YH-R Welcomes 10th Unleashed Team

By SARAH JENKINS
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Here’s today’s reflection on how fast time can pass by: When the original Unleashed team was gathering to create the first weekly section “by and for teens in the Yakima Valley,” many of the kids who would make up the 2008-09 Unleashed team were getting ready to start kindergarten.

Time does indeed fly …

This year’s group of 31 teenagers from throughout the Yakima Valley is the 10th Unleashed team. And their responsibility in the coming 52 weeks will be to report, write, photograph and illustrate the same quality of journalism as their predecessors.

Since the 2007-08 team captured a big national honor this spring — first place for “program excellence” among all youth sections published by newspapers with circulation up to 60,000 — that’s quite a responsibility.

Of course, the chore will be made somewhat easier by the return of 18 “veterans” to the Unleashed crew, as well as the continuing work of student editor Alyssa Patrick, an Eisenhower High School senior who is in her second year helping to lead the team.

And reporter Adriana Janovich is continuing as the staff coordinator for Unleashed, a role she has enthusiastically tackled for the past five years.

The photographers on this year’s team will have Sara Gettys as their mentor.

Each year, we assign a Yakima Herald-Republic staff photographer to help coordinate the teens’ work, and to mentor them in the process. This year, it’s Sara’s first shot at that responsibility.

But she won’t be the only neophyte.

There will also be 13 teens who are new to the team, and together they will all be intent on making this 10th year of Unleashed something special.

The veterans will help the newcomers understand that Unleashed is not a school project; we expect team members to view it as a job, as professional journalists facing deadlines, standards and editing.

As the program excellence award shows, they embrace that responsibility. It’s a fun thing to watch.

This year’s 31 team members represent 10 high schools stretching from Wahluke to Bickleton.

They are listed below by their class level, with an asterisk (*) noting those who are veterans returning to the team:

BICKLETON HIGH SCHOOL
Jessica Cummings*, junior, reporter.

DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL
Hannah Besso, freshman, reporter; Alex Braman, freshman, photographer; Colleen Fontana*, junior, reporter; Georgia Gempler, freshman, reporter; James Hibbs, sophomore, photographer; Samantha Knittle*, senior, artist; Catherine Maier, freshman, photographer; Hannah Naughton*, junior, reporter; Sean Nagle-McNaughton, freshman, reporter; and Mia Walsh*, junior, reporter.

EAGLE HIGH SCHOOL
Sharon Reyna, graduated this spring, reporter.

EISENHOWER HIGH SCHOOL
David Brinkman, senior, Webmaster; Lety Clark-Olivero*, junior, reporter; Kacie Cross*, sophomore, reporter; Kami Cross*, senior, reporter; Janessa Mains*, junior, photographer; Jasmine Okbinoglu*, junior, reporter; and Molly Scofield*, senior, reporter.

LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL
Andy Carroll*, senior, reporter; Jessica Serrano*, junior, reporter; Kateri Town*, junior, photographer; and Libby Young, sophomore, reporter.

NACHES VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Lisa Garrigues, freshman, reporter.

RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Loren Button, senior, reporter; and Hannah Kivi, freshman, reporter.

WAHLUKE HIGH SCHOOL
Veronica Quintero*, senior, reporter.

WAPATO HIGH SCHOOL
Samantha Wofford-Hall, junior, reporter.

WEST VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Ashley George*, senior, reporter; Evalyn Suarez*, junior, reporter; and Ariel Villaseñor*, junior, reporter.

* Sarah Jenkins is editor of the Yakima Herald-Republic. If you have a question or concern, you can reach her at 577-7703; P.O. Box 9668, Yakima WA 98909; or sjenkins@yakimaherald.com.