If you’re reading this, you’re making HISTORY!

This year marks the beginning of the CTK’s very own newspaper, The Shield. The idea actually began at this year’s first Yearbook/Photography meeting the Tuesday after Gladiatorpalooza.  As returning staffers and interested new students met and began to discuss what this year’s yearbook could cover, Sophomore Jayla Anderson-Westbrook suggested that we start a school newspaper.  The two – yearbook and newspaper – seemed to support and feed each other, so the extension into newspaper felt natural.  Everyone in the meeting was excited, and we took the next steps to get the ball rolling.

CTK’s admin was immediately on board with the idea once the club proposal was submitted, and our seed funding to subscribe to a web-based publication, securing our domain name, was approved within a week!  From there, after several drafts and brainstorming sessions, the newspaper had a name and a logo! We felt that the image of a Gladiator, holding a shield, was central to our identity.  Then we focused just on the shield, and what it meant:  protection, coverage, and critical to the Gladiator’s survival.

Next, the new team of student-journalists had to brainstorm what articles we wanted to see in our first issue.  This was a really fun meeting – where we were all tossing around ideas and signing up to write something.  We filled the wall with about 24 articles, and everyone knew the deadline to make our October 8th planned publication date.

Writing articles, however, is a lot harder than it looks.  From interviewing, getting photos, and making time to write the articles out, the new staff had its work cut out for itself.  Articles slowly started coming in, and journalists were born. Editors, too, were made…whether they were ready or not!

Armed with chromebooks, a scribbled-on whiteboard, and some after-school pizza – the editorial team began sifting through the submitted articles, placing and verifying each article you now enjoy in our first issue!

Stay tuned, and keep checking in!  As we learn how to put a newspaper together, this site will only grow and grow – eventually filled to the brim with amazing articles that tell the CTK story.  It is a responsibility we take very seriously, and are honored to be a part of!

Your Shield Editorial Team:

Jaylen Jones

Je’Nae Phillips

Airinay Rodriguez

Jayla Westbook-Anderson

Mrs. Loy – Faculty Adviser