This week, Steven Denlinger is leading his high school journalism team to NSPA’s Spring Convention in San Francisco. In his place, senior editor Kara Fohner offers a Guest Column previously published in The Lenoir News-Topic. EVERY TIME I walk … [Read more...] about Sooki: “More than a pet lost”
Alice Aspen March: The right kind of attention
I'M IN THE middle of the Pennsylvania countryside, not far from Lancaster. It’s July, and fields of bright green corn line the winding roads. My grandfather has finally died at the age of 96, and I’m driving to his funeral to honor him. I’m … [Read more...] about Alice Aspen March: The right kind of attention
Dave Schlabach: The Gift of Grit
BECOMING A BRICKLAYER wasn’t a sure thing in my family. When I reflect on my teen years, I’m surprised it ever happened. In fact, the only reason it happened is Dave Schlabach. Let me remind you of my size back then— just in case you don’t … [Read more...] about Dave Schlabach: The Gift of Grit
Walt Walker: How Not to Quit Your Job
I FIRST MET Walt Walker when I was a junior at Malone College in Canton, Ohio. I was studying to be a teacher, and the requirements for an Ohio Teaching Certificate demanded I do ten weeks of student teaching. When I checked in at the front … [Read more...] about Walt Walker: How Not to Quit Your Job
Driving with Joe Overholt
WHEN I THINK back to my childhood, I remember one person who was truly unforgettable. Within our community, Joe Overholt was an authentic individual. He lived a life which broke all the rules. He was a gypsy, a lover of learning, a musician. He … [Read more...] about Driving with Joe Overholt
Chaim Potok: Creating An Emotional Blueprint for Those Who Leave
I WAS STRUGGLING with my decision to leave my Amish-Mennonite world when I first discovered the author Chaim Potok. In the audio/visual section of the Stark County District Library, I spied what would become my favorite novel. My Name Is … [Read more...] about Chaim Potok: Creating An Emotional Blueprint for Those Who Leave
