If you’ve ever stepped foot in Allison Berryhill’s room, you’ve seen the colorful painted ceiling tiles. Many have names, memes, colorful drawings or years of graduation. This is a huge tradition of the Journalism Department. All JP students paint a ceiling tile before the end of the semester. A JP student is a journalism student in their second semester of journalism (Journalism 2). This fun tradition was started in 2013. It’s a creative way to remember the journalists who started the journalism department in AHS.
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Ceiling Tiles, an AHS Journalism Tradition
NEWS BRIEF
May 21, 2026
Rooms 408 and 410 are decorated with painted ceiling tiles. This tradition started in 2013.
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About the Contributors
Mary Leonard, Staff Writer
Mary Leonard is a sophomore staff writer.
Taliya James, AHS Needle Lead Editor
Taliya James is a senior at AHS. She is the lead editor of AHSNeedle. She runs AHSNeedle.com, edits stories, and runs all of the social media.
James recently posted a video that is filled with emotion. James stated, “We asked students what they wish teachers knew and it has been a challenge for me to figure everything out.” The video got the best of SNO.
There is so much room for growth and improvement in journalism. “The creativity is amazing. I learn so much from my editors every day. I also love reading and writing so that’s a plus,” James said. There are so many aspects of journalism and so many new things that can be learned and a lot of new friends you can make.
Journalists have a life outside of school or their job nobody knows about. James is a cheerleader, dancer, competitive dancer, and she helps in the fall plays occasionally. Many people have many interesting things about them that nobody knows about. “I was born with gastroschisis. 98% of my intestines were outside of my body and I had to go through intense surgeries to save my life. I don’t have a belly button either,” James said.
“I love to write poetry. I also love to read and listen to the rain. I also play a lot of Hayday in my free time,” James said, “I am super open-minded, which makes me super easy to talk to.”
James looks up to English teacher Allison Berryhill. “She always pushes me to do better and inspires me to go the distance for my future,” James said. Ms. Berryhill inspired her to go to college for secondary education in English. The one person who knows James best is her sister Tayzun. “She is my other half. I can just look at her and she knows everything,” James said.
Author: Mollie Gill