SPECIAL EDITION: MAC 10 MAGAZINE

STAFF

Editors-in-Chief

Amalia Tormala, Chloe Huang, Scarlett Frick

Copy Editor

Sarah Thieman

Creative Directors

Amanda Goody, Estelle Dufour

Section Editors

Chiara Martin, Sophia Zhang, William Xue

Staff Writers

Business Manager

Kaitlyn Gonzalez-Arceo

Photo Editor

Kensie Pao

Illustrator

Fallon Porter

Advisers (pictured left)

Rodney Satterthwaite, Paul Kandell, Brian Wilson

Arjun Bharat, Ellis Shyamji, Liani Ragade, Maeva HerbertPaz, Malcolm Ginwalla, Meryem Orazova, Mihika Sridhar, Nathan Lee, Sophie Zhang, Svina Narang, Zachary Crystal, Priya Tamura

Cover photo

Back row (left to right): Arjun Bharat, Sarah Thieman, Liani Ragade

Second row (left to right): Fallon Porter, Mihika Sridhar, Amanda Goody, Meryem Orazova, Sophia Zhang

Front row (left to right): Malcolm Ginwalla, Zachary Crystal, Maeva Herbert-Paz, Sophie Zhang

Photo by Kensie Pao

LETTER from the EDITORS

Dear readers,

Welcome to MAC 10 — the special edition magazine created in honor of Palo Alto High School’s Media Arts Center’s 10 year anniversary! We are extremely grateful to have the chance to celebrate and give thanks to the MAC, and it has been an incredible journey thus far. A team of 19 dedicated, passionate journalists from various Paly publications collaborated to create this magazine from scratch, and we applaud everyone’s hard work.

First and foremost, we would like to express deep gratitude to the beautiful MAC space, resources, teachers and incredible community they have built over these years. To the Paly journalism advisers, the MAC Boosters Board, the Esther Wojcicki Foundation and the Anne Wojcicki foundation — thank you. Thank you for your dedication to us student journalists, allowing us to build our journalistic skills while utilizing our individual creativity.

Our journalism advisers Paul Kandell, Rodney Satterthwaite and Brian Wilson have each made incredible contributions to the MAC, and we thank them for all that they have done for Paly journalism.

The MAC Boosters board has also been incredibly supportive throughout the planning of this event and this

magazine. We extend our sincere thanks to the entire team of them for their continued efforts to maintain and improve the MAC for Paly’s students.

Finally, without the generosity and passion of the Wojcickis, the creation of this magazine would not have been possible. We appreciate your contributions to this event, and the MAC as a whole, greatly.

To celebrate the impact the MAC has had on the Palo Alto community, our stories encompass three sections — past, present and future. In the past section, we reflect on the MAC’s historic accomplishments and how it got to where it is today. In the present section, we dive deeper into all of the MAC’s offerings. In the future section, we answer the question: How does the MAC build the future set of media arts professionals?

While we can’t wait for what’s to come in the MAC’s future, honoring milestones along the way is equally important. We hope you enjoy this special issue and — depending on your familiarity with the MAC — learn something new or relive something special!

Warmest regards,

Chloe Huang, Scarlett Frick and Amalia Tormala

Makers of the MAC

pg. 12-14

From Blueprint to Byline

pg. 8-11

Shaping Stories Before Shaping Spaces

pg. 16-17

MAC Boosters Grant-Funded Projects

pg 19-21

Evolution of Equipment

pg. 22-23

What Does the MAC Mean to You?

pg. 24-27

Which Paly Publication Are You?

Top 10 Moments

Photo Zooms pg. 46-49

Building Future Journalists pg. 28-29 pg. 30-31 pg. 32-39 pg. 40-43 pg. 44-45

Highlighting Paly’s Publications

Pursuing the Press

Media Arts Center

Art

Byline BluePrintfrom to

The Media Art Center’s journey from an ambitious vision to a thriving hub for journalistic expression

PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL is widely recognized and commended for its excellence across the board as an educational institution. On top of the high standards set by outstanding students and faculty and the stellar atmosphere of the campus, Paly boasts one of the most successful journalism programs in the country. This is largely due to the state-of-the-art Media Arts Center or “MAC”, the two-story hexagonal building that the journalism department calls home. Paly journalism has come a long way in the last 20 years.

In June 2008, a bond measure passed by voters provided funding for the Palo Alto Unified School District. This initiative aimed to prepare for the student population’s significant forecasted rise. The Media Arts Center was one of many projects that were funded.

The effort was spearheaded by media arts teacher Paul Kandell, with substantial support from Viking adviser Ellen Austin, Campanile adviser Esther Wojcicki, InFocus adviser Michael McNulty and photography teacher Margo Wixsom.

Dissatisfied with the idea of generic classroom designs, the teachers collaborated to propose a space tailored to the specific needs of different publications such as studios for podcasting and video production. At the time, principal Jacqueline McEvoy was very receptive to the initiative. Kandell had previously helped design a journalism facility at Lowell High School in San Francisco and leveraged connections with a national network of journalism educators to gather inspiration.

To guide the planning, the team drew

inspiration from San Jose Mercury News reporter Chris O’Brien’s blog, “The Next Newsroom,” which outlined values for modern media spaces. These values — community, collaboration, innovation, multi-platform publishing and transparency — helped inform the blueprint for the facility’s vision.

During the design phase, some principles proved challenging to implement. For instance, the concept of journalistic transparency — the idea that journalists should welcome the public in to view their process — was misinterpreted by students to draw in the extensive use of glass walls in their illustrations of what their future building might look like, an idea that was ultimately impractical. Architects adjusted by incorporating a large glass entrance and an open reception area, maintaining the spirit of transparency whilst ensuring functionality.

A blessing in disguise came amid the 2008 economic downturn, which unexpectedly benefited the project. As construction costs dropped dramatically, the school district was able to maximize its budget. A $2.7 million Career and Technical Education grant bolstered the project, enabling the inclusion of highend features: a cinema-level projector for the Atrium, a 60-foot crawling news ticker outside, 13 LCD projectors in the Reception and Atrium and a high-end broadcast studio.

“When we were done, the board members just seemed to jump up, came down and hugged us.”

— Paul Kandell, journalism adviser

Other principles, such as collaboration and multi-platform publishing, were more straightforward to execute. The final design included innovative features like flexible workspaces and high-tech equipment to support journalism, photography, and broadcasting activities. This adaptability continues to serve the MAC well, enabling it to host a variety of student-led initiatives and projects.

Additional funding from the MAC Boosters, a dedicated parent organization, was crucial in completing the facility. The Boosters raised roughly $200,000 through donations and fundraisers, covering the bathroom tiling project, the Courtyard pavers, a theater-quality stage screen for the Atrium and more. Their contributions ensured that every aspect of the project met high standards.

“We got big donations, including one from the Brin Wojcicki Foundation and that money layered in another infusion of things like the big blue curtain which was a $10,000 investment,” Kandell said. “We really needed it, because the stage without the curtain was weird, right? Otherwise, you would be in the audience looking right into the computer lab, which

didn’t make any sense.”

Before the MAC, journalism and media arts students worked in makeshift spaces scattered across campus. The Campanile newspaper, for instance, operated out of a large room in the 300s building before relocating to a series of portables, including one near the pool. Meanwhile, the Madrono was based in a cramped, isolated space in the 100s building.

“I worked in the English building in room 213 and I was there for 14 years, which is insane because I was there longer than I’ve been at the MAC,” Kandell said.

The construction of the MAC radically improved these conditions, providing dedicated rooms for journalism and other media arts disciplines. Its centralized location created a sense of community among students and teachers while offering a café and large communal areas for informal collaboration.

for the MAC was once a frequently flooded parking lot.

“I remember the photography teacher got excited whenever it rained because she could have her students take all these crazy photos that would be mirrored in pools,” Kandell said. “And way back then he [Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson] led a project to de-flood the parking lot, and they built this giant pit in the middle of the [main] parking lot with a giant pump that would take water from our parking lot and pump it out, like into the sewers.”

“The whole area felt updated and more like a college space.”

— Kamala Varadarajan (‘19)

The drainage system remains an important yet often overlooked part of the infrastructure of the MAC and even more so for the Performing Arts Center, which arrived two years later.

One of the

production lab and what amounted to a mini-cinema for viewing films.

One of the most treasured additions to the building — inspired by the bathroom “exhibit” in the Newseum in Washington, D.C, was the tiling of the MAC bathrooms with quotes from unintentionally humorous headlines from professional newspapers.

“We used this laugh meter which recorded whichever ideas made people laugh,” Kandell said. “We kept a list to say ‘okay, well, let’s use that one’, and the ones we didn’t use were those that people didn’t think were that funny or appropriate.”

The best ideas were compiled into a single, polished presentation, which was presented to the Palo Alto school board and also at a national convention in Phoenix, earning enthusiastic support.

“They [board members] just ate it up,” Kandell said. “When we were done, they called for an intermission whereas a group and individually, they just seemed to jump up, and they came down and hugged us.”

Former Paly student and Via Verde editor Kamala Varadarajan reflects on the MAC’s growth and development during her time at Paly.

“My first experience in the MAC was my Intro to Photography class in the fall of 2015,” Varadarajan said. “The MAC was brand new and had nice facilities, including a separate computer lab in the photo classroom which was convenient because we students didn’t have individual laptops back then. I remember being impressed by the continuous stream of news scrolling across the outside above the entrance and the large two-story indoor space and stage.”

A staple of the fast-paced publication cycle is production, where Paly journalists get together and work on finalizing their story and designs and send their publications off to be printed. While the notion of production existed before the MAC, it was a completely different experience for staff and students.

“We still had dinners for Verde and Campy [the Campanile] production, but we managed it all from classrooms that didn’t even have a sink, let alone a kitchen with a refrigerator and cabinets,” Kandell said.

A key issue facing the designing committee was location. The designated area

standout features of the Media Art Center’s creation was the involvement of students in the design process. Drawing from O’Brien’s values — which had also served in his work consulting with a new home for Duke University’s campus newspaper — Paly media arts teachers invited students to brainstorm ideas for Paly’s proposed new media arts center, which they then sketched and formalized into detailed presentations. These were eventually shared with O’Brien, who provided constructive feedback, ensuring the proposals aligned with professional standards and the facility’s goals.

“Ron Williamson, the video production teacher at the time, was looking to retire. His program was a prime consideration, and it was big so we built it upstairs. It was double-capacity to accommodate a

Special thanks to:

The board members were so excited by the team’s pitch that they agreed to pledge around ten million dollars toward the project.

The project’s success can be attributed to the combined efforts of district leaders, parents, teachers and students, as well as support from external funding sources.

Now, a decade later, the MAC stands as a symbol of what can be achieved when a community unites behind a shared vision. It has significantly enhanced educational and extracurricular opportunities for students and remains a source of pride for Palo Alto High School.

“The whole area felt updated and more like a college space than high school,” Varadarajan said. “It was definitely the nicest area on the entire Paly campus.”

