SCVi Leader – June 2021

This year’s definitely been a rough one, but one good thing that’s come out of it is the continuation of our SCVi Leader, SCVi’s first-ever newspaper! We couldn’t have done it, of course, without support from learners and staff! While at the Leader our reporting is unbiased, let’s take a look at some of the staff’s personal thoughts on their experience here!

Dia Cameron (writer):

“This year with the paper has been great. I had never really liked writing factual articles before, but this gave me the freedom to write about what I wanted and mix my writing style with that of a normal paper. Also the team was super understanding and supportive!”

Sophia Darden (writer):

“I really liked it. It was really scary for me, especially since I’m new and the youngest, but everyone is so nice and accepting. It makes me really happy!”

Jolie Eyrolet (cartoonist):

“The students at the newspaper are like my family. They are the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Hugo Turner (Founder and Editor-in-Chief):

“Of all the years to create a newspaper in, 2020 would not have been my first choice. But the enthusiasm of the staff, and the expressivity and creativity with which ideas were presented and written about, really gave me the motivation to stick with it and get this show rolling. And I could not be happier with the outcome!”

Now, a word from our advisors!

Ramon Hamilton (Content Advisor):

“As we wrap up yet another school year, I want to congratulate the SCVi newspaper team for all of their hard work and dedication to providing informative news, unique stories and a splash of humor to the SCVi community. I’m very happy to have been able to work alongside such brilliant writers, editors and artists of all ages to see each issue come to life. I look forward to seeing all of the contributors continue to hone their crafts and share their talents with the SCVi community for years to come.

“As we all know, this school year was full of many unprecedented events and challenges and is truly a year that will not be forgotten. Nonetheless, I want to commend the entire SCVi community for demonstrating immense resiliency and for moving forward with another awesome school year, despite all of the challenges that we faced. 

“I personally was able to see immense innovation in creativity with my film and media classes, as they were not able to easily access our normal media production equipment. You can view some of their films below. I saw facilitators and learners alike find new ways to keep the learning process moving forward. New ideas and solutions for how we learn have been forged and should serve as a reminder that there is never a single mode of doing things. There is always room for improvement, change and innovation.

“I’m extremely proud of the SCVi community, which makes this end-of-the-year even harder than those of the past. Many of you know that this will be my last year as a facilitator with SCVi. This is a difficult thing to come to grips with, as I have been actively involved with the school community since its very first year of operations. I have seen what was a simple yet innovative concept for school/learning turn into what should be the template for schools all over the world. An institution where learning is constantly being redefined, and truly in the hands of the learners. I’ve seen my own children grow and become better versions of themselves by being immersed in this community. To say this is a special place to me is a huge understatement. However, due to logistics (I live in New Mexico now!), teaching in the classroom simply isn’t doable.

“Regardless of how the future shapes up, SCVi will always be a part of my family’s story. I will continue working with the iLEAD organization and contributing to the larger community. I look forward to my yearly visits to California so I can check in on my SCVi family. I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing the SCVi community continue to shine as a beacon of education and learning. You will all be missed.”

Final words!

Hugo Turner:

“First up, thanks so much to everyone who supported the paper and contributed to it, especially Mrs. Padovich, Mrs. Steele, and Mrs. Roffredo, as well as my facilitator advisors Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Johnson. Secondly, I want to wish SCVi facilitators leaving the school this year (Mr. Dub, Mr. Hamilton, Mrs. Blinn) a great experience wherever they go! Lastly, stay safe, have fun, and see you all next year!!”

Jolie Eyrolet:

“I love you all. Have a wonderful summer!”

Dia Cameron:

“I want to thank the team for an amazing year of writing together.”

Sophia Darden:

“It’s kinda weird being the, like, youngest person in the newspaper. But when everyone’s so kind to me, it makes me feel better. I’m just sad that it’s gonna be summer break and we have to say goodbye for now!”

The SCVi Leader is a learner-led, learner-run newspaper and is open to middle and high school learners! If you are interested in joining the 2021-2022 SCVi Leader team, contact Hugo Turner at scvinewspapereditor@scvi-k12.org.