Lincoln had been eagerly awaiting the rebirth of a school newspaper since its reopening, and the first print edition of the Lincoln Log was a smashing success. From witty crosswords to insightful pieces exploring the lives of exchange students to a student fashion column, the paper was made with a professionalism that is comparable to a well-established high school newspaper.

The Lincoln Log is the first Lincoln newspaper since 1981. It began with an online forum, where journalism class students wrote about matters such as student life and culture. It has since blossomed into a respectable paper with an enthusiastic team of writers and designers.

I had the privilege of interviewing Editor in Chief, Corey Hoffman, and journalism class teacher, Emma Campbell, on their experiences publishing and building the first printed edition of the Lincoln Log, and they had much to report on.

What were you feeling while completing final touches on the first print edition of the Lincoln Log?

Hoffman- “It was overwhelming. There was so much to do, and we had never done it before. We were creating the template for all future editions.”

Campbell- “Well, we had a little mix up with the pricing, and I had to make some frantic phone calls to make sure we could cover the extra money we had to pay. After that it was very exciting, and it was a big push to get everything just the way we wanted it. “

What were some challenges you faced in the process of publishing this edition of the Log?

Hoffman- “We’d never done this before. Like I said, we were making the first template ever. We were making stuff up on the spot, and there were so many different ideas. We were trying to make everyone happy while making it all work.”

Campbell- “We had challenges finding a publishing source, which was a job I gave to my editors in chief. A lot of it was just not knowing what it would look like in the end, and not knowing what to expect with the printers. We kind of just chose one [publishing source] and ran with it.”

How did it feel to hold a copy of the Lincoln Log in your hands for the first time?

Hoffman- “It was so exciting. I was shaking. There were so many boxes of newspapers. In the office there were four big boxes and two small boxes.”

Campbell- “It was incredible. I didn’t know they were coming the day they came. I got an email from Ms.Twinnet that said we had boxes in the front office. I opened it and it felt like we had finally done it.”

What aspects of our school culture would you like to highlight in the Lincoln Log? 

Hoffman- “Definitely more student news. Every part of the news is important, and students are going to want to read stuff that reflects themselves and their school.”

Campbell- “Cross cultural journalism. Lincoln has a responsibility to report on all demographics. In general, we want people engaged in reading it. We want more interviews and more student spotlights, which we have happening already. We have a section called P.O.C. P.O.V., which is a good way to highlight student experiences and keep [the newspaper] unique.”

What future do you see for the Lincoln Log?

Hoffman- “I see a future where every student is excited for publication day. I think students don’t know that editions are every two weeks, and I really want it to be a time when everyone is really anticipating the newspaper.”

Campbell- “I hope it lasts for as long as Lincoln lasts. It will rely on people taking journalism class for as long as possible. I think it will only ever be as successful as its readers. As long as people are still enjoying the content and engaging with it, there will be a long future ahead if that is the case.”

A mere semester later, the Log is working to publish its fifth edition. It has a full team of class as well as guest writers, a design team, two editors in chief, and a devoted Lincoln Log fanbase of 1600 loyal student ‘Loggers’.