Erwin Lee: Architect from DLM (Deems, Lewis, and McKinley) Architecture in San Fransisco

Jacqueline McEvoy: Paly principal who oversaw a $2.7 million CTE grant that provided the backbone for the technology for building

MAC Boosters: raise $200,000 for additional projects” including the paver project, the bathroom tiling and the stage curtain

Jerry Berkson: led the facilities steering committee

Tom Hodges: the contractor, from O’Connor Construction Management Inc., for the district for the construction of all buildings in Paly at that time

Ian Hunter: from Shalleck Collaborative who made the broadcast room

Ann Dunkin: director of PAUSD Instructional technology

Alex Morrison: Gilbane

Aimee Lopez: OCMI/PAUSD

Entrance

Media Arts Center Birdseye

Makers of the MAC

Career and contributions of MAC founding faculty

IN CLASSES AND PORTABLES scattered across campus, Palo Alto High School’s journalism program grew at an unprecedented rate. By the early 2000s, The Campanile had outgrown its humble beginnings, and new publications emerged.

As the program expanded, so did the need for a permanent space. Journalism teachers Esther Wojcicki, Paul Kandell, Ellen Austin, Michael McNulty and Margo Wixsom all pushed for a facility

to house Paly’s growing media landscape. Their efforts coincided with a district-wide infrastructure plan. In 2008, Palo Alto voters approved a $378 million bond, with $11 million allocated for the construction of the Media Arts Center. A $2.7 million grant from the State of California funded the technology needed for the Ethernet, projectors, video monitors and wiring throughout the building that would properly support the needs of Paly journalists.

Esther Wojcicki

When Esther Wojcicki joined Palo Alto High School’s journalism program, it was a modest operation.

“There was a small little tabloid newspaper called The Campanile [in addition to Madrono],” Wojcicki said. “That’s what I took over, and I decided it needed to be bigger and grow.”

When Wojcicki first began teaching, she was expected to follow a traditional model of direct instruction, where the teacher lectures at the front of the class, and students take notes, read assigned texts and prepare for a test.

“After about six months, I said, ‘This is not working,’” Wojcicki said. “The kids are bored, I’m bored. There were 18 kids in the whole program, and I was like, ‘No wonder they’re not in the program — it sucks.’ So then I said, ‘I’m going to switch it around, and I’m going to give students more control.’”

The shift was transformative. Between 1984 and 1990, enrollment in the program tripled. By 1999, 90 students were taking journalism at Paly, but Wojcicki remained the only instructor.

“I said, ‘There needs to be another teacher,’” Wojcicki said. “It was too big. 100 hundred kids and one person — that’s a lot.”

Wojcicki said the district struggled to accommodate the program’s explosive growth.

“They were moving me around the campus,” Wojcicki said. “They didn’t know what to do with me. They put me in portables, one after another. Those portables were connected together with doorways so I could put more kids in there. It was just a zoo.”

Wojcicki said the space limitations were not the only battle she fought. When she pushed for computers in journalism classrooms, the administration was skeptical.

“They told me, ‘Computers are just a fad. They’re going

Determined to make the MAC more than just a building, Kandell, Wojcicki, Austin, Wixsom and McNulty worked with architects, attended planning meetings and involved students in shaping the space.

When the MAC officially opened in 2014, it became a testament to the years of dedication that had transformed Paly’s journalism program into one of the most recognized in the nation.

to disappear after a while,’” Wojcicki said.

With students packed into makeshift classrooms from portables, and technology evolving faster than the school could keep up, Wojcicki, along with Paul Kandell and Ellen Austin, began advocating for a permanent solution.

“Kandell and Austin went to a board meeting and the board was very interested because the program had a huge reputation,” Wojcicki said. “They cared about public opinion, so they wanted to support us.”

Once the district approved a dedicated media space, she along with other teachers and in cooperation with Principal Jacqueline McEvoy — worked closely on its design. Students also played a role, submitting design ideas for what would eventually become the MAC. But even as plans were drawn up, Wojcicki said she and her colleagues remained skeptical.

“To be honest, none of us thought it was real,” Wojcicki said. “We thought they were just fooling us. It wasn’t until they actually moved my portable next to the swimming pool that we believed they were really going to do it.”

By the time the MAC opened, Paly’s journalism program had transformed from a small newspaper and yearbook into a nationally recognized powerhouse, with multiple publications, professional-grade facilities and a student-led curriculum that shaped the future of high school journalism.

Moving day — Esther Wojcicki poses next to a stack of boxes that are being moved over from her old portables into the new Media Arts Center.

Evan Low:

Photo courtesy of Paul Kandell.

Paul Kandell

Paul Kandell, the adviser for Verde Magazine, The Paly Voice and the Incubator, first became drawn to journalism while following protests at UC Berkeley. His passion for covering these events led him to switch from pursuing a master’s in psychology to a master’s in journalism at the University of Missouri.

After graduating, Kandell says he found balancing freelance journalism with his wife’s career too challenging, so he transitioned into teaching, hoping to incorporate journalism into his curriculum. That hope quickly became a reality at Lowell High School.

“I guess I’ll become an English teacher, and maybe I’ll get a journalism class or two,” Kandell said. “That was my goal. … But then I ended up at Lowell; within a year, I had five sections of journalism.”

It was at Lowell that Kandell says he first gained experience in designing a journalism-focused space — an effort that would later inform his work at Paly. However, he left before the space opened, moving to Paly to advise Verde and eventually launching The Paly Voice and The Incubator.

“I had moved on, and I never taught in that space, sadly,” Kandell said. “Although I used to dream about it all the time.”

When the district’s school board approved funding for the MAC, Kandell saw an opportunity to build a workspace that truly supported student journalism.

Ellen Austin

Ellen Austin — former adviser to Viking Magazine and InFocus — was involved in journalism from a young age but never planned to pursue it professionally. After earning her master’s in education, she accepted a position teaching English at Cannon Falls High School in Minnesota, where she founded the school’s newspaper. She later moved to St. Paul Academy Summit School, teaching both English and journalism. At St. Paul’s, she was an early advocate for digital journalism. Meeting with the school’s board of directors, Austin said she pushed for a publication website, pointing to a California school leading the way.

“I remember saying, ‘Here is a school in California called Palo Alto High School, and they have an online publication called The Paly Voice,’” Austin said.

Three years later, she was recruited by Kandell and Wojcicki to Paly’s journalism program. With a handful of eager journalism students who set up the new publication class for the magazine, she became the adviser to Viking — the country’s first high school sports magazine — and developed it into an award-winning publication.

“I got together with media arts teachers at the time, and everyone contributed,” Kandell said. “But I’d already thought about it, and I knew what was possible. … They were going to build these classrooms anyway. We just said, ‘Don’t build cookie-cutter classrooms for us. Build something that make sense for our programs.’”

With faculty and student support, Kandell helped lead the MAC’s design process. Inspired by the Next Newsroom blog produced by San Jose Mercury News reporter Chris O’Brien, the team worked with McEvoy, architects and members of the school’s Facilities Planning Committee, to craft the center’s structure around five core principles: collaboration, innovation, community building and transparency.

“I stayed with Viking and we continued to expand,” Austin said. “We were one of

the first publications to adopt Twitter … and then very quickly we added the Viking website.”

Just before the MAC was founded, Austin left to become the director of journalism at the Harker School.

“Moses gets to the promised land, but he doesn’t get to go in,” Austin said “That’s how it felt for me.”

Though she moved on, she carried with her the core teaching philosophy she had embraced at Paly — one that emphasized student independence, creativity and multimedia storytelling.

“I was totally evangelized and a believer in the importance of student agency in every aspect of the journalism program,” Austin said. “Both in how the staff was configured and how leadership happened. … I was a complete convert in terms of the whole multimedia platform — that every student should be able to write, shoot and design.”

Since leaving Harker in 2022, she has been working as a journalism consultant, continuing to advocate for student-led reporting. Austin says she remains passionate about preparing the next generation of journalists and sees high school newsrooms as an untapped resource for major media outlets.

“I was talking to the guy who handles newsroom careers at the New York Times and he said, ‘We have a pipeline issue,’ Austin said. “I said, ‘No we don’t have a pipeline problem. … Your reporters are sitting in a classroom in Palo Alto, sitting in a classroom in Minneapolis. They’re right there for you. Open the door. They’ll be there in five years from now.’”

Winning ways — Paul Kandell stands with Ellen Austin and Esther Wojcicki holding his 2009 Dow Jones News Fund National Journalism Teacher of the Year award, an award Austin won the next year.

Photo courtesy of Paul Kandell.

Photo courtesy of Paul Kandell.

Michael McNulty

Michael McNulty left his job at Santa Clara University in 1992 to pursue teaching. After earning his credentials, he came to Paly, where he taught a wide range of subjects and founded the wildly popular Sports Literature class.

“With the exception of AP English, I taught just about every subject there [at Paly],” McNulty said.

Within the Paly journalism world, McNulty primarily advised InFocus, though in his final year, he also worked with Viking. But McNulty says InFocus in its early days was a far cry from what it would later become.

“It was just primitive,” McNulty said. “We did a quarterly show, and we did it all at the MidPeninsula Cable Co-op (on San Antonio Road). We had no equipment. We had no studio, nothing.”

McNulty says that after Paly acquired discarded equipment from the Cable Co-op, InFocus started producing shows on campus for the first time.

As planning for the MAC progressed, its scope expanded.

“There’s just a lot of different things that kept adding on,” McNulty said. “The more that was there, the easier it was to put it all together into one big facility, and it was amazing to see how the whole thing came about.”

McNulty stayed with InFocus until his retirement in 2014, just before the MAC opened. Though he didn’t get to teach

Margo Wixsom

Margo Wixsom never planned to be involved with the Madrono yearbook, but she became essential in integrating photography and yearbook into the MAC. With master’s degrees in both English and art, Wixsom taught a variety of subjects at multiple schools before joining Paly in 2002 as the photography teacher.

Originally, Paly’s photography classes were housed in the old auto shop and were then relocated to the 100s building. However, when McEvoy prioritized teacher input in the MAC’s design, Wixsom said she saw an opportunity.

“She said, ‘Look, we have all this money to do a building,” Wixsom said. “‘We’re thinking of a media arts building, but we don’t want to make that decision as administrators. We’d like you as a staff to tell us what you need.’”

in the new space, his contributions were instrumental in shaping it — particularly in securing a proper broadcast studio for InFocus.

“I helped with the broadcast part of it, with the InFocus studio and trying to get that,” McNulty said. “Everyone had a function. In Woj’s [Wojcicki] case, it was, ‘What do you need for The Campanile?’ In his [Kandell’s] case, he had Verde. For me, it was making sure InFocus had what it needed.”

From there, Wixsom said she quickly advocated for photography’s place within the MAC.

“I said ‘photography is a really good match with journalism, and I think the yearbook class

should be in there too,’” Wixsom said.

During the planning process, Wixsom, Kandell and Austin toured Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism. Its First Amendment Forum became the inspiration for Paly’s MAC.

“Essentially the [Paly] media building is a small version of the Cronkite Center,” Wixsom said.

She worked closely with architects to design spaces that would serve Paly students for years to come.

“I designed a digital lab, which is still there, and it has 20 computers,” Wixsom said. “I said ‘We need café counters with plugs. We need all the electronics to be able to reconfigure the classroom.’”

Wixsom also said she advocated for a dedicated portrait studio and key structural elements, such as a double-door entrance to accommodate the delivery of yearbooks.

“I wanted a photo studio where I could bring students in and I could have a pull-down backdrop, and I wanted a double door, like a truck delivery door, where we can bring in the yearbooks every year, and we do,” Wixsom said.

Wixsom retired from teaching in 2021 and passed on Madrono to Brian Wilson in 2015. Yet, her impact on Paly’s photography and yearbook programs remains as students continue to use the spaces she helped design.

