The Armijo Signal started in 1996 as a 4-page newspaper that came out monthly. Now, more than 25 years later, it is an electronic newspaper with updates twice a month and additional new stories added sporadically throughout the year. It is a publication that is geared toward students, focusing on the diverse interests of a campus with over 2000 students, and much of the writing and editing is done by those very students.

   There are many benefits to writing for a school newspaper, even though many schools do not have such an entity. It has been said that writing for, and editing, a school newspaper has the same impact on college admissions as being an officer in Associated Student Body (ASB). While not everyone will be voted into an officer position, all writers are welcome to practice their craft and develop their portfolio via The Armijo Signal. One way to do that is to contribute through  the Journalism Club. Students who write for The Armijo Signal can practice interviewing, researching, and writing and they get to know things before the general public. 

   The club has been run by Ms. Lynne Herring, Club adviser, since 1996. “I was actually hired at Armijo to start the newspaper,” she said. “They were looking for someone who was trained in and passionate about the subject. I had my Bachelor of Arts in Communication with an emphasis in Journalism and was looking for a job teaching newspaper to high school students. It was a good fit.” Our first online edition was also the 200th publication of The Armijo Signal, and there have been many revisions since then.

   Over the years, students at every grade level and skill level have been part of The Armijo Signal. That diversity is important to promoting communication on a campus this size. “The more people we have who participate in producing the newspaper, the more people we can reach, because people like to share their work with their friends and family,” said Ms. Herring. 

   Students who want to write for The Armijo Signal can practice their skills by writing this semester and are encouraged to sign up for the Mass Media / Journalism class when the counselors come to their classes. Students who have already developed writing experience in the publication can consider a position as editors. 

   “I would love to see the administration open up the class again and give more students a chance to write for The Armijo Signal, but as I stated earlier I know it doesn’t always fit into people’s schedules,” said Ms. Herring. “The Journalism Club also offers the opportunity to improve people’s craft and develop resumes for students who claim they want to be broadcasters and journalists.” 

   If you are interested in joining The Armijo Signal team, stop by G-10 and talk to Ms. Lynne Herring or email [email protected].