Gervais High School’s journalism and yearbook students returned from Media Day at the University of Oregon with more than awards. They came home with renewed confidence, a stronger sense of community, and a shared vision for expanding their storytelling presence across the district.
Now in its third year, GHS’s journalism program has quickly become a vibrant hub for student creativity and leadership. At Media Day, students joined peers from across Oregon to explore workshops in reporting, photography, design, and digital media. The event also affirmed something teachers Kate LaFollette and Sarah Orschel see every day: Gervais students are doing remarkable work.
Their achievements spoke for themselves.
Akulina Martushev earned Honorable Mention in News Writing.
Zack Wells earned Honorable Mention in Event Photography.
Daniel Hernandez earned an Excellence Award in Event Photography.
The Inkling - the school newspaper, won 2nd place in the small school category.
For Akulina, journalism has changed how she sees the world. “To me, journalism is learning how to pay better attention,” she said. “I notice things I didn’t before. It’s taught me how to write without overthinking and how to stay curious, even when I don’t want to. Those skills show up everywhere.”
Yearbook Photo Editor Daniel Hernandez sees similar growth in his work. “Yearbook is more than just an elective,” he said. “It’s about telling the story of staff, teachers, students, and the community in a meaningful way. The skills I’ve gained help me manage my time, communicate clearly, and express subjects in an artistic way.”
For Zack Wells, what began as a “filler elective” quickly became a passion. “I wanted foods class at first,” he admitted. “But I have zero regrets. My writing has improved so much. I feel confident sitting down and writing about anything now. I think I’ll take Journalism all throughout high school.”
Teachers LaFollette and Orschel say these outcomes are exactly why these programs matter at a small rural school like Gervais High. Students aren’t just learning how to report and design; they are learning how to lead, collaborate, and contribute to something bigger than themselves.
“These programs give students an opportunity to share their voices and connect to each other, the community, and the world,” said LaFollette. “They build real-world skills like interviewing, writing for different audiences, editing, fact-checking, photography, and design. Most importantly, they add to school spirit by creating pride and unity. Our reporters document student experiences that might otherwise go unnoticed, and they help build a sense of belonging.”
Orschel echoed that sentiment, especially after watching her students rise to the challenges of the day. Technical difficulties during the keynote presentation pushed students to improvise, observe, and photograph the story happening in real time.
“They adapted quickly,” she said. “Media Day strengthened their confidence and gave them a clearer vision of where their skills can take them. Seeing Daniel and Zack recognized was incredibly validating for all of us.”
Both programs are now looking ahead. Inspired by what they saw at UO, journalism and yearbook students plan to build a joint website where they can publish timely news, photojournals, and student surveys. The goal is to elevate student voices even further and create a stronger, more visible media presence for GHS.