Covered — Michael McNulty (Left) sits next to Earl Hansen for the Viking April 2014 cover photo commemorating his retirement.

Photo courtesy of Viking Sports Magazine.

Posing for PIE — Margo Wixsom (right) poses with Sarahbeth Maney, investigative visual fellow at ProPublica. Ths photo was documentation of a PIE grant that Wixsom facilitated. Photo courtesy of Margo Wixsom.

Shaping Stories

BEFORE

Shaping Spaces

How Paly journalists continued to work in reporting

JOHN MARKOFF JESSE MOSS

John Markoff was a student at Palo Alto High School from 1964 to 1967. After high school, Markoff went on to report for the New York Times from 1988 to 2016, becoming a senior writer.

During Markoff’s time at Paly, the only source of news within the school was The Campanile. The Campanile’s presence shaped Markoff’s belief that newspapers play a large role in bringing students together.

“The role of the newspaper was to solidify the student community,” Markoff said. “It’s easy to know today [what is going on]. It was hard to know then. So, [the] newspaper was really an important part of the student life.”

SCOTT ANDREWS

Scott Andrews was on InFocus from 2014 to 2015, acting as the floor director for the broadcasting program. After high school, Andrews worked as news producers for various news broadcasting programs, such as KOBI-TV NBC5 and Spectrum News.

Jesse Moss was a journalist for The Campanile from 1986 to 1988, more than two decades prior to the construction of the MAC. Moss became a deputy sports editor and deputy opinion editor during his time at the publication. Now, Moss is a Primetime Emmy Award-winner and Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning director and cinematographer.

The creative liberties of the Paly journalism program equipped Moss with the skills necessary to approach filmmaking.

“The freedom to pursue what you’re passionate about was a valuable lesson that I should trust my instincts of what I’m interested in and not what’s mandated to me necessarily by a curriculum,” Moss said. “It’s very much part of my practice now as a filmmaker, finding what in the world interests me and pursuing that, and not second guessing myself.”

Photo from C Magazine, 2019

Photo from Campanile, 2015

CAMILLE VON KAENEL

Camille von Kaenel was on Verde Magazine from 2009 to 2011, becoming an editor-in-chief during her time at Paly. After high school, she became a news writer for various different publications in the United States. Since 2022, Von Kaenel has reported for inewsource, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media company.

MAYA HOMAN

Maya Homan was on The Campanile from 2016 to 2017. She has written stories for the Boston Globe covering breaking news, arts and features. Currently, she covers Georgia politics and elections for the Savannah Morning News.

WES RAPAPORT

Wes Rapaport was on InFocus, acting as the Executive Producer. During his journalism career, he won numerous awards for his broadcasting work. Rapaport is currently the Media and Communications Section Chief at Texas Division of Emergency Management.

TYLER BRIDGES

Tyler Bridges was a journalist for The Campanile from 1977 to 1978. Since then, Bridges has been a member of Pulitzer Prize-winning teams twice and written five books. Now, Bridges is a reporter for The Advocate.

JASON WILLICK

Jason Willick was a writer on Paly Voice. Willick continued his journalism work after high school, working as a writer at the American Interest and at Wall Street Journal. Currently, Willick has been an opinion columnist at the Washington Post since 2022.

NOAH SNEIDER

Noah Sneider was a founding member of Viking Magazine, and he was a part of the Paly journalism program from 2007 to 2008. Now, Sneider is the Tokyo Bureau Chief for The Economist, mainly covering Japan, North Korea and South Korea news.

ALEXEI KOSEFF

Alexei Koseff is a Verde Magazine Class of 2008 alumnus. He has written stories for The Sacramento Bee and the San Francisco Chronicle. Now, Koseff is a Capitol Reporter at CalMatters, covering Governor Gavin Newson and the Legislature and California government.

MARGARET KADIFA

Margaret Kadifa was a journalist for Verde Magazine from 2009 to 2011. After high school, Kadifa wrote for the Houston Chronicle and worked as a Britain correspondent at The Economist. Now, Kadifa is a freelance audio producer there.

DAVID LIM

David Lim was a journalist for The Paly Voice. After high school, Lim became a health care journalist with a specific focus on medical technology. Currently, he is a reporter for POLITICO, where he covers the medical device industry and the FDA.

Photo from The Paly Voice Rede$ign Music Video, 2011

Photo from Verde, 2009

Photo from The Paly Voice Rede$ign Music Video, 2011

Photo from Verde, 2018

D PROJECTS

How Paly Media Arts Spark Innovation Grants have impacted the community

THE MEDIA ARTS CENTER

Boosters, consisting of parent volunteers who partner with the MAC faculty, exists to support the MAC in covering essential program needs for media arts classes at Palo Alto High School. The Boosters serve many purposes, including supporting student publications, NorCal Media Day and Spark Innovation Grants funding.

Colleen Gormley, former secretary and member-at-large of the Booster Board, attributes the formation of the MAC Boosters to members’ admiration for what the various programs at Paly have to offer.

“MAC Boosters was formed in order to support the teachers and the programs that were part of Paly journalism and part of the Paly Media Arts Center classes,” Gormley said. “It was to act as a fundraising team to financially support teachers and their programs, support the physical space that students all work in now and also be a place to advocate within the school system. All of the parents involved feel that the Paly journalism and media arts classes are a real gem in the Paly high school experience.”

With the Spark Innovation Grants, Paly students involved in the MAC are

given the opportunity to present a project idea to the board and receive up to $2,500 to bring their vision to life. The idea of providing grants to journalism students took root when the MAC Boosters first noticed available funds in the MAC Boosters budget.

“Every year, in the fall, we invite parents to become involved and give a financial gift to MAC Boosters, and then with that money, we support all the programs that happen in the building,” Gormley said. “Then in 2020, we looked at our budget and realized that we have a little extra money. We thought, ‘What if we allocated a little bit of money and invited students to create a project, some kind of keystone project for their high school career, something that they loved and were passionate about that’s outside of the coursework that they’re doing in their classes?’”

Through the grants that the MAC Boosters offer, Gormley says, students

can be assured in their potential to contribute to the community and feel motivated to bring change. Many of these projects leave substantial impacts on Paly, as well as the greater community.

“The goal of the Paly Media Arts Spark Innovation Grant is to make sure that students know that they have the power and voice to be able to make awesome, cool changes in their community,” Gormley said. “They will look back on those projects and feel like they were inspired. That’s why we call it the ‘Spark’ program, because it’s like a spark to inspire people to recognize they have all the ideas and power to be able to do amazing things, not just as students in high school. This is how students can change the world as they move on into college too.”

Photos by HENRY LEINS

During the first year of the Paly Media Arts Spark Innovation Grants, Sofia Bliss-Carracosa, now a studesnt at Duke University, worked with Yael Sarig to create a special Viking Women’s Issue using their grant money.

“The idea of the project was really to differentiate this initiative by Viking and say, ‘Look, this is a really big industry problem with sports reporting and sports in general,’” Bliss-Carrascosa said. “We have seen it replicated in our own publication, and we want to call attention to it.”

Bliss-Carrascosa explains that some people thought she was taking the female athletes theme too far, by leaning

VIKING WOMEN’S ISSUE STAND UP, SPEAK OUT

Grace Gormley, Class of 2024, used the money from her Spark grant to create a camp called Stand Up, Speak Out in partnership with DreamCatchers, a Palo Alto organization that promotes equity in education. The camp focused on journalism as a form of activism and storytelling, and it was provided at no charge to students enrolled in DreamCatchers’ summer program.

“I wrote the curriculum, recruited and trained volunteer counselors and ran and oversaw the camp,” Gormley said. “While it was an immense and challeng-

into the opposite extreme of mentioning no men.

“In order to actually make a difference and call people’s attention to it, we can’t just put out a magazine that’s fifty-fifty,” Bliss-Carrascosa said. “Like, 15/85 to 50/50, that’s big, but it’s not big enough for anyone to say ‘Wow. That article really felt, or that issue really felt, different.’”

She wanted to make readers aware of the problem in a truly memorable and influential way.

“We wanted one big, shocking women’s edition that would say ‘We are aware of this problem and we want to make a change in our culture,’” Bliss-Carrascosa said. “Here is step one, and step one is just calling attention to the problem.”

The process of creating the issue was tiring, but the final product was empowering for Bliss-Carrascosa and those on staff, and it was a fulfilling practice for Viking as a publication.

“It taught me a lot about the value of

ing project, it was so fulfilling and fun.”

Gormley had initially approached the project with the idea to make journalism available to all students. Specifically, she aimed to offer opportunities to those without the resources to pay to attend Camp MAC, the MAC’s interactive journalistic summer camp for rising 8th and 9th graders that doubles as a fundraising venture.

“Underserved kids who can’t attend expensive summer camps don’t get the same exposure [to journalism],” Gormley said. “I created this camp to help increase awareness and hopefully participation in journalism for kids from all backgrounds.”

journalism, the role of journalism and what it means to impact your community,” Bliss-Carrascosa said. “I had the power to do something that felt really, really important, and journalism was just my vehicle for making that impact. Not in an activist sort of way, because it wasn’t activist journalism, but in the sense that we got to say ‘Here’s us tangibly working towards self improvement as [a] publication’.”

The comprehensive nature of Stand Up, Speak Out resulted in the growth of a variety of skills essential for leadership, project management and teamwork in many fields.

“Whether it was lack ing volun teers, not having enough money, wrangling antsy middle schoolers, keeping my team positive, coordinating timing or food or any other number of things, I had to deal with things as fast as I could and with a cool head,” Gormley said. “This project gave me practice and helped me change my mindset when approaching problem-solving.”

When Gormley stepped back to begin the next phase of her life in college, she passed the camp on to its next leader, senior Henry Leins, who is working to ensure that the future of SUSO, as well as Gormley’s vision, are well taken care of.

“Henry Leins took the project and executed it flawlessly, even adding his own flavor by introducing video production,” Gormley said. “I love that this project

that I created is no longer just mine but is growing with each new person who is

Leins shares more on his experience with taking over SUSO, reflecting on how he believes the camp positively impacts students and their relationship with journalism and media arts.

“I volunteered as a counselor the year before I led the camp,” Leins said. “I continued it [the program] because the camp was really impactful for me, and so I thought it was a good opportunity for the kids and counselors to have an opportunity to teach and spread journalism. Especially introducing it to low-income middle schoolers early on can be very beneficial for them.”

When he took over the camp, Leins introduced the idea of video projects as the main curriculum. It was new for many of the campers, with most of them having no previous experience in video production at all, but the results were successful.

“My expectations were kind of limited,” Leins said. “Going into it, I didn’t know how middle schoolers would respond to making videos. But by the end, I was really, really impressed by the kids and the counselors. We produced about 70 video projects by then, which is really cool.”

Upon seeing the positive impact that Stand Up, Speak Out had on many aspiring journalists and reporters, Leins intends to continue the program for many years to come.

“The plan is to establish a pipeline and ensure continuity,” Leins said. “We are still deciding who is going to lead it this summer.”

PALO ALTO GUIDEBOOK

Last year, then-sophomores Talia Boneh, Sophia Zhang, Ria Mirchandani and Alice Sheffer spent the $1,000 from their Spark grant to create a full-color, 16-page magazine called the Palo Alto Guidebook. The magazine showcased areas around Palo Alto to study at and visit for leisure, aiming to ease freshmen in their transition to high school.

