Before they leave, each Senior from The Auroran Today staff shared their love for the Journalism program and how it impacted their high school career.

Stella DeLong – Feature Section Editor:

With the school year ending and it being my Senior year, we are having to say goodbye to a lot of things. One of the hardest and saddest parts of graduation is leaving the classroom that has been my home the whole four years of high school, 21026, Mrs. Rauenbuehler’s room. I was lucky enough to have an elective with her Freshman year. Journalism One was my first ever writing only class and I didn’t know what to expect, but now three years later I am in Newspaper and it has been my favorite class. Mrs. Rauenbuehler has had such an impact on me the last four years. I have seen her every single year, every single day of my high school career. I am so grateful for the connection I have made with her. I have been in Newspaper for two years now, and saying goodbye is so hard. I have made so many close relationships with the other staff members, and have learned so much from this class. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of this club and so grateful for all of the memories. I strongly suggest trying to have a class with Mrs. Rauenbuehler and joining Newspaper!

Amaya Wagner – Chief Editor:

Graduation’s coming up, and that means we’re in for a lot of farewells. But saying goodbye to Newspaper is the toughest part. This organization has been such a big part of my high school career. I joined Newspaper my second semester of Sophomore year after taking Journalism semester one. Newspaper has truly given me so much, and has helped me grow in so many ways. When I joined as a Sophormore, I was anxious and scared to talk to the staff members I didn’t know. With each passing year, Newspaper taught me to grow more confident and find my voice. This year, I had the honor of being our organization’s Cheif Editor. With this position I made new friends, experienced new situations, and, hopefully, left an impact on the Newspaper entity. Without Newspaper and Mrs. Rauenbuehler, writing wouldn’t mean as much to me as it does today. If you are an underclassman, join Newspaper next year! It will quickly become the best part of your school day. 

Jaela Staker – Staff Writer:

This year was my first year in Newspaper, or any Journalism class for that matter. I have always admired the beautifully articulate stories that come out of Newspaper and never thought I would be a part of that. Now that I was, I can say it has been one of my biggest accomplishments. Getting to grow as a writer surrounded by the amazing group of girls that were in the class this year has made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I am so thankful to Raunie for letting me join this class and encouraging my love for writing. She has created a classroom that radiates warmth and joy and a class that I got to look forward to everyday. The setting reminds me of a book club. Everyone is in the club because they enjoy what they are doing and want to share their thoughts with others. We all understand each other in class and enjoy what we are doing, nothing feels forced or out of place. This class, and Raunie herself, have taught me so much about myself and my aspirations and I will continue to use the skills I have learned from this class beyond graduation. Taking this class was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made and I couldn’t have done it without my Chief Editor, Amaya Wagner, and my Copy Editor, Mahayla Martin. 

Mahayla Martin – Copy Editor:

After four years at Muscatine High School, I have grown a lot as a person. My writing and people skills have grown so much, which is due to my participation in the Journalism program. In Sophomore year, Amaya convinced me to join Journalism 1 and I was a little cautious. She said the teacher was super nice and it would be super fun, so I signed up. I also had Mrs. Rauenbuehler for Pre-Ap English 10 so I got to know her pretty well. She became my favorite teacher pretty quickly and I ended up loving Journalism 1 and then I joined Journalism 2. I didn’t really talk to anybody besides Amaya for the first year and due to schedule conflicts, I was not in the classroom for Newspaper during my Junior year, but I still wrote a story every month. I also took AP Seminar with Rauenbuehler in Junior year and I learned so much from her. I ended up being able to be in the classroom this year and I have learned so much. I stepped into a leadership role and it has helped me open up and learn how to work with different types of people. I think people should give Newspaper a try, even if you are nervous like I was. It is seriously such a good way to learn and branch out.

Chevy Palmer – Staff Writer:

While I wasn’t able to be in Newspaper until my Senior year, it has been my all time favorite class throughout high school. I made a lot of friends in this class that I’ll carry with me my whole life. Before Newspaper, I’d never written in a more “professional” setting, or for an entity, I’d only written for my English teachers and for essays. I think writing for a newspaper is a very different experience that can really help you grow as a writer, even if you are already a great writer. It takes a lot of getting used to, having to work in something that reaches a larger audience, but in the end I think it all worked out for me. Raunie is also a good reason why I was motivated to work in Newspaper. I had her first in Sophomore year for Pre-AP English, where she recommended Newspaper to me. Even in that class, I always felt very comfortable and genuinely excited to go. At the very end of Senior year, I got hit with literally the biggest case of senioritis ever, and Newspaper was my reason to go to school everyday. I always felt very accepted, by both Raunie and the other writers, and overall the class left a lot of good memories that I will cherish forever.

Charley Pierce – Website Designer:

Newspaper for me, is a safe place. I’ve done it for two years so I’m very comfortable with the other girls here. Last year our group was super small, and this year it doubled in size, yet we still have that small group feel. That’s one of my favorite things about Newspaper, we are a small enough group that we can all connect with each other. I think we have some very different personalities here and we all balance each other out. Mrs. Rauenbuehler has done a lot to make this a functioning program and I think this year we really got it off the ground. I’m forever grateful to be a part of something like this and I hope it’s able to flourish even more in the future.

Estella Bland – Arts & Entertainment Section Editor:

I’ve always loved writing, for as long as I can remember my mom has ensured that I truly understand the beauty of words. I was sort of unofficially a member of The Auroran Today during my Junior year, but I officially joined the team as the Arts and Entertainment Editor this year. Newspaper has been a place for me to explore my own creativity and ideas while being surrounded by people who were doing the same. I learned a lot of the nuances and difficulties of working with a team, sometimes you work with people who are very different from you or people you fundamentally disagree with. Nonetheless, you continue to work and you work hard. Rauenbuehler is one of the sweetest teachers I’ve ever had. The warm, comforting feeling of the room would not be possible without her. She encourages us to explore, be curious, and connect with those around us. I cannot fathom this class being taught by anyone else, I will always feel so grateful for her.