Commitment to diversity.

At the Prospector, we express a commitment to diversity starting with our mission statement and extending to all aspects of our publication. We as a publication strive to include everyone in our coverage, this not only helps us accurately represent that school year but to also make sure are storytelling is reflective of our student body.

Diversity

IN

CONTENT

When choosing coverage, it is very important to me to cover a wide range of people. As editor in chief one of my main jobs is overseeing content, in which I strive to make sure every student is represented in our coverage. Whether its pitching more inclusive writing or assisting other staffs on how they can be more inclusive within their content, the Prospector is a publication were there is high importance on coverage about our community for our community.

Be it while pitching, editing, or writing stories, we as a publication and I individually, strive to not repeat stories and instead look for unique angles, search for unique sources and make The Prospector a forum that covers all aspects of our community. Diversity of thought, experience and background is integral not just to the success of journalism, but to bridging the gap between those who are underrepresented.

COVERAGE ABOUT RACE

This is a collection of my work but also the work of others on my staff to demonstrate how even when we are not the writers, we as a staff still strive to encourage inclusive stories.

ESPERA ME LO DICE OTRA VEZ

Reporting by Rosy Barraza

Arizona has a thriving community of Latino Americans and the Latino population at my school is very large which is why I felt it was essential to cover the a variety of students experiences learning in English and the struggles they face when communicating as their primary language is English. This story provided a glance into how different students at the same school can have vastly different educational experiences. 

FINDING HIS ROOTS

Reporting by Addy Alvarez

America is a great combination of many cultures and the students in my community are a reflection of the diversity of our country. When one of my staff writers came to me with Vai Teumohenga’s story, it represented the experience of many cultural diverse students as he communicated the pride he has in being Tongan and the discontentment he has when other students presume him to be of another race. In my publication Oro we strove to tell stories like Teumohenga’s which highlight the culturally diverse town we live in.

COVERAGE ABOUT GENDER, EQUALITY, EXPRESSION 

This is a collection of my work but also the work of others on my staff to demonstrate how even when we are not the writers we as a staff still strive to encouarge inclusive stories.

WHEN AM I ENOUGH

Reporting by Tiffany Hutcheson

After the United States Census Bureau reported in 2020 that 10.2% of the population (33.8 million people) are of mixed race, I had a deep conversation with my best friend of 12 years and she opened up to me about the racism she faces due to being biracial. This shocked me as we had been friends for so long and I had just learned about the struggles she had faced as young as 5 years old. This article intended to push awareness about the prejudices many biracial students face.

LIFE IN PLASTIC IS FANTASTIC

Reporting by Tiffany Hutcheson

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie broke so many records and opened the door for conversations about the struggles and inequalities many women face. These conversations were especially apparent around campus as many of my classmates were discussing how they related to the movie. Writing this piece felt necessary to capture this rare moment in time when not only were women openly discussing the prejudices they face, but others were listening, especially men were listening and sympathizing to our struggles.

OVER LOOKED

Reporting by Mandee Wilson

Trade schools are largely promoted in my community, but these opportunities are rarely advertised towards women. Trades like welding are largely popular classes in my school yet only 1% of the students attending are female. After Mandee came to me with Joanna Campos and Alexis Warden’s stories, as an editor I felt this was a topic that needed to be dissected because with all of Americas progression with gender equality, why are we discriminating based on sex?

RISKS OF FASHION

Reporting by Madison Mullender

Self-expression is crucial as it reflects the diversity of human experiences and perspectives. I encouraged my staff to explore individuals' expressions because as journalists we can provide a more comprehensive understanding of societal issues, cultural dynamics, and individual identities. Additionally, covering self-expression promotes inclusivity, encourages dialogue, and fosters empathy among readers, ultimately enriching public discourse and promoting a more informed and tolerant society.

Diverse

SOURCING

Each time an individual is interviewed for a story or social media post, their personal details such as name, gender, age, and community role are recorded in a spreadsheet. If a source is interviewed multiple times, their name is highlighted: yellow for two interviews and red for three interviews. Those highlighted in red are placed on a blacklist, indicating they should only be interviewed again if absolutely necessary for the story.

As a leader, I advocate for interviewing every person on campus. Utilizing a centralized tracking system like this ensures that each time a writer seeks a source, they actively pursue individuals who haven't been interviewed previously.

RECRUITMENT

It's crucial to recruit reporters from all corners of the school. A diverse newsroom leads to a stronger publication. Having a variety of perspectives, identities, backgrounds, and opinions enriches our content. That's why I've prioritized recruiting new members from both the incoming freshman class and existing high school students who are interested.

Early in my tenure as EIC, I organized weekly meetings at my past attended junior high to not only mentor the students but to encourage them to join The Prospector as freshmen.

I am proud to say my staff is a diverse representation of our student body as we encourage anyone from any walk of life to join and require no prior journalism education or sign up sheet, just simply a positive outlook and a desire to share others stories.