EMPOWERING OPPORTUNITIES
The Spartan Torch by Katie Gunzelman ’07
The five core principles of journalism are accuracy, independence, impartiality, humanity, and accountability. These principles ideally guide every journalist in his or her quest to provide citizens of the world the information needed to make the best possible decisions for themselves and society. When we consider our role as an educational institution, it’s not much of a stretch to say the above principles are mirrored in Wichita Collegiate’s principles, too. Our Portrait of a Spartan shows that we value resilience, creativity, exploration, experimentation, chal-
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lenge, compassion, and inclusivity, all of which lend themselves well to the drive for an impartial truth and accountability to our fellow man. We hope that each child leaves Collegiate seeking higher truth and knowledge and working tirelessly to better our world. Juxtapose that deep philosophy with Middle School life, and it might be hard to stifle a smile or a laugh. Most of us likely couldn’t be bothered in Middle School with existential questions; or maybe everything felt existential. We were more concerned with shifting hormones, changing voices, and issues of popularity, than with our purpose or calling. And while that’s likely
true of Wichita Collegiate’s Middle School, it’s also true that we are empowering our Middle Schoolers to tackle big questions and big issues, thanks in no small part to 6th Grade English Teacher and Spartan Torch sponsor Ashley Bowers. Mrs. Bowers is in her fourth year teaching English at Collegiate, but brings a wealth of journalism education experience, too. She taught Intro to Journalism and Newspaper at two high schools previously, and has a degree in English and Journalism Secondary Education. She even has experience in portrait photography, having operated a small business out of her home when her kids were younger.
