High School Newspaper Makes Comeback of the Year

By
Jacob Green
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When the Hawk Tawk is in session, a dozen or more students cram into their small newsroom on the second floor of Bozeman High. The student newspaper is riding a wave of success and excitement, only three years after nearly closing its doors because too few students had registered for the class. Back then, in 2012, with the help of the local community, students convinced the school to keep publishing the Hawk Tawk.

In 2014, a new adviser came on board. Emily Donahoe, a reporter turned English teacher, led the staff to win best high school newspaper in Montana. Buoyed by their success, 18 student journalists set out to prove in 2015 they can produce a newspaper as good as, if not better, than last year.

Emily Donahoe, the adviser of the Hawk Tawk, teaches Hailey McMahan how to use Adobe InDesign to create a layout for the students' stories. She thinks it is important for every one of her students to have this skill. She said the Hawk Tawk was slow to start last year because only certain students knew certain processes, and that motivated her to make every student a well-rounded journalist.
Emily Donahoe, the adviser of the Hawk Tawk, teaches Hailey McMahan how to use Adobe InDesign to create a layout for the students’ stories. She thinks it is important for every one of her students to have this skill. She said the Hawk Tawk was slow to start last year because only certain students knew certain processes, and that motivated her to make every student a well-rounded journalist. (Jake Green)
Donahoe holds a class meeting to explain to students how to perform copy edits on the newspaper. The class has both learning days and work days. On work days, the class will meet for the start of the period and then split up to work on individual stories. Donahoe also uses this time to teach students specific skills, like design or editing.
Donahoe holds a class meeting to explain to students how to perform copy edits on the newspaper. The class has both learning days and work days. On work days, the class will meet for the start of the period and then split up to work on individual stories. Donahoe also uses this time to teach students specific skills, like design or editing. (Jake Green)
Co-Editor-in-Chief Justice Geddes answers a question posed by Rachel Holler during the writing and editing process for the October 2015 edition of the Hawk Tawk. Sometimes students choose a theme for their paper. Once they have chosen a theme, they begin to pitch and create story ideas, report and write. Geddes serves as an editor, guiding writers and refining their stories.
Co-Editor-in-Chief Justice Geddes answers a question posed by Rachel Holler during the writing and editing process for the October 2015 edition of the Hawk Tawk. Sometimes students choose a theme for their paper. Once they have chosen a theme, they begin to pitch and create story ideas, report and write. Geddes serves as an editor, guiding writers and refining their stories. (Jake Green)
Geddes interviews Bozeman Deputy Mayor Carson Taylor. Previously, he had collaborated with Hawk Tawk reporter Sage Bennett on profiles of three mayoral candidates running in the 2015 election. Taylor was not one of them. The Bozeman High School (BHS) reporters often pursue stories beyond school walls.
Geddes interviews Bozeman Deputy Mayor Carson Taylor. Previously, he had collaborated with Hawk Tawk reporter Sage Bennett on profiles of three mayoral candidates running in the 2015 election. Taylor was not one of them. The Bozeman High School (BHS) reporters often pursue stories beyond school walls. (Jake Green)
Geddes takes notes during his interview with Taylor, which coincided with his lunch period. Geddes was one of three returning students from last year’s award-winning staff and is one of the Hawk Tawk’s driving forces this year.
Geddes takes notes during his interview with Taylor, which coincided with his lunch period. Geddes was one of three returning students from last year’s award-winning staff and is one of the Hawk Tawk’s driving forces this year. (Jake Green)
Reporters Sage Bennett and Ella Cole perform a final check on Shanoah Eck's article about marijuana use at BHS. Eck interviewed students who smoked marijuana and took a poll to get an idea of how many students used the drug. She found that of the 139 students, 56 had tried pot. In January 2015, the Hawk Tawk published a "Fitting In" edition. It was cited as one of their strongest issues for its graphics and content, which addressed topics like being gay, having a poor body image and being an introvert.
Reporters Sage Bennett and Ella Cole perform a final check on Shanoah Eck’s article about marijuana use at BHS. Eck interviewed students who smoked marijuana and took a poll to get an idea of how many students used the drug. She found that of the 139 students, 56 had tried pot. In January 2015, the Hawk Tawk published a “Fitting In” edition. It was cited as one of their strongest issues for its graphics and content, which addressed topics like being gay, having a poor body image and being an introvert. (Jake Green)
Features Editor Emma Bowen, one of three returning students, copy edits the October edition. Before a page is considered finalized, two students separately view the page and, using a checklist, confirm the paper does not have any factual or grammatical errors.
Features Editor Emma Bowen, one of three returning students, copy edits the October edition. Before a page is considered finalized, two students separately view the page and, using a checklist, confirm the paper does not have any factual or grammatical errors. (Jake Green)
Geddes and reporter Grace Bryant deliver the October edition of the Hawk Tawk to classrooms throughout BHS. The Hawk Tawk prints as a part of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, which gives it a circulation of almost 15,000 readers. It funds itself by selling ads and using the money to pay the Chronicle to print and distribute the paper as an insert.
Geddes and reporter Grace Bryant deliver the October edition of the Hawk Tawk to classrooms throughout BHS. The Hawk Tawk prints as a part of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, which gives it a circulation of almost 15,000 readers. It funds itself by selling ads and using the money to pay the Chronicle to print and distribute the paper as an insert. (Jake Green)
Cody Bodman and Molly Kelly read the Hawk Tawk in Wild Joe's Coffee Spot in Bozeman. The printing is celebrated by eating donuts and reading their freshly printed paper in class on the day of publication. But as soon as class is over, the students begin to pitch and create stories for the next edition.
Cody Bodman and Molly Kelly read the Hawk Tawk in Wild Joe’s Coffee Spot in Bozeman. The printing is celebrated by eating donuts and reading their freshly printed paper in class on the day of publication. But as soon as class is over, the students begin to pitch and create stories for the next edition. (Jake Green)

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