TMS paper makes switch to digital

For the past few years, students at Thermopolis Middle School have been kept up with the happenings at their building through the TMS Gazette.

Hayden Mayne explained the origins of the publication, which began when he was in fifth grade with copies he drew up and wrote. “Mainly because I was bored,” he said, “I just wanted to have something to do on my own time.” In sixth and seventh grade, he started making print copies online, using his cell phone for pictures.

It originally began as the Teachers Chronicle, strictly done for Mayne’s homeroom teacher, then later became the TMS News until he settled on it’s current name.

This year, the paper has gone completely online via social media. Mayne said the change gives him a bit more free will, as he’s able to record and post videos of what’s happening at the school. While he can’t make it to every event, he does what he can to include as many school and school-sponsored events as he can.

One of the disadvantages of going online-only, he noted, is that not everyone can access it unless they have a smart phone or computer, whereas the paper copy was always posted at the entrance.

Though there is no paper copy of the school paper this year, assessment coordinator, Anne Ivie, is helping students learn about putting together print publications through the school’s year book program. This year, staff members for the book include Matt Music and Hazen Thurgood, who worked on the yearbook three years ago, and newcomers David Armstrong, Carson Medvigy and Draven Willard.

As part of the initial process, the staff go out and do polls of the classes and take pictures of sports, events and extracurricular activities. Ivie noted they also develop their skills in communicating with students, staff and the community. With the small staff, it can be difficult to get to every event and game, so those interpersonal skills are important to make sure they have pictures and information about as much as they can.

While it’s been an overall positive experience, there’s been some difficulty on the technological side. Music explained they utilize a website to design a layout, which is then sent to the publisher for manufacturing. He noted some of the pages have wound up switched around, and edits made on a single page affect several others, forcing them to repeat steps.

In order to have enough time to get the copies together, the students have to have their final edits submitted by April 27.

As to why they chose to work on the yearbook, Music and Thurgood had previous experience and really enjoyed it. Armstrong said he’s always loved photography, and thought this would be a good opportunity to combine that passion with the school. Medvigy also enjoys photography, as well as helping out with school projects, and for Willard he simply wanted to give it a try. Most of the group has considered doing it in future years at the middle school, and possibly into high school.

Ivie hopes the students will get some skills they can transfer later in life, such as the process of putting something together, editing and going over it to have a nice, polished product they can sell for profit and be proud of.