In effort to promote The Feather, the campus newspaper joined the American Society of Newspaper Editors [ASNE]. The online organization is a partner with the Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society.

The ASNE produces the National Edition, a collection of high school publications from around the country. The National Edition is produced by a team of professionals with backgrounds in journalism and education.

Administration on campus is thrilled to join the online edition.

“I am very excited about entering Internet journalism,” Tim Wilkins, superintendent, said. “Joining the ASNE reinforces our national presence by allowing the paper to be viewed by many more people.”

Some students also are excited to know that the paper is joining the ASNE online.

“Joining the online site is a great way to get our name out into the public,” Greg Tharpe, ’04, said. “It is good to know that the paper is getting credit for their work.”

Others on campus do not seem to care about the paper.

“I do not read the paper,” Paul Kinnear, ’06, said. “Joining the new Internet site does not mean much to me.”

The Feather was a part of another Internet site, Highwired.com, from 1999 until the site crashed in 2001 due to bankruptcy. Not wanting to lose the Internet paper, the editors and adviser Greg Stobbe, created its own online edition. But when the opportunity arose to join the ASNE, Stobbe jumped at the chance.

“I wanted to be in a place where the school name would get more exposure and where our staff could receive increased recognition for their hard work,” Stobbe said. “I hope the ASNE will give us an opportunity to do that.”

The ASNE offers many benefits for a member of the organization. After paying the $25 one time fee, the National Edition automatically stores the articles in an archive with search capability. The site is an opportunity for students across the country to see what is important to one another.

“We have a product that is easy to use and relatively attractive,” Craig Branson, online director for ASNE, said. “The goal for the site is to improve high school journalism and more accurately reflect the news around America and the world.”

The National Edition is updated every Monday morning. Articles are evaluated on length, headlines and on content. At the time of this article, three Feather articles have already been chosen by the National Edition staff. Check the archives at the National Edition for the Sept. 29 and Oct. 6 issues.

The ASNE can be found at www.asne.org or at www.my.highschooljournalism.org. The Feather’s home online edition can be found at the www.thefeather.com.