Parkdale’s Paw Print was established in 2017 by Parkdale Honors & PDP English/Newspaper teacher Britini Guevara. One of the rules when on the newspaper staff is that staff members cannot be interviewed. Because of this, we tend to forget the people writing the articles when reading them. Learn more about the team behind Parkdale’s Paw Print below:

Why did you join the newspaper staff?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: I joined the Paw Print as a sophomore because Ms.G recommended that I did but I also joined because I wanted to improve my writing skills and really help spread the news to my school.

Francis King Ching, Reporter: Because of Ms. G. That’s actually why I joined! I liked her so much as a teacher I had to have her another year and I was also interested in journalism.

Aissata Kallo, Chief Copy Editor: I joined because I had Ms. G for freshman year English and I failed her class. English is my favorite subject and I wanted to redeem myself.

Julissa Blanco, Reporter: I was recommended by my boyfriend because he was in the Paw Print when he was in Parkdale. Also in ninth grade, I liked to write a lot. So one of my teachers caught me writing, they read my work and they also recommended that I join the paw print. They said I would be a good asset to the team. 

Natalya Armenta, Section Editor: My brother Nicholas told me about it. He was like, You should join the class. It’s really cool and you can basically write about what you want. So I was like, Okay. And then I looked into it and then I just joined. 

What was your favorite article you wrote? What was it about?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: My favorite article that I wrote was “Parkdales’ JROTC Raiders: A team you may want to join next year” and it was about the competitive JROTC team and what they do.

Francis King Ching, Reporter: I think I’d be my summer article from last year. I wrote an article about loving your body– I was proud of that one.

Aissata Kallo, Chief Copy Editor: I don’t think I have a favorite article. Maybe the article I most proud of… I don’t know, I like all my articles. I reread my articles every single day.

Julissa Blanco, Reporter: Okay. Um, I got to think because it was one of the first ones, actually, I think. It was the nostalgia one. So I wrote an article about some mobile phone games from the 2000s and the 2010s that us as seniors and pretty much everyone in the school right now used to play. Games like Minecraft pocket edition, games like Roblox, games mostly was about Fruit Ninja and Temple run… Games like that. I had a lot of fun with it because it was a trip down memory lane, if you will, reminiscing on all of those old games that I used to play and how much harder it is to find those games now, and how unfortunately some of them you have to pay for now if you want to play them. Yeah, it kind of saddens me, but it’s bittersweet. It’s bittersweet. Pretty much. I loved writing the article and doing the research for it.

Natalya Armenta, Section Editor: In between my climate article and my inflation article.  

Why do you think journalism is important in schools?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: Journalism is SO IMPORTANT in schools, students are the bigger part of the population in schools so they should inform their peers and have a space to talk about their ideas and opinions. 

Francis King Ching, Reporter: I use journalism from other people as research. Having local journalism helps with research in school.

Julissa Blanco, Reporter: I think people take for granted how important English actually is. It’s not all about just you need to sound good for a resume or you need to sound good to impress someone. It’s more the more intelligence that you have and the wider your vocabulary, the more people you can actually communicate with. And in some cases, it’s actually with a broader vocabulary. It’s easier to express yourself, which comes with journalism. A lot of the time. You’ll either do an article about something you’re very passionate about or you’ll do an opinion article or a review article, which means your emotions and your feelings and what you were thinking about during the time. So in that sense, journalism can help with that. 

Natalya Armenta, Section Editor: I think it’s important because it teaches students young to express themselves and try to make other people aware of what’s going on, whether it’s entertainment or it’s political or whatever. And I feel like it gives students an outlet for them to discover who they are as a person and develop writing skills in the process of doing them. 

What is the most difficult part about being on the newspaper staff?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: The hardest part of journalism this year is that I can’t take the class because there is no Journalism 3 courses at Parkdale so I have to write on my own time which is really hard as an IB student. 

Francis King Ching, Reporter: Keeping up with the time because a lot of time you get so caught up in your school work that you don’t realize that you have the obligation to do these articles and it can become very tough sometimes. 

Aissata Kallo, Chief Copy Editor: Um… Just being diligent with having your articles ready on time. I feel like that could be difficult for some people– not me though.

Julissa Blanco, Reporter: I think it’s making sure to get everything on time. If it’s an article that you’re genuinely like, I really wanted to do this, I’ve been looking forward to it, then it’s going to be really easy. But if it’s an article that I need to get done because I need it for the due date, I’m not super interested, but I know it’s important to talk about. It’ll be kind of hard, especially with having a bunch of other classes and having their homework to do. So it’s good that Mrs. T gives us a lot of time too. But sometimes it’s just not enough. It’s not her fault.

Natalya Armenta, Section Editor: Nothing. I feel like it’s easy. I honestly feel like it’s easy because they give us a generous amount of time and it’s just easy. Oh, you know what? The hardest thing is picking something out, like narrowing it down to what you’re going to write about at that moment. Because, yeah, you can like, do multiple articles or you can think that you want to do multiple articles, but in reality, you have a lot going on. You have other schools and other work to do and it’s just like, you can’t do it. So you got to narrow it down to one. 

