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The Student News Site of Fresno Christian High School

The Feather

The Student News Site of Fresno Christian High School

The Feather

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Alumni Spotlight: Juli Amodei

Original editor-in-chief shares Feather origins, current ventures
The+Feather+Print+Edition+ran+for+28+years%2C+between+1982-2010.+
The Feather Print Edition ran for 28 years, between 1982-2010.

Original editor-in-chief shares Feather origins, current ventures

38 years ago, before the awards and thousands of published works, The Feather was the dream of two intellectuals. Since 1984, The Feather Online has gone on to receive seven NSPA  Pacemakers, 9 CSPA Gold Crowns along with many other awards.

Juli Amodei was the first editor-in-chief of The Feather Online. 

As a team there have been countless lives impacted through this program and beyond. Founding member, Juli Amodei had no idea the influence that would come from her lunch time activities.

Amodei attended Fresno Christian from 1984-87 for all four years of high school. She was a model of student involvement. Amodei was on the cheer team, ASB leadership president for her grade, as well as both yearbook and journalism editor. 

When The Feather was just starting, it was not a class, but rather a club that met during lunch. Mrs. Johnson, the English teacher at the time, was the adviser for the club. Amodei was the editor-in-chief since its inception. The printing process was tedious, and required time to lay the paper out on sheets to send to Mid-Cal Publishing for print. 

The dream required long hours and dedication so that eventually it could leave the printing press and evolve into The Feather Online. 

“Of course I expected The Feather to go this far because I believe that with every grade starts with the idea that if you keep the right people behind it, they will know what to do with it,” Amodei said. “When you start something and you know it’s good it will continue.”

Amodei worked hard all through high school with the plan of going to college at Pepperdine University, an esteemed school known for its journalism and communications courses. But after a family tragedy, her plans were derailed rapidly and Pepperdine was no longer an option. 

[/media-credit] Juli Amodei, ’87, resides in Cambria Ca where she serves the community through many organizations close to her heart.
During that challenging period for the Amodei family, the people of Fresno Christian came together. 

“When you need a community the most, you see the quality of the people that are there,” Amodei said. “There were many that stepped up at that vital time.” 

She spent the first semester of her freshman year of college at Fresno State, but after a turning point, Amodei uprooted and spontaneously moved to Santa Barbara. She valued academics and trusted that God had a plan for her.

“We have to remember that education is a gift, one that we sometimes get to pursue by assistance,” Amodei said. “But others have to do hard grit work.”

It took six years for Amodei to get her degree in communications and public relations. She worked all through her academic years and put to use the gift of hard work she learned while creating The Feather. 

Since then, success has been generous to Amodei. Currently, she owns a full-service advertising agency called 12 Toes as well as partners with Heritage Restaurant Group. The family business franchises in 44 soon-to-be 45 restaurants, including Huckleberry’s, Cool Hand Luke’s and Perko’s. Amodei is on the Board of Trustees for Coast Unified School District.

[/media-credit] Amodei and her husband David enjoy going on adventures together.
She serves as the booster club president for Coast Union High School and is a member of the Cambria Chamber of Commerce. Amodei is a member of University Women, as well as a member of the Cayucos Chamber of Commerce. She is also a director of Professional Women’s Resources and founder of PROS Commission for CCSD/Cambria.

Amodei’s true passion comes from giving back to the community. Recent projects for Amodei include repurposing a skate park for the community’s youth. She has plans to run for district supervisor for her county for the ’26 term. Setting her own ideas into motion, she encourages the current and future generations of Fresno Christian to take heart.

“There will be people around you who will tear you down. We’re seeing it more and more there are less leaders and more followers. The work we are doing is thankless, but whenever you start a new idea you must believe in yourself and see it through.”

Fresno Christian helped shape Amodei into the successful woman she is today, and will always hold a special place in her heart.

To read more from The Feather, go to Consequences of CA electric car mandate or College application process encouragement.

If you know any FCS alum that we can feature please email [email protected].

View Comments (5)
About the Contributor
Danielle Arndt, Editor
Second-year journalist, Danielle Arndt, ‘26, continues her journey as a returning writer for The Feather Online. Arndt believes in the importance of integrity, dedicating herself wholly to whatever she puts her mind to. Self-proclaimed movie enthusiast, she loves immersing herself in the cinematic world, hiding from reality. Writing has always been the way she could express herself and the stories living rent-free in her mind. Arndt aspires to be an author, she cannot hold her excitement to grow in the fields of journalism.
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Comments (5)

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  • B

    Bryce FosheeJan 19, 2023 at 7:45 am

    Super interesting story, nice job!

    Reply
  • J

    Juli AmodeiNov 29, 2022 at 12:22 pm

    Well done! and what a pleasure to speak with you. Keep the amazing work moving forward.

    Reply
  • J

    Julia CastiglioneNov 29, 2022 at 10:55 am

    Dani, this is such an amazing story! You told it so well and I think it’s cool to know about Juli and how she contributed to the Feather.

    Reply
  • G

    Garrett AlvisNov 29, 2022 at 10:37 am

    Amazing job of telling such an important history of the being of the feather and the people who launched it into fruition.

    Reply
  • K

    KemyaNov 29, 2022 at 10:37 am

    Great Article Dani!!!

    Reply