Schools

OFHS Students Pull Together to Produce Student Newspaper

With this year's first issue of the Vedas set to drop soon, the student-run newspaper staff is hustling to put the finishing touches on the first issue.

Students at Oak Forest High School are about to get a heavy dose of the news in the coming weeks, with the year's first issue of the school newspaper, the Vedas—which means 'knowledge.'

In publication since 1970, the student-produced paper is currently in the final phases of its first issue, with students submitting stories, editing and laying out the paper after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Under the direction of teacher-supervisor Kevin Farrell and assistant supervisor Jim Malton, the motley crew of students producing the paper are finding a new understanding of what journalism is and how the field works, along with a few added perks.

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“I really liked writing before I started,” said Henry Czajkowski, a senior. “So this is a good spot for me. Plus I'm getting extra credit in my English class for doing it, which is pretty cool.”

From seniors to freshmen, the staff of the Vedas has toiled away on the publication since the start of the school year—gathering sources, writing and figuring out the puzzle that is putting a finalized paper together.

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“It's fun messing with things, colors, contrasts, things like that, in layout,” said Brooke Prusa, a junior. “I really like what we do.”

The paper isn't just for future journalists though, it's for any student looking to gain experience, knowledge and have a little fun in the process.

“I used to want to be a journalist,” said senior Tamar Hunter. “But, now I'm not sure, but it's still fun for me and that's why I still do it.”

For the underclassmen, like Alysa Mustard, a freshman, who just started at the paper, the idea of seeing a photo she captured printed in the Vedas is an exciting opportunity.

“It's going to feel awesome, more than anything, when I see my first photo in there,” she said. “I really like taking photos, when I can open up the paper and see my photos in there, it's going to be great.”

The first issue of the Oak Forest Vidas will hit classrooms in a few weeks, with an additional issue to be publish each quarter for the rest of the school year.


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