“The guidebook was distributed on the first day of school during freshman advisory,” Boneh said. “It was their first landing page of things that they would receive.”

Quickly discovering this was no easy task, the group of four faced challenges with planning when to meet and how to schedule their time while assembling the guidebook over summer break.

“We had to figure out scheduling, make sure that we were staying on task

and make sure that the designs and stories were being edited and completed,” Boneh said. “But overall, after we got together and organized everything, it was a pretty smooth process and it was really nice to be able to work with who I did.”

Though the creation process was strenuous at times, the dedication and effort the team put into their project was worth it when the final product, a culmination of all their hard work, was unveiled at the end of summer.

“In mid-August, we got back to our school, and I saw these huge boxes of 550 copies of our guidebook,” Boneh said. “It was so rewarding to see all of our work being really solidified in front of us, seeing that this was really happening and that this project was actually coming to life.”

Similar to Gormley’s experience with creating SUSO, those who worked on the Guidebook felt a similar sense of fulfillment and self-growth after completing their Boosters project.

“It just teaches you so much about how to work with others and how to keep yourself on track,” Boneh said. “I hope that it’ll teach others what I learned.”

Boneh shares more about the future of the Palo Alto Guidebook, and how she hopes to keep it up-to-date to best as-

sist incoming freshmen.

“This semester we might continue planning with what we’re really going to do with the guide book, but I really envision yearly updates or biyearly updates,” Boneh said. “We can publish an updated version of more places that people are discovering. There’s just so much you can do with it, because at its basis, it’s a book of advice. There’s so many ways you can go about it and so many perspectives that you can get on that.”

Throughout its history and in its future, the Paly Media Arts Spark Innovation Grant will inspire students to pursue their passions, foster creativity across various mediums and tackle challenges with fresh, innovative approaches.

“I hope that others will have the same experience if they go to the MAC Boosters and also pick up a grant like this,” Boneh said. “It truly is whatever you want it to be.”

Photos by GRACE GORMLEY, HENRY LEINS and SOPHIA ZHANG

Equipment Equipment Equipment Evolution of

Equipment and technology have been rapidly progressing in the world of journalism, and there is no better example than Paly’s Media Arts Center

IN TIMES OF RAPIDLY evolving technology, Palo Alto High School has learned to adapt and provide its students with the latest equipment, from high-quality cameras to sets of microphones for students keen on podcasting. Throughout the years, the Media Arts Center has been a haven for development and creativity, and its fleet of equipment has followed suit. During the bustling days of production, the computer lab is buzzing with journalism students mapping out spreads on InDesign, editing images

ing on ProCreate. Podcasters circle around microphones; photographers take cameras home. Among all this activity are the resources granted to students in the MAC that allow students to challenge their creative boundaries and produce award-winning work.

According to Paul Kandell, adviser of the Incubator, The Paly Voice and Verde, along with the building’s launch came 30 iPad minis, 90 Mac laptops and 123 Mac desktops, many still being in use today. Most desktops have been refreshed and are dis-

“I have never had as much funding, access to resources or seen the support for the arts like I do here at Paly.”

— Kenna Gallagher, photo teacher

among the four computer labs, but the iPad minis and laptops are largely history. In recent years, through funding using the district’s Perkins Career Technical Education (CTE) Grants, Paly has spent tens of thousands of dollars on cameras, increasing accessibility for students in the various photo and broadcast classes. Adding on, the MAC boosters are the most important part of all money and funds allocated to the programs. The boosters are funded by a combination of parent donations and money raised by Camp MAC, Paly’s annual journalism summer camp founded by students. Camp MAC itself contributes around $30,000 to the MAC Booster’s annual budget of $40,000. Also, district-funded upgrades have put high quality TV screens as well as upgraded sound-systems in each classroom around the building. In the 20

the magazine, edit photographs and create the magic readers see printed.

Kandell goes further in depth about the uses of these tools.

“This large focus on multimedia tools … allows us to do fun things like map making, picture comparison, sliders and other similar things,” Kandell said.

Photography student Tyler Kramer considers the digital media platforms a crucial asset to the journalism program. He alludes to the benefits of these tools for both photo and journalism students.

“The fact that we get free access to the entire Adobe suite is really helpful, and not enough students know that we have all these options,” Kramer said.

The computer labs, located through-

“We’re always getting new equipment, and it’s making a lot of things easier, especially the basics.”

— Henry Leins, InFocus executive producer

What

What Thedoes does

Text and Design by AMANDA GOODY, AMALIA TORMALA and

“ Roxanne Lanzot

Roxanne Lanzot teaches Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles, Advanced Placement Computer Science A and AVID. Lanzot made the move from Paly’s portable classrooms to the MAC, where her classroom lies in a well-lit corner, its expansive windows facing Town and Country.

Rodney Satterthwaite Publication

“For me personally, it [the MAC] feels like this very pre-professional look at what it will be like when you have a job. … it’s like I’m part of this group that’s trying to bridge this gap from when you’re a kid to when you’re going to be an adult, and we start that practice here.”

Computer Science McDaniel

Adviser

It’s [a] collaborative space that feels welcoming and it feels like a place where you can and should innovate and try new things. I think for students, it’s a place where they can display their creativity and have a voice in their education that they might not get in other classes. I think for the community, it’s kind of this crown jewel of campus, where there’s no other building like this in terms of the layout of it, the classes that are offered in it and the number of students that come in and out of it every day.”

Rodney Satterthwaite teaches Intro to Photojournalism and Broadcast, as well as advising publications The Campanile and InFocus. Satterthwaite’s classroom is located on the top floor, which includes a studio for recording and its own set of computers, an addition that he believes encourages students’ creativity outlet.

Hilary Early Childhood Development

Hilary McDaniel teaches Child Development Pathway courses. Throughout her time teaching at Paly, McDaniel has taught in the math & history building and the portables. For the last few years, McDaniel has been teaching in the MAC.

“The MAC is a lovely space that really does serve a variety of student and teacher needs, and I think that’s what’s kind of special about it. Even though it is the Media Arts Center, and it certainly is there to support the variety of publications, [it] is cutting edge in that it also is a place where we have a variety of events.”

MAEVA HERBERT-PAZ

Mac to you? mean tomeanyou?

“ “ “

It [the MAC] is the rare place on this campus where innovation leads innovation. If you have an idea, why not start it? The MAC has led that spirit and started that spirit. ... I would say, in short, it [the MAC] is a place where ideas are honored and expressed and then given a big platform.”

Michael Najar

Audio Music Production

Michael Najar teaches Audio Music Production and multiple levels of choir. AMP — Najar’s class in the MAC — is an innovative, modern class, covering all aspects of music production.

Publication Adviser Brian Wilson

Kenna GallagherPhotography

Brian Wilson, teacher of Beginning Journalism and adviser of publications Madrono, C Magazine and Viking, has taught at Paly for 10 years. Wilson’s classroom is on the first floor of the MAC, right next to one of the computer labs. Throughout his decade teaching in the MAC, he has grown to feel extremely comfortable within the building.

Michael Najar teaches Audio Music Production and multiple levels of choir. Audio Music Production — Najar’s class in the MAC — is an innovative, modern class, covering all aspects of music production.

The MAC, for me, is a home away from home. It’s the place I feel most comfortable, outside of my own house; even my own family feels very comfortable in the MAC, because they’re hanging out here all the time. I really feel like it’s the place I can go to feel like I’m a part of something valuable and important. It’s a place to be able to watch fantastic work happening, and to work with amazing students and brilliant colleagues, and to just get a sense of how cool the world can be. It’s all of that, encompassed in this one building.”

Kenna Gallagher, a Paly photography teacher, uses a large sector of the MAC for their range of photography classes: Beginning Photo, Advanced Photo, Advanced Photo Honors and Advanced Placement 2D Art and Design Photo. Gallagher’s classroom includes a darkroom — a special space for budding photographers to develop their photographs.

[The MAC] is just a beautiful space. It’s got great walls for hanging art. It has super supportive coworkers and a welcoming environment. ... I really enjoy being in here and having these resources available to me. [I couldn’t] ask for a more supportive building to be in.”

Former Writing Coach Evelyn Richards

Evelyn Richards was the treasurer of the committee that helped create the vision of the MAC as it is seen today. Once the MAC opened, Richards took on a more journalism-centric role: an aid in Palo Alto High School’s journalism program. Richards — a professional journalist — spent around one year helping with C Magazine before spending nearly half a decade working on The Campanile, concluding her time at Paly in 2020. Since then, Richards continues to help the Paly journalism program when she can, offering help as a substitute teacher when a publication’s adviser is out.

“The [MAC] building is definitely cool, but the most exciting aspect of the MAC to me as a professional journalist is that students are learning the importance of ferreting out facts and conveying them in a clear and compelling format. They’re learning that journalists help all of us make sense out of the sometimes confusing world that we live in. So I guess that that’s how I feel about it [the MAC].”

“I treat it [the MAC] like it’s a home. Because as I come in and clean, I want to make sure that the students and the staff are taken care of for the next day, but I think it’s just about taking care of everybody. I kind of expect the same thing when people come in and then respect the MAC. It’s a home because it’s a place to study. ... and engage with peers. So for me, the MAC is really something that brings everybody together, not only just with production, but just as individuals, too, getting to know each other. So it [the MAC] really, really means a lot to me ... that’s why I’ve been here at Paly for seven years.”

Custodian Albert Balcita Sr.

Albert Balcita has been working in the school district for 27 years and has been at Palo Alto High School for seven of them. Currently, Balcita works as a custodian, and the MAC is one of his favorite places to clean because of the positive feelings it evokes in everybody.

“Amy Leung graduated from Paly in 2016. During her time at Paly, she was an editor-in-chief for The Paly Voice. After graduating, she obtained an economics and communicatons degree from University of California, Los Angeles. Currently, she works as a customer success manager in the Bay Area.

“

It [the MAC] has just been a great place for innovation. I appreciate the opportunity to work with teachers who are not compartmentalized. There is cross department collaboration in here, and I appreciate that it allows me to think differently. It [The collaboration] prompts better teaching practices.”

English Teacher Kindel Launer Amy LeungAlumnus

When you are in school you realize how special it [the MAC] is, and when you look back you realize even more … how special having such a strong journalism program is. The agency and independence you learn, let alone having that dedicated space, your own space you can take advantage of and learn and grow. The Media Arts Center is generally a great place to have friendships form and be like home to those memories.”

Dhara Yu Alumnus

Dhara Yu, a former editor-in-chief for The Paly Voice, graduated from Paly in 2017. At the moment, Yu is pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

“Kindel Launer is an English teacher, Literacy Teacher On Special Assignment and English Learner Coordinator at Palo Alto High School. She currently teaches in the Media Arts Center and admires how it fosters a sense of motivation and creativity among students.

“The MAC is this amazing resource. Palo Alto High School has all this great infrastructure set up to get student journalists up and running. … that core skill that you learn through journalism is so important. People should really take advantage of the MAC. It’s a really wonderful resource, and I hope as many people as possible can really reap the benefits.”

TOP 10 MOMENTS IN MAC HISTORY

NorCal Media Day

Since its opening, the MAC has been home to NorCal Media Day. The Journalism Education Association of Northern California holds this media day to offer student magazines the opportunity to attend workshops covering team management, yearbook coverage, photography skills and advertising. The event has brought significant attention to Paly Journalism.

