This certainly isn't a new or unique idea, but it's one that motivates our staff.  We want to highlight the excellence of our staff, and we try to do that in small ways, even if they're not small to the people who receive them.

I'm never sure of the right way to give back to my staff.  For the first time, I wasn't going to be there on our finals day.  At the end of each quarter, I go around to teach staff member and just ask them how they're doing, and remind them how proud I am of their work and just grateful they're on staff.  For every single person who was leaving staff at semester's break, I wanted to let them know we'd miss them, and for everyone returning, one area I was so proud of them to grow in.  

As a way to try to keep constant communication with my editors, I write them a handwritten note each week about my thoughts and what I see from my perspective.  It allows us to stay on the same page and keep in constant communication about any issues or problems that arise among staff members, and it just reminds my editors how much they do and how much I appreciate them.

Being in a new city brings us all closer together.  Whether it's the people in the yearbook, in the newspaper, or on staff for GVTV, I love being able to connect with people outside of the publication room.  I didn't make the vlog above, but it's a glimpse into the bond we've created because of the JEA/NSPA National Conventions.  J-Day can't be overlooked either - it's where I fell in love with journalism and one of the first times that I realized that my future could be in journalism. 

Introducing and making our staff members feel accustomed to our publication room means no surprises.  At the very beginning of each semester, once staff members choose which department they'll be in for the year, editors go over the overview of each step of our video-making process.  It clearly outlines what staff members are expected to be doing, as well as how the editors can keep the story moving forward and keep everyone in the loop.

Last semester our program had trouble with staff members not checking out their equipment.  This semester I wanted to change that.  Taking photos of all our staff members on small Polaroids was really well received by teenagers looking for an "aesthetic" look to include to the wall of our pub room - and it allows me to see who has what equipment checked out.

At the beginning of every year, as an editing staff, we lay out what our roles are to ensure that every member of our editors board, and every staff member knows who they can go to and what their roles are.  It allows newly appointed members of the editorial board to make their position and experience one that they want, and it gives returning members a chance to reflect on years and semesters past to amend their role to be more applicable and as a way to show growth.

Going to and being at all events is vital to journalism.  Compiling all the events into one document where staff members can clearly see the time, date, location, and event was important to ensure we had coverage of as many events as our staff could get to.  This document was also created for the yearbook and newspaper to use.

Having a calendar for everyone to be able to look at keeps everyone on the same page.  In this document, we keep track of when deadlines are, what events have coverage each day, and when each staff member's designated Instagram Reporting Day (also see Social Media) is.  It allows editors to also plan production and our upload schedule for the month, keeping everyone constantly in the loop.

Knowing where our stories were was vital to ensure that every staff member was able to hit their deadlines.  It keeps me, as Editor-in-Chief, in the loop on every story when I can't sit down one-on-one with staff members or editors every class period, while also keeping department editors on top of their department, knowing where they are in the process.

My very first grade in Broadcast Journalism was peer reviewed.  Our adviser, Mr. Roberts, rarely looks at videos before they are published (in the spirit of student-run journalism!), which means our editing staff has to look over each and every story before it's published.  I give feedback on every video before it's published, whether that means staff has to go back and make a quick edit, or if I'm giving it the green light.  I make quick notes, as seen above, about ways staff can improve, or just things that I liked.  Department editors handle the grades that get put into the gradebook, however, I look at every piece to ensure it's up to a GVTV All-Colorado standard.  

I've been to J-Day all four years.  That's where I fell in love with journalism.  As part of the Colorado Student Media Association Inaugural Student Board, this year I had the opportunity to speak at J-Day and lead a class of hundreds in what it's like to be an editor.  As a board, we wanted to give tips for aspiring editors and editors who want to continue to build their editing and leadership skills, by giving this presentation and answering questions.

Going to and being at all events is vital to journalism.  Compiling all the events into one document where staff members can clearly see the time, date, location, and event was important to ensure we had coverage of as many events as our staff could get to.  This document was also created for the yearbook and newspaper to use.  Check out some of the things that are in our slideshow below!

Last semester, we noticed that a lot of our stories started with a great question.  "What do students think about __________?"  But far too many stopped there.  We amended that way so that we introduce generating topic ideas.  As an editorial board, we wanted to emphasize the power of why, not just asking why a person did this or that, but why they wanted to tell that story in the first place.  

 During my junior year, I wanted to increase our social media output.  Part of that was a new assignment - Instagram Reporting Days (also see Social Media).  Ensuring that we could write good captions, and take good photos, especially in a class that isn't geared towards photojournalism (also see Photojournalism), was rough at first.  Part of this activity was giving our staff some photos and having them grade each given photo on how it shows action, reaction, how close staff gets to the action, and if the photo is candid.  Then with those photos, they would have to practice the "DCQ," format (describe, context, quote) and build a story as a grade.  Implementing this assignment has been a great way to capture the "small" moments that happen in our community and all around our school, especially areas that are overlooked and turn them into stories.

The results of this assignment over the past couple of years have been really fun to watch.  This assignment has been a great way to capture the "small" moments that happening in our community and make them into stories.