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Riley looks back on their articles and takes nothing seriously.
Riley Takes over The scroll
Riley Takes over The scroll
By Riley Barta
By Riley Barta
It's that wonderful time of year again, folks. It is (finally) warming up, the flowers are all in bloom and school is almost out. Sadly, this is the final issue of The Scroll this year. It is a sad time for writers, however. I think I hear Lillie Olson laughing…I am sure it's just the wind. Why would our lovely editor laugh at this treacherous event? She loves us, all of us! I have, so generously, contributed nine articles to The Scroll this year. It has certainly been a hurdle getting used to how to write news articles. My first month as a journalist was spent with me begging Amber and Kai for any shred of assistance they could offer. Now, I can write articles all on my own (and get them edited by Tyrrell and Olson)! In an effort of trying to grow as a writer, I will analyze all of my works and how they could have been made better.
NOVEMBER: “Bleaching Schools”
NOVEMBER: “Bleaching Schools”
In November, I wrote an opinion article on residential schools. However, the opinion portion of it fell flat. If I took out the last sentence of most paragraphs, it would be an informal informational article. Something about opinion articles has always stumped me. I remember wanting to write something around Native Americans due to it being November, so I guess I am glad Tyrrell did not assign a satire article that month. I have a feeling that would get taken out of the issue. This article also falls victim to me trying out new writing styles. I call it the “question-answer” style. I would start paragraphs with a question and then immediately answer them. Starting paragraphs can be really difficult, and throwing in a question is really easy. Apparently, getting yelled at by my teachers for starting with rhetorical questions was not enough to break that habit. Riley, be more opinionated, and for goodness sake stop asking so many questions.
DECEMBER: “The Library Mural”
DECEMBER: “The Library Mural”
The December article was my magnum opus this year. “The Library Mural” is a feature article on the mural in the library (Creative title, right?). This is also the article where I totally did not stalk a church for information on a man who died near my birthday. In all honesty, writing this article heavily improved my interviewing skills. Not much information was published about the piece, so all had to be found by hand. I am glad the librarians put up with me staring at the wall for several hours. Being a paparazzi has never been a goal of mine, but it was exciting to examine* a person’s life for a month. Although, I do wish E. John Robinson had a cooler life. He only helped out his community, which is kind of drab. What if he had committed a war crime* or became an FBI agent? Imagine having a painting from a spy in the school’s library!
examine*- The Scroll does not condone stalking of any sort. However, examination is encouraged.
war crime*- The Scroll does not think war crimes are cool. War crimes are not cool.
FEBRUARY: “The 2022 Ye-enning”
FEBRUARY: “The 2022 Ye-enning”
My first dip into satire-- it was a precious moment. Not only did I accuse Ye of being an alien, but I also had to narrowly avoid being racist or anti-Semitic. Don’t fret, readers. I think everyone deserves equal rights. It is just difficult to make jokes in an article about a Nazi. I did pretty darn well in this article if I do say so myself. Satire is hard to know the limit of. Luckily, I do not understand limits in most situations, so satire is easy-peasy. According to Amber Medina-Montoya, the secretary of The Scroll this year, “You’re fun, pleasant to be around. I’m in large amounts of distress.” If you ignore that last bit, that is some pretty good praise. Yeah, some* might say I am the heart and soul of The Scroll's inner workings. It is hard to be so amazing all the time, but I make it work. What I learned this month is that I am swaggy, and Ye is a big ‘ol loser.
some*- I got four Scrollians to say it once.
MARCH: “Katy ISD” “Memories of a Small Town”
MARCH: “Katy ISD” “Memories of a Small Town”
When semester two started, I took Intro to Architecture. When semester two started, I found out I did not like architecture. Tyrrell came through and whisked me away from CTE. March was the beginning of both Journalism II and writing two articles a month. “Memories of a Small Town” was not my best work. It was hastily written, and the direct product of post-finals week stress. My goal for it was a lot grander. It might have been better if it wasn’t on Grants Pass. “Katy ISD” was written because my mother saw a TikTok. It is a satire on the Katy Independent School District. The original article was uhh mean, to say the least. What can I say! I am not a big fan of Texas. Sadly, Tyrrell wants to keep her job. I guess the edited version is still funny. In summary (goodness, I sound like a seventh grader), March could have been better, but it is what it is.
APRIL: “Creation V. Creator: Analysis” “Kate Lasky”
APRIL: “Creation V. Creator: Analysis” “Kate Lasky”
Don’t blame me: Dead Poets Society had me in a chokehold. Of course, I had to write an analysis article. “Creation V. Creator: Analysis” was inspired by Frankenstein, the book that has kept me in its grasp for at least three months. In this great analysis, Greek Mythology, Abrahamic religion, Chimpanzees, and Frankenstein were discussed. Seriously, I read the Bible for a high school newspaper. This is my favorite article I have written. I have found that a lot of fun can be obtained from hyper-analyzing everything. I was in an ego rush after this article. I could obtain any feat! Why not interview the library director? I am Riley; I can do everything! The “Kate Lasky” article was the most terrifying thing I have ever done. Kate Lasky, the director of Josephine Community Library, is a role model for me. Interviewing her was, according to The Thesaurus, “alarming, awful, ghastly, grim, hideous, horrible, horrid, scary." I stared at my computer for hours, willing it to write the article for me-- which could have been an option. AI has been severely advanced. I got through it, though. Hopefully, I portrayed Lasky in a decent light.
Humorous image of Jesusbuilditup
This was supposed to be a photo of Jesus's body with a chimpanzee's head...Lillie said it was disrespectful to religions
This was supposed to be a photo of Jesus's body with a chimpanzee's head...Lillie said it was disrespectful to religions
MAY: “Yosegaki Hinomaru” Beginning of Debatable Topics: “Should People Be Allowed To Conceal Guns In Public Without a Permit?”
MAY: “Yosegaki Hinomaru” Beginning of Debatable Topics: “Should People Be Allowed To Conceal Guns In Public Without a Permit?”
I now own a column, folks! On a serious note, hearing the other side of a story is crucial to making a complete opinion on it. Without that experience, one's opinion has no substance. According to Mt. Hood Community College, “Argument teaches us how to evaluate conflicting claims and judge evidence and methods of investigation.” Debatable Topics not only wants readers to understand the entirety of an argument but to also develop critical thinking skills surrounding that topic. I am eager to see how many arguments I spark from this column. When asked about their beliefs, most people automatically go defensive. I am unsure why this is, but it made finding quotes a challenge. Additionally, this column covered gun safety. When Googling a ton of information about gun laws on your school-issued Chromebook, the district gets a little concerned. I guess that could be said about any article I have written, though. From the stalking of random old men to seeing how easy it is to get a gun in Oregon, I am fairly certain I have been put on the district watch list. During this time, I went to the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon. They have a collection of Yosegaki Hinomaru, or Japanese good-luck flags, given to them by the Obon Society. I do not feel comfortable cracking jokes about dead kids from war, so just read the article instead.
My experience with The Scroll included: nine articles, several interviews, and only two stalking attempts. I would say that is a success. On a serious note, writing for The Scroll has not only developed my confidence, but it has also given me a lot of opportunities to grow as a student. My grammar has never been better (though I could make several arguments for why grammar is a fallacy), and I can write precise thesis statements. I have had a fun time with The Scroll and I am not planning on taking leave any time soon.
Sources:
Sources:
The Scroll
Scrollians
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