed to both sides of the process provided helpful insights into how editors can best support writers. Understanding their struggles helped me become a more effective manager, something I plan to be mindful of in future leadership positions as well. I am grateful that the Section Editor position provided me an opportunity to hone and polish both my managerial and writing abilities. The whole experience helped build up my confidence, allowing me to look ahead now with more anticipation and excitement than trepidation and fear. I fully realize that stepping outside my comfort zone can be scary, but also quite rewarding.