Cole responded to my call for testimonials about the high school paper. This is very well said. I should point out that Cole, a junior in college, already has a blossoming career in journalism. He writes for his university paper, the Maryville paper, and he's even worked with the Kansas City Star some.

I can still remember when I first walked into the AHS journalism room for the first time.

It must have been around August 30, 1998 and there I was a freshman with no clue where I was going or who I was. First, a little background on the position I was in at the moment. I had just decided that playing for the dear old Blackhawks football team wasn't for me. In addition to that I can officially say I felt lost and it was then that I swung by my old reading teachers room to try and relive my junior high days.

It was then that Mr. Sears told me I should sign up for journalism. I had nothing to lose, so I joined in. What initially was a one year deal took flight from there. I went from being whipping boy to some power-hungry seniors to editor-in-chief and learned an awful lot in the process.

Was the Drumbeats responsible for teaching me all of my journalism skills that I know so far? Of course not. What did happen there was that my love for journalism was cultivated. I realized in JH03 that working for a newspaper was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Now to see the paper being taken away in such a manner like this
really hits home. Not only does it anger me but it makes me sad. I cannot help but wonder what would have happened had this decision been made in 1997 and not 2004.

If I would have never had this opportunity, I don't know where I would be. I don't want to complain about the town of Adrian, but lets be honest. The town has zero opportunity for kids the way it is. Now to see the esteemed staff take it away puzzles me. Now I could understand if the Board of Education had voted to cut it because of some reason that makes good sense I would have had no problem. Instead, when I contacted a board member, they did not even know what was going on. If things aren't resolved in a proper manner, I think its time to rally behind these kids. Heavens knows we would if it were the football team, there shouldn't be any difference anyway. By the way, the Drumbeats has produced more scholarship winners in the last 7 years than the football team has.Nevertheless, if things progress, lets let the board hear our concerns.

December 16, 2004.

Cole