Vincente Fox

In 2017, students and staff had the opportunity to engage in discussions with former president of Mexico, Vicente Fox, on Apr. 17. Fox, who was in office from 2000 to 2006, offered his opinion on topics ranging from climate change to politics.

Long Shot

“Long Shot,” a sports documentary made by Paly students Nikie Behal, Max Bonnstetter and Emily Neumann, received first place in California and second place in the nation in the Video Sports Story category from the National Federation of Press Women. “Long Shot” tells the story of the 2006 Paly boys basketball team and their journey to winning a Division II state title.

Governor

On Feb. 20, 2021, California governor Gavin Newsom visited the MAC to give a presentation about the high-speed rail, the 2020 election and other student-prompted topics.

Sports

“Pioneering Progress,” produced by Viking Magazine, won the Best Sports Story from the NSPA in 2023. The story focuses on the empowerment of disable athletes, highlighting how athletes can do anything if they put their minds to it.

6 NSPA Best Viking: Women’s Issue

Story

The 2020 Women’s Issue centered around increasing female representation. The issue aimed to address some of the representation issues between male and female sports.

Title IX

The C Magazine’s Title IX story was a stout review of the Palo Alto Unified School District’s Title IX policy and how improvement was needed. The story was extremely impactful in the community and covered an extremely pressing issue.

Bright Light in a

Dark Time

The Campanile, Verde, Viking and C Mag staffs strived to keep their puplications going during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the odds, each earned a Gold Crown from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

“It [Covid] was a terrible time, but Paly journalism was the best thing going for our students and community,” adviser Paul Kandell said.

Bullet Hole

The 2018 magazine “Bullet Hole” created by Verde recieved national attention for it’s creative design that featured a bullet hole on each page to call attention to gun violence.

Isn’t it Odd

The 2019 Madrono yearbook featured a special twist. The staff discovered that the past yearbook volume count had been off by one number: 2019 wasn’t volume 99, as anticipated; it was actually volume 100. Rather than skipping 99, they decided it was the perfect time to create a special edition yearbook, with the theme of “Isn’t it Odd,” playing on the even and odd year mix-up. Taking this theme further, they designed the entire book in a horizontal orientation and presented it with a slipcover to be vertically displayed on bookshelves.

Pursuing

THE MEDIA ARTS CENTER, home to all 12 of Palo Alto High School’s publications, serves as a gateway to diverse career pathways for students. When students start taking classes in the MAC, they are able to grow as a journalist by covering different topics, understanding ethics and responsibility, and finding their voice.

Lia Salvatierra, Paly class of 2019 and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill class of 2023, currently works as a Government Accountability Reporter with the Ouray County Plain Dealer. Salvatierra began her journalism journey writing personality profiles in Mr. Wilson’s Beginning Journalism class.

“I knew I wanted to write the kind of stories I was writing, when I wrote my first story for beginning journalism with Mr. Wilson,” Salvatierra said. “I really enjoyed telling his [my classmate’s] story, learning something new about someone, hearing someone else’s story and being able to thread that story into words.”

This experience inspired her to join C Magazine as a staff writer her sophomore year and later became editor-in-chief her senior year. Salvatierra’s time on C Magazine and working in the MAC had an indelible impact on her life.

“I really enjoyed the collaboration as-

the

LIA SALVATIERRA:

Text and design by AMANDA GOODY

From MAC Beginnings to Journalism Success

pect,” Salvatierra said. “I really liked working with other people, and I enjoyed pushing the boundaries of what seemed possible in terms of art, design and also the content we were writing. It [C Magazine] really taught me how to organize people to rally around a common goal.”

The journalism experience at Paly helps students build a unique skill set unmatched by other curricular offerings.

“Having a chance to really try a lot of different types of writing is not something that happens a lot in high school,” Salvatierra said. “You’re typically writing about the same thing that everybody else is writing about, so I really enjoyed all the different avenues of exploration that we got [from the Paly journalism pathway].”

Classes offered at the MAC not only introduce students to the mechanics of journalism, but also teach students important lessons in freedom of speech and leadership. Salvatierra explains how these skills that she was first exposed to in Beginning Journalism and are now applicable in her current work environment.

“I learned so many skills,” Salvatierra said. “Honestly, the publication aspect was a lot more of a leadership space. I learned a lot about how to delegate tasks and how to empower people to create better versions of their work.”

One of the most useful skills that Salvatierra cultivated through Paly journalism,

allowing her to excel at her current reporting job, has been understanding the relationship between an editor and their reporters.

“It was really important to have the chance to be in that leadership position [on C Magazine],” Salvatierra said. “Now that I’m back as a reporter, I understand how that relationship works, what they [the editors] are looking for from me and how to be patient with myself. I also make sure that I’m improving and delivering to them what they need to see over time.”

As a student, high school experiences can have a big impact on your life as you grow; being a journalism student at Paly is no exception. In many cases, student experiences throughout their time in the MAC impacts their overall enthusiasm for journalism. Salvatierra explains how C Mag had a profound impact on her passion for journalism.

“It [my experience] was really cool. … It was really powerful to see people care and reach for your work,” Salvatierra said. “Having such a thriving, diverse media landscape in high school showed me that there are a lot of different ways to tell stories and that people do care to read different types of work. It empowered me to know that people still care about reading good writing, even if there are so many other ways you could spend your time and consume media.”

Photo of Lia Salvatierra courtesy of Lia Salvatierra

PRESS PRESS

JACK BROOK:

Text and design by CHIARA

and ELLIS

What inspired you to pursue

journalism in college?

Verde alum’s journey to AP News VERBATIM: MAC ALUMNI IN COLLEGE

FROM REPORTING internationally in Asia to working now at The Associated Press in New Orleans, 2015 Paly graduate Jack Brook began his journalism career at Palo Alto High School, in English room 213.

“I started Beginning Journalism with Mr. [Paul] Kandell sophomore year,” Brook said. “After that, I did two years with Verde and was an editor-in-chief senior year.”

While attending Brown University and pursuing a degree in history, Brook developed his journalistic expertise withmultiple internships around the world and working with multiple school papers.

“In university, I took some journalism classes and did some work with the Brown Alumni Magazine,” Brook said. “The summer after freshman year, I was an intern at the Jerusalem Post in Jerusalem. After that, I got a grant to intern at the Santiago Times in Chile. … When I graduated, I had two internships: one with The Marshall Project and one with the Miami Herald.”

In addition to countless college experiences, Brook then had the chance to travel to Asia for work and cultural experiences. Unable to prioritize journalism during the years of the pandemic, Brook finally began to focus on his journalistic work in Cambodia before moving back to the United States recently to work for The Associated Press in New Orleans.

“I got a job with a Cambodia-based publication called The Southeast Asia

Globe,” Brook said. “I worked there for about a year and then I worked at a local bilingual news organization called CamboJA News. That was definitely a formative experience because that was one of the few remaining independent media left in Cambodia. … I then moved to New Orleans for the Associated Press through the Report for America Corp.”

Now well-traveled and highly-skilled, Brook claims that Paly journalism provided him the building blocks to transform.

“Mr. Kandell offered a really great foundation in journalistic ethics and practice,” Brook said. “After doing a couple years with a Paly publication, you actually have a really good foundation.”

According to Brook, Paly journalism is not a program that student-journalists should take for granted, as it is truly a special thing that many others do not get to experience due to social issues, politics, location and more.

“Working abroad helped me to appreciate even more what we had there [in the MAC],” Brook said. “I saw young journalists in Cambodia when I was there with just no opportunities for them to do that kind of work. Whether or not you decide to pursue journalism, you have this really special space to develop this skill set that I think is very transferable regardless of what you want to focus on as a career. Being able to ask good questions, process information, think critically, and work collaboratively are all skills that you can use in any career path.”

“It [journalism] was more than just an extracurricular to me, this was something I actually genuinely cared about, and that definitely carried on into college. I also worked on some podcasts during my time in the Incubator and that kind of inspired me to want to go down the more multimedia track in college.”

— Michaela Seah, Paly Class of ‘21 and New York University Class of ‘25

“One article that really ignited my passion for journalism was my article on Prop. 26 and 27 on sports gambling. I knew nothing about the subject to begin with, and I was hesitant to even be on the story, but I dove headfirst into it. I spoke with a huge array of people, from tribal representatives to a recovering gambling addict to students at Paly who gambled. That story won some national awards and was a real point of pride for me.”

— Grace Gormley, Paly Class of ‘24 and Northwestern University Class of ‘28

Jack Brook at Paly’s J-Day in 2014. Photo by George Liu.

Text and design by WILLIAM XUE

MARTIN

SHIYAMJI

Verde Verde Verde View View View A A Into Into

Highlighting Paly’s news and features magazine

SINCE 1999, VERDE MAGAZINE —

Palo Alto High School’s news and features publication — has strived to explore the untold stories of Paly’s diverse community. Verde publishes five issues every school year, shipping copies to all Paly families and distributing them throughout the school and Palo Alto community. The staff is proud to exercise their student press rights to the fullest extent, through both in-depth stories and visually appealing designs.

Verde encompasses a range of types of community-focused stories in every issue, including editorials (or called “verdicts”), print and breaking news published online, launch sections, sports, features, culture stories, profiles highlighting impactful people or organizations in our community and perspectives exploring personal opinions and stories.

“cycle length per issue, Verde journalists have the opportunity to truly build connections with their sources.

“When you’re telling somebody’s story, you have to know them as a person, or you have to know enough,” Graney said. “You can’t just repeat the same information everybody knows, or else there’s no point. So I think that’s something that we really try to do, to make our stories unique by really getting to know our sources and letting their story be told.”

People are willing to push themselves and willing to do the most because they enjoy it.”

— Lizzy Williams, editorin-chief

“From large feature stories about the pressing issues in our community to perspective opinion-like articles that voice writers’ personal experiences, there is something for everyone to write about in Verde,” former Verde editor-in-chief and current Foothill College first-year student Austin Fujii said. “Food and movie reviews, social dilemmas, and pop culture events cover the culture section. I’ve had my best times in Verde covering local small food businesses and getting to know the faces behind my favorite cafes.”

However, regardless of the type of story, the creation of every Verde article goes beyond surface-level interactions, interviews and reporting. According to current Managing Editor Cate Graney, because of Verde’s style and six-week

tor-in-Chief Lizzy Williams believes that it’s rare to see people engage with a class so deeply.

“I feel like what’s special about Verde in particular is how people are willing to push themselves and willing to do the most because they enjoy it,” Williams said.

Nonetheless, the meticulous creation of each issue of Verde extends beyond just interviewing, writing and editing. Every Verde journalist simultaneously writes and designs the magazine spread of their own stories and is responsible for creating eye-catching and creative designs through art or photography. According to Fujii, Verde is special because of the heavy emphasis on visual aspects in every story.

“I appreciate that Verde let me develop my journalism writing and my artistic side at the same time,” Fujii said. “Magazines are meant for photos and often times I was glad I could designate an entire page for a photo that told its own story.”

Beyond the newsprint pages of Verde issues, Instagram posts and online stories uploaded to the public, creating such well-made stories requires devotion from all 31 staff members. Verde Edi-

Verde’s encouraging environment fuels each staff member’s drive to connect with the local community through in-depth reporting. In addition to having a tangible product that the whole Verde staff constantly works toward creating, Verde plays fun staff-bonding games, such as water-balloon fights or pictionary, to build friendships and community.

