EDITING

Part of the process of rebuilding a paper is making sure the writing is up to par. One of the most important things my editorial board and I did was rebrand with a print issue coming out the first week of school. To make this possible, we made each staff writer, new or returning, construct but a single article over the summer, with heavy edits from myself and my print managing editor. The first edits on these articles were the harshest we've done as a paper, but I believe later articles were made better for it.

Here are the first and final drafts of our cover article from that issue. Note that the purpose of this cover was to rally together freshman to feel more at home on campus. It was mostly a light opinion, so it was important to try to retain the voice but also ensure that the writer was presenting it in a sophisticated way.

GOT SPIRIT?

FIRST DRAFT

Staff Writer

The students at Cooper City High School speak a lot about “Cowboy Pride.” This is a very popular phrase, however some fail to realize how great of an effect these two words can have on one's school experience. School spirit, or Cowboy Pride, is the idea of taking pride in your school. It allows for a sense of belongingness and family throughout the student body and can even make a difference in one’s academic and social life.

Every student, at one point or another, has struggled with school. Sometimes the homework and tests can become stressful and the days can become tedious and never ending. However, there comes a point when one needs to realize that we’re all stuck here until the fateful day of graduation comes. I’ve come to the realization that, although complaining about school is fun, it’s much better to find something to love about it. This is what school spirit is all about, embracing what one can enjoy about school, whether it be an activity, friends, or a favorite class. School spirit is how one can begin to see Cooper City High not as a jail or somewhere one is forced to be, but as a home and a place one can be proud of. To put it simply, we all have to be here anyways, so we might as well be happy about it.

School spirit can also encourage students to be more involved. This can mean putting more effort into classes and signing up for more school activities. If one is proud of their school and happy to be apart of it, one might try to do more to thrive within it. Being more involved in school is something that can benefit students when it comes time to apply for college. A student who is hardworking and well rounded is what colleges look for and in many cases, students like these are the ones that display school spirit.

Another reason for school spirit is that it’s just fun. Imagine what football games would be like if they were lacking in cowboy pride? All the baby powder moments, the cheering, the face paint and the red lipstick come from the feeling of pride the student body has. Not to mention spirit week, a week of dressing up that so many students love and look forward to. Even events like homecoming are all about school spirit. Loving Cooper City High School is something everybody can stand behind, even if it is just for the football games and dances.

School spirit is the first thing other schools and future students see. It is the backbone of the reputation of our school and a huge reason why someone might want to be apart of our student body. It may begin in the stands of our football stadium but it can be transferred throughout the campus and activities, with an effect that reaches everybody.

Cowboy pride is something everyone can unite under. It gives people a commonality to stand behind. This can make one feel closer to their classmates, and promote healthy relationships and kindness between students. In the end, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a cheerleader, a football player, in the marching band, or a combination. All that matters is that we are one school and one student body, struggling up the stairs together and never letting go of our beloved cowboy pride.

GOT SPIRIT?

FINAL DRAFT

Staff Writer

It is no secret among staff and students that the term “Cowboy pride” has oftentimes been the brunt of jokes from disillusioned students; however, this sort of jocular prodding has no place in these halls. Having pride in our school can foster a sense of belonging among students, making Cooper City High School a home to its many inhabitants.

“Cowboy pride means being an involved member of the school,” Senior Hunter Harrington said. “It means taking pride in your work and extracurriculars.”

For many incoming freshmen, this may seem like a daunting task.

"I'm nervous about fitting in at a new school where I'm no longer at the top," Freshman Jenna Hack said. "Going from being a big fish in a little pond to a little fish in a big pond won't be an easy adjustment, especially considering how much is going to change.”

However, with events like the CCHS rush week, where different clubs highlight their accomplishments and try to gain new members, becoming involved is easy.

Even without officially joining a club, there are still many ways to exhibit Cowboy pride. School spirit makes high school experiences more fun. The pride that spectators at our football games feel is what brings about a sense of unity in the crowd. Pep rallies, spirit weeks, and other yearbook-worthy moments can only be achieved when Cowboy pride is rushing throughout the student body.

Every student, at one point or another, has struggled with school. Sometimes the homework and tests can become stressful or the days can become tedious and never-ending. School becomes much more rewarding when students find something they love about it. This is what school spirit is all about - embracing what we can enjoy about school. Whether it be an activity, friend, or a favorite class, school spirit is how we can begin to see Cooper City High not as somewhere we have to be, but as a home and a place we can be proud of.

“I want to become more involved in the CCHS community because this school has, and will continue to, leave a very large impact on my life,” Junior Amanda Wilson said. “Since moving here, I have met so many people in school that have been so welcoming and kind. The teachers, the students, and the programs have given me so much and I want to pay it forward in as many ways as I can.”

Cowboy pride is something everyone can unite under - it gives people a commonality to stand behind. It makes us feel closer to their classmates and promotes healthy relationships and kindness between students. In the end, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a cheerleader or football player, in the marching band or in the bleachers. All that matters is that we are one school and one student body, struggling up the stairs of the 3900 building together and never letting go of our beloved Cowboy pride.

Since then, we've only gotten better. Recently, I was receiving a slew of short, lackluster sports recaps. I decided to go through and do major edits on each article, resulting in a full sports page for the first issue in years.

We also established a "Lariat Handbook," which addresses all grammar and style issues that may come up as a staff writer is constructing their article. We follow AP guidelines for the most part, but there are some issues that we have publication-specific guidelines for. (For instance, we do not do courtesy titles as per AP, but if a particular teacher requests courtesy titles, we will grant them that.)

We also have specific ways to phrase quotes, utilizing the structure of "First sentence of quote," Title Name said. "Continuation of quote." We have chosen to do this because for fledgling staff writers, it is much easier to have a uniform way to phrase things.

Editing process

Editing guidelines

Each article is edited by two members of the editorial panel (either the online editors or print editors), one managing editor, and the editor-in-chief. This ensures that each article is at its highest potential and quality when it gets published. We have a 48 hour turnaround for edits, meaning that the article must be completed and get to the managing editor within 48 hours of the event being covered. This ensures that it's posted quickly.

All editors comment on articles on Google Docs, where we have a folder system to organize articles and move them through the process visually and easily. Our advisor is able to see the entire process, so she is aware where each article is in its development. This allows us to keep track of the staff members' time management.