The Thank You Project: Day 120 (The Hoofbeat)
Imagine a room full of computers. Imagine there’s many pieces of paper strewn about. Imagine clippings are all over the place and post it notes line keyboards and desks. Imagine that room had some of the best friends and best memories of your childhood life. That’s the Hoofbeat. That’s what King High School newspaper was all about.
I made probably one of the best decisions of my high school life when I decided to join The Hoofbeat. Our newspaper crew was like a close knit family that worked hard together but played hard together too. I have some very fond memories of philosophical conversations in that computer room. I remember staring blankly at a computer screen trying to get inspiration. I remember Kim Vela being an awesome and helpful person ALL the time. I remember Buddy spreading his subtle nerdiness in conversation and loving every reference. I remember Nathaniel saying some pretty crazy stuff but never afraid to back down on a controversial topic. I remember Marisa putting a lot of passion and dedication into her work and sprinkling Disney references whenever she could (yes there was singing involved frequently). I remember this was a time that Nabila and I really started to become best friends. I remember multiple gaming conversations with Zach as even until now, both of us still game a lot. I will always remember Mr. Defries and all he did to encourage and push us to be better writers and to report on things that made a difference.
We made a great paper. Our team was able to interview well and create some really cool feature stories. Our paper was in a news magazine format so it allowed us to be creative. I still remember the one time that we ran the paper in color and being absolutely amazed at how it looked. I remember how awesome it was to finally be an editor and how much I learned in that room. It wasn’t just about how to write an article or pick the right pictures, it was about learning your style and what you cared about. It was about inspiring others in the actions they did. Maybe most of all, it was about ending with a night at Acapulco’s after press nights.
Newspaper was probably one of the best experiences I had in high school along with competing in math competitions. It has helped me develop as a writer and it probably has given me the tools necessary to skim and edit business reports quickly now. I miss those days at The Hoofbeat. Even though it was years ago now, you can see how much those memories are still engrained in me. I am so thankful for the experience and for the family I gained. I only hope that future generations of The Hoofbeat can continue to experience how awesome it is to be part of that paper. It’s not just a class, it’s an experience.
Awww! Hoofbeat! <3 Thanks for making it an awesome experience too Mikey!