Atlantic High School has been offering journalism since 1928. Some students work on Eye of the Needle, some pen stories for the online news site, some dedicate their time to creating the senior magazine, and others create the Javelin yearbook. Currently, there are 42 editors in the AHS journalism program and 45 Intro to Journalism students.

After taking Intro to Journalism in the fall semester, those interested in continuing in the program take Journalism Production in the spring. After completing these two courses, students become editors. According to journalism adviser Allison Berryhill, about half of the intro students go on to become editors.

Berryhill has taught journalism for eight years. She said the class benefits the students’ writing abilities for other classes. “Students who write 15 or more stories are used to cranking out stories with lots of information quickly,” Berryhill said. “It gives them confidence.” According to Berryhill journalism helps kids think analytically and cover all aspects of a story.

After completing two semesters of journalism, intro students become editors. Berryhill noted editors get to work in a more independent style. They also have the freedom to write what they want. “It’s almost like a job,” Berryhill said. As a journalist, students can go out into the community during school to conduct interviews and gather information. For all of these reasons and more, Berryhill recommends journalism to all students.

In journalism, students get the chance to go on field trips. This fall, the editors went to the IHSPA conference in Iowa City. Similarly, journalists can go to Drake University for workshops and camps. In the past, journalism students have gone to KETV 7 and the Atlantic News Telegraph in order to garner a behind-the-scenes look. 

Sophomore Julian Tribolet is in Intro to Journalism. He said the class has taught him how to write properly and to complete stories. His favorite part of the Intro to Journalism is conducting interviews for the stories he writes. Tribolet said the class helps him get better with his story-writing skills. Tribolet encourages others to give journalism a try because they may like it. Similarly, sophomore Jayden Ford is enrolled in Intro to Journalism. His favorite part about the class is the “freedom” it offers. Ford said the class makes it easier to write stories. “The class is very fun,” Ford said. Like Tribolet and Berryhill, he encourages others to take the class. He said it gives you an opportunity to give writing stories and taking pictures a shot.