“[In class,] no one is just on their computer writing,” Graney said. “We’re all bonding, everybody … is happy to be here. We just want the Verde community to be so strong that you know after your Wednesday or Friday — after your long day of hard work — you can come back and know you have a calming and supportive space.”

This unmatched sense of community is also fostered by well-established tradition, such as writing personal thank you notes to the staff at the end of each cycle.

“I think it’s beautiful … to share gratitude in that way too because I think it’s so easy to take advantage of the help that’s given to you,” Graney said.

Covering Campanile The

Text and design by EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

THE CAMPANILE, Palo Alto High School’s only newspaper, stands out for a uniquely rich history that spans over a century. The newspaper was founded in 1918 as the first Paly news publication that publishes on a regular basis.

Since then, the Campanile’s longer lineage has offered a sense of bonding across generations, according to Rodney Satterthwaite, the adviser of The Campanile.

“You [hear], ‘Oh, my grandpa was on Campy’ from kids who are around here now,” Satterthwaite said. “So it [The Campanile] has got that long tradition of being around. … It has that big history to it.”

The Campanile has undergone multiple shifts throughout its history, notably, its fluctuating class size.

“When I started [at The Campanile], there were close to 70 kids in the class,” Satterthwaire said. “It was wild. [We] needed two classes. Numbers-wise, it has [since] dropped.”

This decrease in enrollment led The Campanile to switch from churning out ten issues each year to publishing eight, Satterthwaite said.

chain newspapers] at the high school level anymore,” Satterthwaite said. “Most high schools who have one publication have gone to a magazine just because it’s easy to read. Students like it [magazines] better. They’re more contemporary, but we kind of like our old book — we’re old but we’re new.”

Established as Palo Alto High School’s first and only newspaper, The Campanile boasts a century-long legacy that continues to unite generations.

becomes intensive.

“We really publish a lot more than the other [Paly] publications, and we prioritize very high-quality journalism, specifically in our writing,” Bonnard said.

As a newspaper, the Campanile operates on a quicker production cycle of three to four weeks.

“We’re a publication that takes pride in being able to report on things as soon as possible.”

–– Alec Bonnard, editorin-chief

Another aspect of The Campanile that differentiates it from Paly’s litany of publications is the fact that it is a broad-chain newspaper, according to Satterthwaite.

“You don’t see many of those [broad-

“We try to come out more often than the other publications, just because we are a newspaper,” Satterthwaite said. “You know, there’s no way we can come out every day … but we come out eight or nine times a year, once a month. We try to be a little bit more timely because that’s what newspapers are supposed to do.”

Alec Bonnard, one of the Campanile’s five editors-in-chief, said that The Campanile prioritizes high-quality journalism. When paired with short production cycles, their work often

“So, we’re a publication that takes pride in being able to report on things as soon as possible. We’re generally considered more rigorous, but we still have a nice community within Campanile.”

The community in The Campanile is tight-knit, according to Bonnard. For him, the work ethic required leads to the entire team feeling satisfied when they see their hard work reflected on a page in the newspaper.

“We are a pretty large publication,” Bonnard said. “We do a good amount of bonding activities, so we all get to know each other, especially if there are people on staff here for as long as three years. By the end, it’s a team. … It’s really rewarding when people get to see their final product eight times a year in published print.”

Photo courtesy of Samantha Fan

EC Magazine captures Paly’s creative spirit through in-depth coverage of arts and culture.

STABLISHED IN 2015, C Magazine, originally known as The Campanile Magazine, serves as Palo Alto High School’s premier culture and arts publication. Based in the Media Arts Center, C Magazine is dedicated to delivering in-depth coverage of the artistic and cultural dimensions that other publications may not. C Magazine offers a visual and journalistic appeal in every story published.

C Magazine produces five issues annually, each meticulously curated to explore diverse themes and topics. The magazine features sections such as arts, culture and music, providing a comprehensive view of the creative endeavors both within and beyond Paly’s campus.

Current C Magazine Editor-in-Chief Gin Williams discusses the creativity behind the scenes of key aspects to the magazine.

“We place a lot of value in the creativity of our magazine,” Williams said. “We take pride in having complex covers that are visually appealing to students that will lead to curiosity within people.”

One of the magazine’s defining features is its striking visual presentation. From intricate page layouts to vibrant photography, every detail is designed to captivate readers. The staff work closely with writers to ensure that each story is not only compelling in content but also visually immersive. The art and design with typography, color schemes and digital illustrations are used to craft pages that are as engaging as they are informative. The production of every issue is a deeply collaborative effort, with the team working closely together to ensure every aspect of the

magazine is executed to its fullest potential. From brainstorming story ideas to the final edits, everyone is committed to putting forth their best work, ensuring that every issue reflects the creativity and dedication of the staff.

C Magazine alumnus Milena Rodriguez, class of 2023, discusses the production process as a staff writer and editor-in-chief.

"Every issue was about collaboration and problem-solving,” Rodriguez said. “As editor-in-chief, I led pitch discussions, organized the magazine’s structure and worked with writers and designers to ensure their pieces shined. We also introduced systems like smaller nightly goals during production to tackle the challenge of tight deadlines. It was rewarding to see the team’s hard work come together in both print and digital formats."

GONZALEZ-ARCEO

experiences, capturing the essence of community. By embracing a spectrum of perspectives and discussing what shapes our world, C Magazine not only informs but also creates a space where every reader can see their identity and experiences reflected and feel a sense of connection.

C Magazine adviser Brian Wilson details what he sees in the staff as they progress toward finalizing issues and the teamwork he sees in the classroom.

“I love those behind-thescenes things that really reflect the attitudes and the philosophy of a particular staff. I think that can be really cool.”

–– Brian Wilson, C Magazine adviser

Inclusivity and representation are at the root of C Magazine’s mission. Every issue blends a rich variety of voices and

“C Magazine tends to attract people who are more visually oriented,” Wilson said. “It is design-heavy and attracts

people who have a perfectionist tendency — not in a bad way, just people who are very attentive to detail and want everything to look a certain way. They might go through 750 different versions of a spread before they feel happy with it, and even then, sometimes they’re not."

C Magazine’s multimedia approach integrates digital storytelling with photos, videos and interactive elements to enhance reader engagement and bring stories to life. This integration allows C Magazine to reach a wider audience and deliver a more immersive experience.

At its heart, C Magazine is more than just a publication; it is a testament to the creativity and dedication that fuels Paly’s community. Every issue reflects the tire less effort of a team committed to show casing the diverse voices and sto ries that shape Paly’s culture.

Text and design by KAITLYN

Viking magazine

FOR 18 YEARS

, Viking Magazine has stood as a pinnacle of sports journalism.

Launched in 2007 under the guidance of teacher and adviser Ellen Austin, Viking Magazine broke new ground as the nation’s first high school publication dedicated entirely to sports.

As the first high school magazine solely dedicated to sports, Viking highlights the dedication and creativity of its student journalists.

“Paly journalism has always been innovative and unafraid to try new things.”

— Ellen Austin, first adviser of Viking

“Paly journalism has always been innovative and unafraid to try new things,” Austin said. “Paly has been a sports juggernaut, and yet the journalism program wasn’t reflecting that in a really deep and meaningful way.”

Over the years, Viking has covered the rises and falls of Paly sports while providing students a platform to delve deeper into topics that are often overlooked in high school athletics.

Now, as it reaches its 98th issue, Viking Magazine continues to engage readers with stories that reflect the resilience and passion of its staff writers, a trait that has been consistent throughout the years.

Producing a publication solely dedicated to writing, reporting and designing sports-related topics allows students to pursue sports and connect with athletes differently.

“Looking back on my time on staff, I’m grateful that I was

able to cover high school sports and the stories of Paly athletes because, for many of us who played sports in high school, we don’t continue that sport after we graduate,” James Fetter, Viking Magazine Class of 2021 alumnus, said. Since Viking is a student-led class, the publication’s leadership falls on the shoulders of the editors-in-chief.

Under their leadership, the publication continues to engage readers with stories that reflect the extensive sports culture at Palo Alto High School.

“The most rewarding aspect of being on the publication is working hard on stories with your fellow staff and seeing our work pay off when we see Paly students read our articles and enjoy them,” Ethan Wang, Class of 2025, said.

Behind the scenes, the success of Viking Magazine is also supported by a dedicated teacher adviser

who guides the publication. Throughout its time at the forefront of Paly Journalism, Viking has had several different advisers. In 2012, after Austin left, Michael McNulty, a coach and teacher at the time, stepped in as the adviser for a year. Following McNulty, Paul Hoeprich, a new teacher at Paly, took over the role, while also leading InFocus. Eventually, Brian Wilson moved to Palo Alto High School and became Viking’s current adviser.

Under Wilson’s mentorship, the magazine thrives, fostering an environment where students like Grace Gormley can flourish. An editor-in-chief over the 20232024 school year, Gormley has won awards such as the Casey Nichols Service Above Self Award, 1st Place National Nonfiction Article, 1st Place National Sports Story and many more.

“I loved covering Paly sports, which is something really unique to Viking,” Gormley said. “Being on a sports beat and taking photos at all the games and getting to know the ins and outs of the season was really valuable.”

Introducing

The evolution of Paly’s student-created magazines

STEPPING INSIDE the perhaps most innovative classroom in high school journalism, Palo Alto High School senior Shreyas Shashi eagerly opens a box of freshly printed magazines of the first-ever edition of Chomp, the food magazine he helped found.

Holding the magazine in his hands for the first time, Shashi says he feels a sense of accomplishment and pride. Seeing the effort, passion and creativity sprawl across the pages, he recognizes how lucky he is to be in the school’s journalism Incubator, where he could pursue this project

“When I hit that export button, I realized that the version of myself two months ago wouldn’t have been able to do that, and that’s what the Incubator allowed me to do,” Shashi said. “There are so many resources in there that I don’t even know if you would get in a college journalism program.”

Not many high school students get the opportunity that Incubator journalists have: to simultaneously work for multiple publications and found their own magazine.

The Incubator was started by Paly journalism adviser Paul Kandell. In fall 2017, his Verde news magazine class had 48 students, which prompted Kandell to inspire students to create new publications.

“I put together a list of suggestions and said, ‘We need to break out some people this semester, and I’m going to open up these new leadership possibilities,’” Kandell said. “‘You just have to create a small team and you’ll have to leave Verde, but you’ll run your own show in the fall.’”

After gaining approval to start a new class, Kandell put together the teams for

the first two magazines: Veritas, a science and technology magazine and Via Verde, a travel magazine.

Fostering an environment of innovation, along with a blend of print, digital and social media publishing options, the Incubator soon turned into a hub for students to carry their journalistic creativity to the next level, whether they wanted to write for an already formed magazine or create their own.

Anthro, Paly’s social justice magazine, started off as a small club of students interested in both journalism and activism that published on its website. Two students — Michaela Seah and Aarti Malhotra — and Kandell helped bring Anthro into the Incubator.

“I thought that we had a lot of good articles,” Seah said. ”We had a lot of good ideas, and I really believed in the mission of Anthro, so I wanted to convert it into something that was more readable. … There’s something about going around and handing your magazine to people

that makes it feel more concrete.”

Starting off as just two students with an idea, Anthro Magazine now ships to over 2,000 families and reaches even more with its website.

The Incubator is currently home to six unique publications: Anthro, Veritas, Via Verde, KPLY, Ink and Chomp. It has also been home to Proof, a fine arts and photography magazine, and Aperture, a documentary film publication.

