Features Editor hopes to ‘shine light’ on campus
The Tower
When Rose Sharon Fuentes walks around the campus at Manteca High School, they see a campus bustling with young life, vibrant and full of potential.
They hope The Tower, Manteca High’s brand-new digital student newspaper, will match that energy, serving as a mirror for the student body, faculty and staff.
“The campus community here at MHS is vibrant and it never dies out. ... In my opinion, it is crucial to have a news outlet like The Tower in order to showcase and shine a light on activities and people on campus.”
The Tower can be accessed at www.MHSTheTower.com and is advised by Journalism instructor James Burns. The site was created by web designer and marketing specialist Ambra Jo Pinol, whose father Bill served as an administrator at Manteca High for many years. The Tower was introduced to the public in December 2022.
Fuentes has been named The Tower’s first-ever Features Editor, and their job this spring will be to shine a bright light on the school’s arts and artists.
Manteca High has one of busiest visual and performing arts programs in the Manteca Unified School District. The school features a thriving band and theatre department, and an art department that is among the most popular curriculums on campus. In the spring, Manteca High will add Advanced Photography to its slate of photo classes, as well as host the district-wide fashion show.
The Garcia brothers, Anthony and Nicolas, have a relationship forged by a love for sneakers. Their collection, along with their brotherly bond, was captured in a feature titled “Sneak Geek of the Week.”
“The campus community here at MHS is vibrant and it never dies out,” said Fuentes, a senior and second-term Journalism student. “There’s always something happening, which makes The Tower interesting to read and enjoy.
“In my opinion, it is crucial to have a news outlet like The Tower in order to showcase and shine a light on activities and people on campus. Many people, including myself, might have never gotten recognition from people they wish to receive it from, but The Tower gives students and staff the opportunity to show their talents and capabilities.”
Fuentes was named Features Editor after completing Journalism in the fall term. She ranked among the top reporters in the class, earning an “A” during both semesters. She is well-versed in the many ways of telling a story in today’s journalistic world, including traditional story forms, informational graphics and photo essays. She is qualified to help share that understanding of storytelling with her peers, many of whom will be new to the course and the paper.
In turn, Fuentes hopes to grow as a journalist in her new role. It will demand that she work well with groups of students, make difficult decisions about stories and staffing, grow in her understanding of style and editing, and coordinate our weekly coverage with the team of editors.
“I’m still learning and growing, but I hope that some of my writing skills will be enough to take on this new role,” Fuentes said. “A lot of my errors are also a part of my experience.
“My goals are to show more growth,” they added, “and to be able to help others from my personal experience. I want to leave a good example to those who want to become a journalist or perhaps even be the next Features Editor.”
The Tower’s top stories are regularly featured in The Manteca Bulletin, which is delivered daily to residents in Manteca, Lathrop and Ripon.
There will be no shortage of stories for Fuentes and her staff. Among the recurring story packages will be a weekly artist spotlight and fashion-forward students, including “Sneak Geeks.” Beyond that, Fuentes is committed to uncovering the unique and interesting; those stories that might be missed in the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life on campus.
“I feel The Tower should cover things that maybe do not get enough attention/recognition that they deserve,” they said. “I will do my best to cover the people or events that do need recognition.”