ILWACO, Wash. – Lindsey Hylton didn’t have large expectations when she signed up for the journalism class at Ilwaco High School, which produces the student newspaper, the Golden I. After taking a writing class her junior year, she thought she “just wanted to see what it was like.”

What she found was a class that had only one student returning from last year and the editor in chief, as well as all the other staff positions, up for grabs. After a class vote, Hylton was handed the top job.

Not only was there an all new staff, but the paper also took on a whole new look, with a new design and moniker – the G.I. Hylton said that since they had a tough time at first coming up with front-page stories, they decided to go with a more “tabloid-type” look, with photos taking up the entire front page, plus headlines for the stories inside.

“We’ve struggled through it, but I think it’s gone OK,” she said. “I’d say news is probably the hardest to figure out.”

As editor, Hylton has been in charge of assigning stories to the writers, “dummying up” the paper before layout, editing stories and helping design pages. Hylton has also had her share of stories, writing sports and feature articles, plus some editorials and senior interviews.

“I just kind of take what comes along,” she said.

Hylton wrote the biggest story of the year for the paper, an article chronicling a meningitis outbreak in September, including an interview with the first student to be infected.

“That was hard,” she said. “It was interesting to see how he took the media coverage, how seriously he took it.”

Examining the media’s place is something that has interested Hylton, including taking a first-hand look while attending a week-long seminar in Washington, D.C., in February called “Presidential Classroom; Media and Democracy.” She debated the role of media in U.S. government and took in lectures from consumer activist Ralph Nader and former White House correspondent Helen Thomas.

“I’d say I’ve always had an interest in learning more about it,” she said. “This really sparked an interest.”

She returned to Washington to attend a 10-day program called “Close-up,” which focused on

education about government. It’s obvious that politics are on her mind, as she sat recently sporting ripped jeans and a T-shirt that read, “Friends don’t let friends vote Democrat.”

Also in February, Hylton, along with some of her G.I. classmates, attended an on-the-spot writing contest in Auburn, Wash., sponsored by the Washington Journalism Education Association. Though from one of the smallest schools in attendance, Hylton received an honorable mention for a piece about smoking in public in Washington state.

Not long after, Hylton earned another honorable mention in the Edward R. Murrow Journalism Competition, for her story about the meningitis outbreak in the G.I.

Now Hylton is looking forward to publishing the last paper of the year. “It’s kind of sad and exciting at the same time,” she said.

She’s enjoyed her time working on the paper, saying her favorite part has been the people she has met and learned about through interviews. The pressure of getting things together at the last minute of a deadline is a rush.

“It’s always fun when you’re down to the last minute, that’s always exciting – and frustrating …”

Hylton said she is unsure if there will be any writing or editing in her future. She plans to attend Seattle-Pacific University after graduation.

– Damian Mulinix

Damian Mulinix is a staff writer for the Chinook Observer.