Sharon Bastin Munsey: ’63

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

I enjoyed seeing my articles in print.

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

We had beats (teachers we were to check with for news). It helped with my communication skills.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

I am proud of just being a contributing member of the Journal. I was a member of the Journal staff in 1960-1961.

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

Looking back, I realize how much the Journal helped me after graduation. It improved my verbal and writing skills. It was a really good year.

Mary Ann Weedle: ’64

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

A sad memory is helping get the Journal out to students the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Our teacher, Mr. Higbee, was very distraught about the assassination.

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

I enjoyed the friendships I made.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

I enjoyed being fashion editor for the Journal. I liked the research I did for my columns.

Cheryl Goodding Ferguson ’65

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

I loved working in The Journal office each day and usually after school! Mr. Higbee was the sponsor and was a great mentor. I was news editor and gathering stories and getting them ready for publication was a favorite of mine.

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

We were a very close staff and worked to publish interesting and quality items … we also had long and interesting current events discussions … it was the 1960s after all!

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

We thought we were impacting issues that maybe SHS students had and generally having a good time doing that!

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

Steve Spencer was a sports reporter as well as the operator of the offset press as we published in house, and he died in a hunting accident a few months after graduation. I can still picture him working the offset press and his impish smile.

Sandy Clark Boone: ’68

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

Spending time with a friend on the Journal, going to conferences, going to movies (for review) and helping each other with our pages.

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

It taught me to watch life closely, write concisely and be on time with your work.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

Filling my page on time with people stories.

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

Being on the Journal was a step above other classes. It later worked into selling articles to magazines like The Indianapolis Monthly while I was raising my children. My daughter (also an SHS grad), watched and learned and just sold her first book trilogy.

Celia Huff Thompson: ’71

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

Writing articles, learning from Ms. Wade, leaving school to get ads.

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

I learned how to write a great article using the journalism skills Ms. Wade taught me. I still remember those skills.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

Being a part of a “staff” that produced a quality product.

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

I am glad I chose to be on The Journal’s staff as one of my extracurricular activities. I was an athlete and already had a busy schedule.

Lisa Wilson Plank: ’71

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

The teamwork and comradery. Feeling like I was part of something that achieved a goal. I enjoyed learning how to write and edit copy, design attractive page layouts and much more!

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

The importance of give and take when working on a team. Learning to listen to other ideas. I gained an understanding and appreciation of the creative process.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

I was academics editor and loved having the entire experience

Mike Cobb: ’76

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

Working with the other members of the staff along with the teacher, Dawn Wade. Also, learning the basics of journalism.

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

By high school, I knew I wanted to be a sports writer. This was the first step in the process of achieving that goal.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

The teamwork of putting out the paper each week and seeing the finished product at the end of the week.

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

I still have several of my old journal editions and looking at them now, I’m impressed with the quality of writing and reporting that was in them.

Susie (Winngingham) Helm: ’76

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

So many! Going to Shelbyville News every other week to put the paper together with the SHS Journal staff and brainstorming story ideas.

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

I learned to write succinctly but with emphasis. Plus, having to put a paper together that was aesthetically pleasing but fit helped with later magazine and print work. Plus, learning to edit was very important and I passed that on to others.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

I was the news editor so I was always looking for good stories and learning what was happening. I loved working with The Journal staff and our leader. She demanded excellence and no errors from us.

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

It was a wonderful experience. At the end of the year, we were given a bound book with all the issues. Maybe you could create a Facebook page or something with the Journal staff. I use the things I learned to this day. I still read at least one paper daily.

Phil Van Horn: ’77

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

GREAT start, resource and encouragement.

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

It opened a door to a career.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

Small beginning. L.A. Emmy Award-winning journalist.

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

Great start, fun journey. WISH, WTHR, WTTV; CNN, ESPN, Turner Sports; LA, Hollywood, Author. Thanks SHS.

Randy Miles: ’79

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

Trips to Shelbyville for ‘paste up’ and Ms. S taking out for pizza afterwards

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

Got a journalism/education degree from IU

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

Lots of pictures I took for the newspaper and yearbook

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

A great experience. Couldn’t wait until the paper came out and hear people’s reaction to the content. Proud of the product we created!

Terri Williams Lindorf: ’79

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

Doing paste ups in Shelbyville and then going to Greasy Greeks pizza. Loved the people in the staff!

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

The people I worked with were incredible people, and they still are!

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

I was the first female sports editor. Things really started to change for girls athletics with Title 9.

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

Mary Lou Schenck was a great adviser and friend. She taught us well!

Connie Carr Shepherd: ’80

What’s your favorite memory from being on The Journal?

I loved going to Shelbyville to layout the paper and then going for pizza!

What was the impact The Journal had on you?

It improved my writing ability too. Gave me the ability to concisely tell a story.

What are you most proud of from being on The Journal?

It was a great paper with interesting stories led by students.

Anything else you would like to add about your experience on The Journal?

Happy to hear The Journal is going strong after 100 years!