The Mayfield Crier Finds a New Life Online

To say that the internet changed the face of news is a major understatement. And, like many newspapers, the student-produced Mayfield Crier has endeavored to make the transition from a print-only news source to a hybrid media outlet. Although the production team had been dipping its toes in digital waters since before 2015, team members had made the choice to focus on print, as the monthly publications were already a major undertaking. Plus, handing out physical copies after assemblies and being able to share in the excitement with classmates and teachers was an unmistakable thrill for everyone involved.

Despite the emotional toll of the abrupt shift to remote learning in spring 2020, the Crier staff realized that this crisis was also an opportunity for growth, and advisor and journalism teacher Kimberly Gomez saw it as a unique chance to finally create a robust online paper. Ms. Gomez knew the students were up to the challenge, saying, “We have a motivated staff who stepped up for leadership roles.”

The overhaul of the existing website was no easy feat. Managing Editor-InChief Grace Sandman ’22 explains: “Over the summer, we spent a lot of time on YouTube and the SNO (Student News Online) website to learn how to insert media elements like photos and videos, design website pages, and find ways to promote the website as a whole.” She adds, “It was definitely a trial and error process, but in the end, it was worth it.”

Social conscience is front and center with the reporting and editorial team in this iteration of the Crier. Instead of hyper-local issues related to campus, which were the mainstay for the print edition, the online version has a more global approach—with articles covering racial injustice and world news such as the devastating blast in a central Beirut port. Several articles focused their attention on the November 2020 election.

There have been both surprises and challenges for everyone. No longer constrained to a firm word count, the team has been enjoying this chance to explore longer-form journalism and columns. This also means a lot more potential for artwork, photography and embedding easy links to other resources. But Grace Fontes ’21 explains that the amount of screen time during this pandemic is no small issue for students. “We are online for several hours a day for school and continue to have to work online on the Crier, which can be pretty taxing,” she says. Nonetheless, Grace sees a lot of benefits, adding, “I’ve really enjoyed getting to see the process…[of] what it takes to truly run a publication online.”

Mia Maalouf ’22 has noticed the way the online platform doesn’t just change how she writes, but also what she writes. “In the past, I didn’t pay attention to the readers and what they would respond to,” she admits. “But now that I am able to analyze their receptiveness, my articles are targeted towards a specific audience, which I think makes them stand out!”

Ms. Gomez explains that the “real-world practical lessons” of this new form of the Crier are proving limitless, and she can hardly keep up with the content the team is producing. “The students are on fire!” she says.

The Mayfield Crier editors also published a special print edition of the newspaper to commemorate our return to campus this spring.

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Student journalists scoop Scholastic Awards

Our talented Crier staff won high honors in this year’s prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, for both their reporting and their creative writing efforts.

Managing Editor-in-Chief Grace Sandman ’22 won two Silver Key awards and an Honorable Mention for excellence in journalism.

Hannah Sherman ’22, the Crier’s Online Editor, received an Honorable Mention in the journalism category.

Columnist Madison Rojas ’23 also earned an Honorable Mention in journalism.

Other Crier staff, many of whom are also members of Mayfield’s Creative Writing Conservatory, were recognized for their distinctive literary voices, with an especially strong showing in poetry. Columnist Avalon Dela Rosa ’22 won two Gold Key awards, one Silver Key and an Honorable Mention for her poetry. Staff writer Kristine Ashley Pascual ’21 earned a Gold Key and an Honorable Mention for poetry, as well as a Silver Key in the personal essay and memoir category. Opinion Co-Editor-in-Chief and poetry Silver Key winner Keara Keelty ’21 also earned an Honorable Mention in the critical essay category, as did columnist Ashlee Smith ’22. Congratulations also to Creative Writing Conservatory members Lucy Martinez ’22 and Kathryn Mechaley ’22, who both won Honorable Mentions for their poetry. Lucy was also awarded an Honorable Mention in the flash fiction category.