“We deliver Sahuaro’s cutting-edge news…while saving trees,” The Paper Cut sponsor, Eva Lange, says of the mission of TUSD’s first online school newspaper. “The Paper Cut is my baby. I went to Principal Estrella with the idea ten years ago, and he allowed me to run with it. I’m incredibly proud of all my reporters, editors, and editor-in-chiefs for their dedication to delivering the news, remaining unbiased, and promoting community. I can’t believe it’s already been a decade!”
To celebrate the 10-year mark, several past editors and reporters came back to talk about their experience here in the very newsroom we sit in today.
Amanda Mourelatos was The Paper Cut’s Editor-In-Chief from 2017 to 2019, serving our newsroom all four years of high school. Amanda explains, “Honestly, just everything Ms. Lange had to offer us was more than I could have asked for. I wound up going into college a lot more prepared than my peers.”She went on to work for The Daily Wildcat, becoming a desk editor. Upon leaving The Wildcat because of toxic newsroom experiences, Amanda continued to blog and work on podcasts. Now, she works with Tom Heath on his podcast, Life Along The Streetcar, while also working on her own, Amanda’s Archives.
Sahuaro’s very own Ms. Sidney Moyers served as the Associate Editor-in-Chief in 2017. She reflected on her experience with the paper, saying, “…The Paper Cut was full of joy and fun, but I also learned so much. It fostered a strong sense of community that played a significant role in shaping who I am today… I ultimately realized that journalism wasn’t my true calling. Instead, I discovered my deep passion for learning and education, which has guided me to where I am now. Reflecting, I can confidently say that my life would have unfolded very differently if I hadn’t developed the skills I gained through my time in The Paper Cut.”
Sierra Blaser joined The Paper Cut team in her senior year, automatically becoming an editor. She, too, went on to report for The Daily Wildcat, becoming an editor her junior year and editor-in-chief her senior year. Sierra has gone on to 3 internships with the Arizona Daily Star. She shares that, “I think like The Paper Cut kind of already gave me that leg up.”
Autumn Fatovich, Co-News Editor in 2016, shared, “The Paper Cut has always been a way for the community to stay connected and informed. While I attended Sahuaro, I had the privilege of being a writer and editor. In this time, The Paper Cut taught me how to open doors for myself, work alongside others to create interesting and informative pieces, and meet new people.” Though Autumn didn’t go into journalism, she shares, ” I have used the skills I’ve gained from journalism to shape my higher education and knowledge of the world. I hope The Paper Cut continues to bring people together and keep them informed for the next ten years. GO Cougars!”
Connor Fries, Co-News Editor in 2017, started The Paper Cut in his senior year, immediately filling an editor role. Once he graduated, Connor went on to study journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU. Connor shares, “…it gave me my first real taste of journalism. Running a student newspaper and working like a true newsroom was not only fun but also incredibly memorable. That experience inspired me to pursue journalism in college.”
We even got the chance to speak with Jessica Luna, the Associate Editor-In-Chief, in the opening year of The Paper Cut. “By practicing journalism techniques in this class, it has helped me succeed in my adult life. It helped me improve in public speaking and communication, along with helping me write so many papers in college. TPC includes some of my most fond memories of my Sahuaro experience.”
As an end to the ten years The Paper Cut has shared, Jessica Luna put it best: “Thanks, Ms. Lange for keeping the paper alive! Happy anniversary, and cheers to many more!” But don’t go yet! Make sure you keep in touch with The Paper Cut and support us through this next chapter. You won’t want to miss it.
