Julia

The Feather team ’24-’25 consists of 28 journalists.

The Feather Team ‘24-’25 kick-starts the year welcoming eight new journalists, six new photojournalists, seven editors and 14 returners to use their artistic ability to inform and innovate. From writing articles on the latest local stories to covering national events, the Feather Team continues the legacy presented in previous years. 

Beginning in 1982, with The Feather print edition and transferring to fully online in 2010, generations of teams have built up national titles through early mornings, long afternoons and sleepless nights filled with hard work and dedication. 

The Feather Team is led by advisor Kori James, who joined prior advisor Greg Stobbe in 2014. Passing the torch to James, Stobbe left in 2020 due to a cancer diagnosis otherwise known as optical melanoma. James teaches photography and journalism and trains photojournalists to take pictures with both passion and creativity. James focuses on the importance of teaching students leadership and teamwork skills in a professional atmosphere. Second-year videographer and photojournalist, Benson Elbert, ‘26, embarks on a whole new experience in the classroom, stepping into a leadership role by helping train new photographers.

“It can be challenging because once you get into photography and get used to it, it can be difficult to get back to the technical part of it and actually teach it,” Elbert said. “Teaching people and seeing the result is always rewarding because you can see the progress and how far they have come.”

Carrying the torch forward, James teaches backpack journalism, using certain techniques, such as multitasking in the field of journalism while being thorough, and emphasizing the importance of utilizing resources in the classroom, such as fellow team members and writing coach Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young. 

Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young works diligently to teach students effective ways to improve their writing. Coming from a background in journalism, Gilmore-Young previously worked for the Life section of the Fresno Bee. She is also an award-winning author with over 22 published books for kids and adults. Student journalists have the opportunity to seek coaching from Gilmore-Young and learn techniques for proper interviewing etiquette, incorporating description in writing and proper journalistic format. 

“Teaching students ways to write compelling stories and helping them gain confidence in interviewing is truly one of my joys,” Gilmore-Young said. “These are marketable skills for the future.”

Journalists also collaborate with peers, writing about various relevant topics. Danielle Arndt, ‘26, stepped up this school year, assuming the role of editor-in-chief, following Miracle Neal, ‘24. The editor-in-chief’s duty is to make executive decisions, edit and package articles and lead teammates through the challenges of the year. 

As a third-year journalist, Arndt has taken on a new position where she is learning to navigate the change in workload and leadership while making the experience enjoyable for all.  

“As editor-in-chief, I have the opportunity to walk alongside our members, training them in the ways of journalistic writing and encouraging their creative abilities,” Arndt said. “Going into this year, I am beyond excited to turn our team into a family.”

Along with in-classroom resources, the Feather team is presented with various opportunities to gain journalistic expertise outside of the classroom. During March 2024, the team traversed across the country all the way to New York. In New York City, the team attended the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Spring Journalism Conference and had the opportunity to teach 6 sessions to a multitude of students. This conference taught students both the basics of journalism and helped them navigate more challenging topics. Photo/Video Editor Mallory Friesen, ‘25, expressed her gratitude for being able to partake on the trip, enjoying both the learning portion and the team bonding. 

“During the CSPA conference I had the opportunity to teach alongside my mom for most of the classes, but I also got to learn other schools’ ways of doing things, alternate from our methods,” Friesen said. “My favorite part of the trip was bonding with the team and being able to grow a family. We made so many memories and now have so many inside jokes that will live forever.”

Along with New York, the Feather team covers various local events like Kids Day, 9/11 Memorial, Black History Month and other journalism conferences. These events help to not only further proficiency, but to give students a taste of the world that is journalism. 

New Feather students are eligible to experience these various events this upcoming year, as well as the training that will inspire their passion for either journalism or photography. Welcoming a total of 14 new students, Feather leaders actively work to train and educate all, encouraging them to put their skills to use and be bold in their creativity and expression. 

First-year journalist Jacob Christensen, ’26, has written two articles thus far, diving into journalism almost immediately after joining the team. 

“At the start of this year, I walked into the classroom feeling nervous, not being the best writer and having no prior journalistic experience, but the welcoming faces made all those worries go away,” Christensen said. “After some basic training, I jumped straight into my first article, which turned out to be a lot bigger project than I anticipated, but the result ended up being something I am very proud of.”

Carrying on a school newspaper that began in 1982, The Feather Team strives to not only inform, but to share stories that have the capability of reaching both broad and specific audiences. The goal of the team is to carry on the national legacy in not only achievements, but also the family dynamic of the team, and one day to pass it on to future generations. 

To read more from The Feather check out Central Valley 29th Honor Flight or HONOR FLIGHT: Robbi Huckaby Veteran.