The Cupertino Courier
Education
Photograph by Austin Chen
Story Ideas: Brainstorming for upcoming issues are Monta Vista 'el estoque' staff members (clockwise from left) co-editors in chief Jordan Kolb and Steffi Lua, reporter Chris Moe and Perspectives editor Audrey Feldman.
Monta Vista teacher rejects, then rediscovers journalism
By ERIN HUSSEY
With only 11/2 years of teaching experience, Monta Vista High School journalism teacher Michelle Balmeo is already making an impact.
"She is energetic, creative, positive and a real believer in the power and ability of students," Monta Vista Principal April Scott said. "She has encouraged her staff to not shy away from the hard topics and the difficult articles."
Balmeo, who studied journalism at Syracuse University for a year before deciding she wanted to become a teacher, received her teaching credential from UC-Santa Cruz,
"I was looking for a journalism teaching position," Balmeo said. Her arrival at Monta Vista couldn't have been better timed.
"She came in during a bit of chaos," 2006 Monta Vista graduate Edward Young said. After rotating through a variety of teachers, the journalism program was in desperate need of a knowledgeable, organized teacher to take the reins. "I think the pieces were always there, but we needed someone to assemble them into something that worked. Ms. Balmeo created a real system for things to work."
Balmeo's teaching style, which combines strict structure and youthful energy, seems to have done the trick.
"She's the teacher, but at the same time she's the kid," co-editor-in chief Jordan Kolb said. According to Steffi Lau, Kolb's co-editor, it is not uncommon to see Balmeo singing and dancing with students during the late night hours of production night.
"She's fun in that way, but she also keeps us grounded," Lau said.
This energetic, yet structured teaching approach has also helped the school's newspaper, the el estoque, receive high national marks; it was recently recognized as a Pacemaker Finalist by The Newspaper Association of America Foundation. The Pacemaker is one of the most sought-after awards in high school journalism.
"We were rather shocked," Balmeo said. "I don't think any of us expected it. Considering it was their first year entering with a totally revitalized paper, we were floored."
The newspaper also received a finalist nod from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
This year, the newspaper has covered a variety of school issues ranging from the usual dances and sports to the more controversial issues such as the resignation of popular Monta Vista teacher Tim Krieger and the firing of district Superintendent Stephen Rowley.
"I think part of the process for them and for any student newspaper is eliminating that 'just' word--we are just a student newspaper, we are just kids," said Balmeo, referring to the popularity of the special edition el estoque on the heated issue. "But when you produce work like that, everyone says, 'well maybe they aren't just kids,' and they get taken a lot more seriously."