What animal do you resonate with the most? Why?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: I resonate with koalas most. They are quiet and calm but also very smart animals. If I were an animal I’d be a koala.

Francis King Ching, Reporter: Otter! Because Otter… They like rocks, I like rocks.

Aissata Kallo, Chief Copy Editor: Maybe a cat. Sometimes they’re nice and fluffy and sometimes they are to themself. You either get a cat that’s all “wants to be pet” and wants to be near you or a cat that just wants to be by itself. I feel like I’m both of those cats.

Julissa Blanco, Reporter: Oh, gosh. I’ve asked this a lot. Um, it changes every time. This time I’m going to say a wolf. And I think because I can lead very well if given the chance. I like to think that I’m the leader that some people would like to come to for advice or help or anything of that sort. And I believe I can lead a team beyond expectations if you will. I can both work with a group or a pack or I can work alone. Either way, whatever I make or do or come out with pride because I know I’ll make it to the best of my ability. 

If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: I would love to vacation in South Korea because growing up during my tween years I was a huge KPop lover, and going to South Korea was always a dream of mine.

Francis King Ching, Reporter: Japan or Korea because it is really pretty there. 

Aissata Kallo, Chief Copy Editor: I don’t like traveling because I’m scared of airplanes. Japan! No Meca! Because I think it’s really really beautiful in Mecca. I love the language, love the culture, and love the food.

Julissa Blanco, Reporter:  I thought about this a lot. It’s changed. As a kid: Hawaii. Now I want to go to the Bahamas or Cancun. I love, obviously, in the pictures because it’s pictured. I love how it looks in the pictures. However, my mom actually went to Cancun not too long ago and she told me all about her trip. And she met really nice people and she had a great experience down there. The food was interesting and new and she loved it. And she said if she could go back, she would. I would like to experience that as well.  

Natalya Armenta, Section Editor: I’ll go to Turkey. Because it’s so beautiful over there. Like the beaches are really nice. The hot air balloon thing that they have going on, the Hagia Sophia that they have. And it’s so pretty and it’s just like a lot of architectural stuff I think. 

What are two things on your bucket list?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: Two things on my bucket list include having a real sleepover (Hispanic girls iykyk) and to travel first class at least once before I turn 35.

Francis King Ching, Reporter: Two things on my bucket list [would be] going to a flower meadow because I’ve always wanted to do that. That’s all tho. 

Aissata Kallo, Chief Copy Editor: Move out and run away from my family, and become a successful author. 

Natalya Armenta, Section Editor:  My bucket list. Mm. I want to travel to 20 different countries, and I want to make at least 2 million by the age of 30.

If you could live in one season for the entire year, what season would it be?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: Fall is the best season, I want it all year!!

Francis King Ching, Reporter: Fall! It’s the perfect amount of cold and warm and I love the aesthetic of fall– I love it! I love everything about Fall

Aissata Kallo, Chief Copy Editor: Spring!! Spring is the best season to live in. My birthday is in spring and I don’t have allergies 

Julissa Blanco, Reporter: So, personally, I love winter. Love winter. I love the snow. I love staying in and having a blanket. I love sitting by the chimney fires, hearing the crackle of the wood, drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows, all cozy and warm. I love that. Yeah, I think I would go with. 

Natalya Armenta, Section Editor: Summer. I love Summer. No, wait. Mm. Summer. I can dress however I want. Pretty much. But in winter I can dress like a little boy and I feel comfortable. Nobody can say anything to me.

What are your pet peeves?

Luz Gaytan, Editor-in-Chief: My pet peeves are seeing people chew with their mouths open and then when people ask questions that were already answered.

Francis King Ching, Reporter: One of my biggest pet peeves is when I go to the movie theaters and I sit next to someone who’s like absurdly loud with their reactions. Like, I don’t mind a little laugh but they’re just… you know?

Aissata Kallo, Chief Copy Editor: My pet peeves are people who are cringe…

Julissa Blanco, Reporter: When people smack, when they’re eating or chewing. I hate that sound. I try so hard to be nice and push through. But some people just like that and have bad breath. And I catch myself doing it sometimes too. So I always have someone come around me or I always make sure to brush floss. All of that good stuff. Like, I don’t want to talk to you, but if you got bad breath and you don’t smell it. Hmm. I think that says more about you than it does me.  

Natalya Armenta, Section Editor: When I’m walking in the hallway and you’re really slow and there’s nobody in front of you, and you’re just blocking everybody, and I push you and I get in a lot of trouble for that. And that’s one of my pet peeves. Also, when you’re having a conversation with somebody and it’s kind of meaningful, even if it isn’t and the other person ends up just ignoring you have the time and start an entire conversation with somebody else when you’re talking to them and then they act like it never happened. Those are my two biggest pet peeves.