Though the Incubator takes a different approach to journalism than Paly’s other publications, the freedom it offers is what makes it the right fit for many students. Each student presents new ideas that evolve the ever-changing classroom, providing creative freedom that no other high school journalism program in the country can offer.

“These are the best journalists in the world, especially at this level,” Shashi said. “There’s not a better opportunity if you’re interested in journalism than being in the Incubator.”

The only publication at Palo Alto High School that delivers news exclusively online

OUT OF PALO ALTO HIGH School’s 12 publications, only one is completely digital: The Paly Voice. Created in 2001 as a source for students to get online news, Voice operates solely through its online website and social media.

As all content is only published online, Voice excels at covering breaking stories in a timely manner, often being the first to inform students and the community of the latest news.

Current Editor-in-Chief Kristine Lin describes the difference between production of other Paly publications and what is offered by Voice.

“Our publication is what we call ‘24/7 coverage’ [because] we tend to get stories out the quickest to keep the community informed,” Lin said.

The publication aims for extensive coverage in news, sports, opinion, features and culture.

Additionally, Voice publishes multimedia content in the form of TONE, a student-run podcast that covers weekly news updates, as well as short-form videos on its social media accounts.

Voice adviser Paul Kandell explains the reason behind the creation of an online-only publication.

constantly kept on their toes.

The digital aspect of Voice allows for the staff to publish stories in the MAC as well as in different environments.

“We [Voice] tend to get stories out the quickest to keep the community informed.”

“It [online publication] is the future,” Kandell said. “There has to be a future world where it [journalism] is just digital. … Voice was an early pioneer in that effort.”

— Kristine Lin, editor-in-chief

Without having to work on print designs face-toface, staff members collaborate on stories remotely using digital communication channels outside of school grounds. Lin illustrates how this unique, remote working environment of Voice allows for a sense of bonding.

While Voice may not have late production nights in the MAC to work on print, covering breaking stories and recent events requires the student staff to be

“Everyone’s very collaborative, especially with a lot of fast paced stories and breaking news,” Lin said. “We [Voice staff] have a really strong team network.”

Photo by STEFAN ERIKSSON

TheMadrono Capturing the YEAR: TheMadrono Yearbook Yearbook

TheMadrono TheMadrono

Insight into Palo Alto High School’s Madrono yearbook and its meticulous production processes, showcasing a time capsule of the year.

PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL’S

Madrono yearbook is more than just a collection of memories. It differs from any other publication, featuring one yearly turnout: a multi-hundred page book filled with the year’s best moments and a comprehensive school year record. The book is created with immense effort, collaboration and long-term planning.

Madrono’s production process is unique and challenging, requiring staff members to submit sections of the book every six weeks to ensure everything comes together seamlessly by the end of the year. The process begins at

Text by SVINA NARANG and design by AMANDA GOODY

the end of the previous year with theme selection and design choices. Editors, designers, writers and photographers then work together to determine the overall vision for the yearbook. The book is divided into sections — the chronological section, the people section and the photo section, all of which aim to capture the different elements throughout the year that make Paly special. Each cycle contains approximately 80 pages involving brainstorming, interviewing, writing, designing and editing. This structure ensures a steady workflow and keeps Madrono’s staff on track to meet deadlines. One of three current editors-in-chief, Lydia Mitz, shares her view on Madrono.

“What makes the Madrono unique is the long-term planning,” Mitz said.

“Unlike other publications such as newspapers and magazines, where turnaround times are much shorter,

creating a yearbook requires a vision that spans the entire school year. It’s all about thinking ahead and ensuring everything comes together cohesively.”

Madrono stands apart from other school publications due to its multifaceted nature. It’s not just a printed book — it’s a multimedia experience. Over the past few years, the team has expanded its scope to include online components, such as videography and social media.

Gabe Boudtchenko, Madrono’s multimedia manager and videographer/photographer, shares his perspective on the increase in digital content production in Madrono. “Videography has become a bigger part of Madrono over the last few years, especially in our social media content,” Boudtchenko said. “We’ve begun to integrate a ‘live yearbook’ by showcasing school events as they happen, giving people a real-time glimpse into Paly’s community and spirit.” Madrono is committed and deeply dedicated to inclusivity. Every student, teacher and staff member should see themselves represented in the yearbook, and Madrono’s team works tirelessly to ensure that happens. From covering niche clubs to spotlighting unsung heroes on campus, Madrono celebrates Paly’s diversity. Members of Madrono believe at its core, the yearbook represents a commemoration of Paly’s spirit.

[Madrono] is all about thinking ahead and ensuring everything comes together cohesively.

— Lydia Mitz,

editor-in-chief

“Madrono isn’t just a book,” Mitz said. “It’s a time capsule and a celebration of our school community.”

Photo courtesy of Madrono

Broadcast Brilliance

Paly’s broadcast news publication produces video packages and biweekly morning shows, featuring the latest Palo Alto news and highlights

INFOCUS IS PALO ALTO High School’s broadcast publication, producing morning announcement shows and video packages twice a week, sharing the latest news and stories in the Palo Alto community. Their packages feature a wide range of topics, including Palo Alto news, heartwarming local stories or fun topics like Spirit Week montages and “Are you smarter than a fifth grader?” quizzes.

The program has been around since 1999. One of the first advisers was broadcast teacher Mike McNulty.

“Getting everyone to work together and produce stuff is very exciting,” Leins said. “Being a leader, I enjoy being able to pass on what I’ve learned from InFocus to people who are in the position that I once was.”

Current InFocus reporter Divya Pabba chose to join InFocus because of how a video package can interact with its viewers in a different way.

“Being a leader, I enjoy being able to pass on what I’ve learned from InFocus to people who are in the position that I once was.”

— Henry Leins, executive producer

“Years ago, Woj [Esther Wojcicki] was the one who started it and she did it for a semester and then handed it off to me, and I did it for about 12 years,” McNulty said. “It was so much fun to do because everything we tried was the first time we ever tried it.”

The current adviser, Rodney Satterthwaite, has taught the program for the past six years.

“It is the only publication here that everyone has to watch or has to interact with,” Satterthwaite said. “That provides a unique challenge in a sense. We want to make sure we’re providing content that students like, but also, we have to make sure that teachers want to show it.”

Creating a meaningful video package requires both technical and communication skills. Executive Producer Henry Leins helps lead the team through the production process.

“People will reach out and conduct interviews, and then they’ll go to the site of their package and film B-roll,” Leins said.

The InFocus team continues to grow and flourish, as students join the class and expand their love for broadcast journalism.

“The biggest reason why I chose broadcast journalism is actually because of the connection that you’re able to have with your audience,” Pabba said. “There’s just something to be said about seeing their face and hearing their voice. It’s just so much more immersive than any print [story].”

As technology rapidly advances in society, the face of journalism is constantly being altered as more and more people watch video reports and tune into tele-

vision news stations in lieu of picking up a newspaper. In tandem with the rise of social media, the skills of camera usage, shooting and editing, video stories are gaining importance by the day.

Since its growth, InFocus has been recognized multiple times for its accomplishments. Several packages have also won regional and national awards.

“It is very rare for a school, let alone a district, to have a really well established broadcast journalism program,” Class of 2024 InFocus alumnus, Spencer WuChin, said. “It’s really cool that it [InFocus] exists and that I got to be a part of it.”

Every week for the past 26 years, the InFocus team has worked hard to create timely and relevant video reports, as well as the announcement shows that the whole school tunes into every Tuesday and Thursday morning. They will continue to do so for many more, remaining an integral part of Paly journalism for years to come.

“InFocus is currently growing and experimenting with so many things, so you can expect to see a lot of cool stuff from us in the near future,” Leins said. “And, if you have any interest in video or journalism, consider joining us, and watch our content.”

Photo courtesy of Madrono

At a school acknowledged nationwide for its prolific journalism department, it’s no surprise that there are multiple paths for students to pursue news writing, interviewing or broadcasting. Many of these new opportunities at Palo Alto High School stem directly from the inception of the Media Arts Center itself.

Text by SCARLETT FRICK and AMALIA TORMALA

ROOKIE REPORTERS

ROOKIE

BUILDING REPORTERS FUTURE JOURNALISTS

WITH DOZENS OF students enrolling each semester, the Beginning Journalism prerequisite class is one direct pipeline to joining one of Paly’s 12 primary publications. For Brian Wilson — one of two Paly Beginning Journalism teachers and adviser of Viking, C Magazine and Madrono — watching students work hard throughout the rigorous and time-consuming course has been a positive element of his teaching experience.

“The fact that it [Beginning Journalism] is hard is good,” Wilson said. “That sort of challenge is really useful for people.”

Beginning Journalism provides students with all the basics: review writing, profile writing, news writing and design skills. Some aspects — such as the restaurant review, personality profile and practice using Adobe’s design tools — have never shifted in Wilson’s decade of teaching the course.

“We always kind of culminate the semester with the design unit,” Wilson said. “We write the stories throughout the course of the semester and then eventu-

ally think about how to visually present those, so that’s always been the same.”

Despite necessary changes with time to the course — made in tandem with the rapidly advancing journalism world — Wilson admires the way students relate to their similar experiences taking Beginning Journalism.

“It [Beginning Journalism] is the stepping stone that everyone kind of goes through, that people have all kind of had this experience where they can draw on,” Wilson said. “I can talk about the importance of having a really strong hook at the beginning of your feature story, and people know what that means, and they’ve had practice doing that.”

All the necessary aspects for an introduction to journalism are present in the course, yet Wilson says the course is advantageous for all students, not solely aspiring journalists. Having taught AP English Language and creative writing courses, Wilson sees distinct advantages to Beginning Journalism that other courses do not provide, including building students’ comfort in conveying their

message to a broader set of eyes.

“Once you get people to a point where they recognize they’re going to have to start writing for an audience, they take their work very seriously,” Wilson said.

Alongside these pressure-stemmed advantages are communication and writing skills that students can apply throughout their lives.

“If someone said, ‘What class could you take in high school that would prepare you to be a better writer?’ I would immediately say, ‘Take Beginning Journalism,’” Wilson said. “Without question.”

Whether or not a student is looking to be a journalist or has their eyes set on a career far from it, Beginning Journalism provides an invaluable foundation for curious students to build off of and pinpoint their interests with.

“I don’t think Beginning Journalism just prepares people for being on a [publication] staff,” Wilson said. “I hope that the skills that people are gaining as writers and reporters in beginning journalism are things that they can take with them and use forever in their careers.”

Design by SARAH THIEMAN and AMANDA GOODY

COMBO

All About The COMBO

THREE YEARS AGO, to counter the declining enrollment in Beginning Journalism at Palo Alto High School, the “Combo” was created — meshing Intro to Broadcasting and Photojournalism and offering a course designed to give freshmen an opportunity to explore the Paly journalism program with a focus on teaching journalistic ethics.

C Magazine

Creative Director Alice Sheffer, who was part of the first wave of students to take these courses as a prerequisite for joining a publication, reminisces on the head start to Paly journalism this pair of classes allowed her.

“Photos and videos are really great pieces and experiences to use when implementing multimedia aspects into publications’ online presence as well.”

“Journalism is changing in the sense that young people, particularly, aren’t picking up magazines and newspapers and taking them home and reading them or getting delivered to their homes,” Satterthwaite said. “There are exceptions to that, but not many. And so, the visual component of journalism becomes much more important for the younger generation, especially with things like TikTok and Instagram.”

