HUMBOLDT Early one afternoon this week a dozen students walked into Kim Isbells room on the second floor of Humboldt High School. No idle chatter, no horsing around. They promptly sat down at work stations and began their role in producing the school newspaper, Cub Tracks, or a long-term yearbook project.
Isbell, newspaper and yearbook advisor since 2005, has created a culture, in her words, that is like a family. I want kids to want to be here as well as create award winners.
Allen Wilhite, who made Humboldt High the envy of prep journalism departments statewide, won 13 state championships. Isbell hasnt missed a beat, adding 11 to the total, including nine straight.
Isbell said even during the summer months, students want to work on projects for the upcoming school year. Many also find their way to the journalism room after school and in the evening.
They dont have to, they just want to, Isbell said.
I think they like having a place to express themselves, in the written word, in photographs and through creative design.
No end is in sight.
This year 20 freshmen are among about 60 students in the journalism corps. If there is a concern, and it isnt a critical one, more girls than boys are enrolled. Im trying to recruit more boys, Isbell said, to ensure a gender balance is reflected.
Isbell said she also stressed the students take ownership of their work.
She also is a tireless advocate for more tools that she believes will help students reach their goals in a timely and high-level manner. That doesnt fall on deaf ears: We have great support from the community and the administration, she said.
Students are encouraged, and rewarded, by having columns, photos and stories made available to the Humboldt Union and The Register. They also find their way onto social media.
We have a website, but most kids today dont go there. Mostly they are on Twitter and Instagram, she said.
She emphasizes to her students you cant believe all of what you read on social media.You have to decipher and separate opinion from fact.
Though early in the fall semester, she is looking ahead to 2020-21 and beyond, by giving freshmen a crash course in the basics of journalism and photography, in hopes they will immerse themselves in her classes in later years.
Students arent alone in working beyond class time.
