By Roosevelt W., Payton D., Kolby C., and Evan J.
The Cornhusker Boys’ State newspaper staff has been hard at work this week, writing stories, documenting the session, and having fun. Page designers, copy editors, and journalists alike are leaning in to contribute to the esteemed institution that is the Cornhusker Boys’ State Bulletin.
The week began in chaos as staters scrambled to organize themselves. Discussion rang through the newsroom as the team distilled the brief, but full, time they spent at Boys’ State into articles covering topics from elections to hot dogs. “At times, I really wasn’t sure what was happening,” stated stater Luqas Bjorkland, “but the energy was high and the articles turned out alright.”
Building on this momentum, the newspaper found its rhythm on the second day of Boys’ State. The Bulletin selected Kaiden Williams, Preston Russman, Scott von Schehila, and Zach Brown as Copy Editors; Will Ricker, Nathan Stone, and Tristan Berg as Page Designers; and Prajwal Mohan as Editor-in-Chief.
These young men, along with the journalists listed at the end of this volume, found themselves with a rare opportunity. They had control over a store of information that remains beyond the lifespan of Boys’ State. This was no small responsibility, and the Bulletin staff did not take it lightly.
Investigative reports on the basement of Harper Hall, interviews with longtime American Legion and Cornhusker Boys’ State staff members, and discussion on the many wonderful sessions that constitute the program filled the various volumes of the Bulletin, creating a time capsule of sorts. Staters owned the production process of this media end-to-end: brainstorming ideas, writing drafts, editing copy, and presenting information in a digestible way.
Not only did the staff carry on the longstanding tradition of the Bulletin, they innovated in ways hitherto unseen among these historic pages. The additions of a weather report, games section, and comic strips gave the paper a new dimension and personality. “It was great to see the staters make the Bulletin their own this week,” said Multimedia Assistant Payton Dellevoet.
The Cornhusker Boys’ State multimedia staff would like to thank the members of the Bulletin for their hard work and commitment to covering this session. Although this group only met for several brief sessions, most with an air of frantic energy to complete stories in time, we hope you learned a lesson or two that you can take back to your town, community, and beyond.