— Ria Mirchandani, C Magazine multimedia director

“Instead of taking Beginning Journalism the first semester of sophomore year, I took the Freshman Combo the first semester of freshman year,” Sheffer said. “I got onto a publication a semester before everyone else, which was cool.”

Both semesters of this combination — Intro to Broadcasting and Photojournalism — are taught by Rod Satterthwaite, adviser of InFocus and the Campanile. Satterthwaite attributes the courses’ importance to the visual side of the journalism world that it prepares students for.

Intro to Broadcasting provides an introduction to digital journalism by immersing students in the world of television and broadcast journalism. By taking this course, Sheffer learned a range of skills that she still employs in her journalistic work to this day.

“Intro to Broadcasting was really interesting,” Sheffer said. “I especially liked learning about the different cinematography tactics for shooting a video and editing it. I’ve used these video editing skills a lot for C Mag.”

The range of topics covered by Intro to Broadcasting are broad. However, for Paly junior and C Magazine Multimedia Director Ria Mirchandani, the diverse range of ways to convey journalism

through videos and digital media was the highlight of taking the course.

“Intro to Broadcasting taught me a lot about journalistic ethics but also about creative ways to implement work that followed these ethics,” Mirchandani said.

The other semester course of the pair — Photojournalism — teaches students how to create photo-essay narratives while simultaneously teaching them writing, interviewing and editing skills.

“Photojournalism taught me a lot about how to use a camera, the basics of a photo composition, photojournalism as an essence and ethics behind both photojournalism and journalism,” Sheffer said. “I use the skills that I learned in almost every issue of C Magazine for photography and composition of my spreads.”

Similarly, Mirchandani finds that learning how to present journalism in different mediums can regularly benefit Paly’s entire fleet of different publications.

“Photos and videos are really great pieces and experiences to use when implementing multimedia aspects into publications’ online presence as well,” Mirchandani said.

The “Combo” provides students with a unique opportunity of growth in the world of storytelling, as Satterthwaite believes.

“Online journalism tries to figure out ways to engage readers,” Satterthwaite said. “Eye-catching photography and really well-done video are the key components to the future of really good journalism.”

DUAL

PAThWays

AS DUAL ENROLLMENT granting Foothill College credit to high school students became more prevalent in the past decade, Palo Alto High School’s’s journalism program had an idea: create a dual enrollment option for the widely-loved Beginning Journalism class. Their idea turned into a reality, and Dual Enrollment Beginning Journalism — which carries a weighted grade and offers college credit — became available during the 20232024 academic year.

Currently, any student who is eligible to enroll in Beginning Journalism can decide to take the Dual Enrollment option; as it turns out, Dual Enrollment is a popular choice.

Enrollment version of the class, and zero students partook in the non-dual enrollment version of the course.

This large turnout affirmed what the course’s creators had foreseen; Paul Kandell — the adviser of the Incubator, The Paly Voice and Verde — was confident that Paly’s journalism program could compete with collegiate-level academics and run a successful Dual Enrollment class for budding journalists.

“It [Dual Enrollment Beginning Journalism] was great,” Kandell said.

“We were right in thinking that our class was equal to a college class.”

— Paul Kandell, adviser

In the fall semester of this academic year, 40 students enrolled in the Dual

“We were right in thinking that our class was equal to a college class [difficulty-wise].”

However, this jump to a more advanced class posed some difficulties. To elevate Beginning Journalism to a collegiate level, a seven-hour project had to be added to the fall course

curriculum.

“It [adding the project] was initially a little bit of a hassle, but we made it into a multimedia reporting experience, which is something that’s kind of missing from our beginning journalism program,” Kandell said. “It forced the faculty — Mr. Wilson, Mr. Satterthwaite and I — to grow a bit and to grow our program.”

For Silvia Rodriguez, a Paly junior and a staff writer on C Magazine, the multimedia project allowed her to practice an aspect of journalism that she would have never explored otherwise.

“I thought the project was great because it allowed us to branch out a little more,” Rodriguez said.

Another positive element about the multimedia project was the process of pitching ideas and creating a story, according to Rodriguez.

“One of the best parts about the project was how, when students initially pair up, different representatives from all the Paly publications host a table during PRIME,” she said. “Dual enrollment students can go up to them, pitch their multimedia idea and see which publication suits them best.”

In addition to providing students with an introduction to Paly’s publications, the project and its rigorous component serve as an introduction to the world of multimedia journalism, which Kandell sees as an integral step toward students’ future journalistic success in today’s rapidly changing environment.

“Despite our [the journalism program’s] innovation culture that we try to promote here, we still are very much often stuck in the world of things text, and it may have to do with the advisors being now comfortable in that world, but we’re making inroads and progress,” Kandell said. “We have to prepare students for an audience that won’t want to read as much and will want video and audio.”

Celebrating CAMPMAC

THERE IS NO QUESTION that Palo Alto High School has many courses that can spark strong journalism pathways. But where does the inspiration to enroll in these classes come from? To grow the next generation of students, the Paly Journalism program created Camp MAC.

Founded in 2014, Camp MAC typically runs during the first week of August, designed to introduce incoming eighth graders and rising freshmen to the fundamentals of journalism. The camp offers hands-on experience and activities in journalistic writing, reporting, design and more. Run by journalism students carefully selected through applications, Camp MAC allows newcomers to become familiar with journalism while simultaneously teaching essential leadership and organizing skills to current members of the journalism program at Paly. Whether it’s the leadership team managing the camp, counselors teaching and mentoring campers or the activities team organizing skits and events, everyone involved plays an active role in passing on journalistic passion to Paly’s next generation of journalists.

Gin Williams, a member of Camp MAC’s 2024 leadership team and editor-in-chief of C Magazine, explains the core aim of the Camp.

“Camp MAC’s purpose is to get younger voices interested in journalism: kind of giving them a taste of journalism to see if it’s something they would like to pursue at Paly or in high school,” Williams said.

“We also raised

money for the Media Arts Center here at Paly, but our main goal is to really get new people interested in journalism.”

Although counselors are not paid to work at camp, there continues to be an abundance of applications across publications. With 61 applicants in the past year to be a part of the 50-person staff, involvement can become competitive. Williams credits her interest in applying to the opportunities and community the MAC provides.

I had a lot of fun.”

The hard work paid off, with over 80 campers attending in 2024: the highest enrollment number the camp has seen.

“You don’t really see a lot of journalism camps of this scale.”

“I’ve had a really positive experience on C Mag developing a real sense of community, and I wanted to help run Camp MAC to give middle schoolers a taste of that,” Williams said. “I’ve had a really great time and have been blessed to have been in the Paly journalism program, and I applied to be able to hopefully share that; that was really important to me.”

— Gin Williams, Camp MAC leadership

“I think the popularity has grown because it [the camp] allows kids to get interested in kind of a niche topic; you don’t really see a lot of journalism camps of this scale,” Williams said. “It also allows you to meet new people who might be on your future staff, which is really cool. We have people now at C-Mag who did Camp MAC together and that’s pretty special to see.”

Sophomore Adi Weiner, a former Camp MAC student and current staff member of Viking Magazine, shares his connection between the camp and his journalism involvement.

The leadership team consisted of six members this past summer. Williams recalls beginning the planning months in advance, pouring hours into organizing the camp.

“It was definitely a roller coaster for the leadership team, with many ups and downs,” Williams said. “We had some pretty exhausting days. [During camp week] we were here from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at least, and then we would zoom afterward to discuss. It was more than I expected, honestly, but

“What I liked about Camp MAC was it helped me to get to know some people, as well as learning to write in all different types of journalism work,” Weiner said. “I liked that there was a choice of publications.”

Attending Camp MAC prior to attending Paly can create a plethora of advantages, including learning crucial skills in reporting and writing, being exposed to the many different journalistic offerings at Paly, and establishing a sense of community and belonging within the school.

“I think Camp MAC shows how powerful and passionate this department is,” Williams said. “Even if they choose not to pursue it, they can still get a taste of how cool [this program] is, you really don’t see this anywhere else. At its root, it’s inspiring!”

you are you Which Which

?? ?PALY??? PUB are

When selecting a movie, you would pick…

In your free time, you are more likely to…

When you are with your friends, you are choosing to...

If you are cooking dinner, are you more likely to…

When picking out your read, your genre of choice would be...

If you were to pick a project to create, it would be…

When thinking about TV, you would rather watch...

When picking a coffee shop to do work in, you would pick…

A small, cozy and quiet shop

A spacious or popular place

Our arts and culture publication utilizes creativity and imagination

Read more on Page 34

“Creative, dediacted, passionate and open-minded”

— Gin Williams, editor-in-chief, 2025

Read more on Page 35

VERDE

When you are bored, you prefer…

Scrolling on social media

Watching a TV series

Our sports magazine published by students and an open forum for student expression

Known for in-depth explorations of community issues, features and news

since the first issue in 1999

Read more on Page 32

Palo Alto High School’s 24/7 online news platform

Read more on Page 37

When you are hungry, you more likely to...

When looking for entertainment, you prefer…

Eat a meal Have snacks

“Hype, spirited, creative, explorative and resourceful”

— Roan Haney, editor-in-chief, 2025

“Balanced, fun, passionate, community and playful”

— Alma Bendavid, editor-in-chief, 2025

“Driven, creative, passionate, ambitious and impactful”

— Celina Lee editor-in-chief, 2025

Incubator

The laboratory for Paly journalism startups, offers a smorgasborg of publishing options within a single classroom

Read more on Page 36

Viking Campanile

Written and designed by students as an outlet to inform and express to Palo Alto residents

Read more on Page 33

“Perseverance, creativity, innovative, adventurous and diverse”

— Shreyas Shashi editor-in-chief, 2025

“Welcoming, dedicated, curious, Satt and controversy”

— Holden Lee, editor-in-chief, 2025

Reading a book Watching a Movie

Madrono

Madrono

The yearbook serves as a forum for student expression onlife,organizations, athletics, academics, and people

Read more on Page 38

A student-run broadcast program that provides accurate, timely and engaging news content

Read more on Page 39

“Spunky, liberating, outspoken, fearless and passionate”

— Lydia Mitz editor-in-chief, 2025

“Bold, charismatic, creative, nonchalant and versatile”

— Henry Leins executive producer, 2025

FREEZE FRAME

PALY PHOTO PROGRAM

In addition to the expansion of print publications, photography in the MAC has thrived in recent years, becoming a powerful force at Paly. Currently, the program stands at:

SIX photo classes

TWO teachers

180 students:

These are numbers that rival enrollment in the MAC’s advanced journalism and media leadership management honors classes (AJAMS and MLMH) combined!

Kenna Gallagher leaps across a Palo Alto staircase.

Photo by Sebastian Tung

Freshman Sebastian Tung, a student enrolled in Beginning Photography, shares a connection with the program. “Mx. G’s been a great teacher throughout the school year,” Tung said. “I’ve always loved photo throughout my entire life. My dad did photos, so it inspired me and I feel like photo is a way of expressing myself visually.”

Visiting Video Production

Dylan Liao (‘26) films a project during a video production class taught by Rodney Satterthwaite.

Listening in: AUDIO MUSIC PRODUCTION

teaches his fourth period Audio Music Production class, introduced in 2019.

Michael Najar

Photo by Lucas Tung