La Voz is a student-run Spanish newspaper that includes news, opinions, regular departments and reviews. The genre alone makes La Voz rare among school publications across the country, as does its continuous publication (four to five times over each school year) since the first edition in 1986.
“We adhere to strict journalistic standards,” says Ana Colbert, who serves as faculty advisor to La Voz. “News stories, for instance, have to be researched and represent multiple points of view. If a student’s research has led him to some passionate conclusions he can express them in the opinion columns, but not in the news reports.”
The editors figure out the theme and then assign writing to eight to ten writers to cover news, features and departments. They may focus on active political, cultural or social events in Spain or Latin America, and then include a focus on relevant Milton campus life. Departments include op-ed opinion pieces, reviews of movies and restaurants, cartoons, and columns called “Gente” or “People” and “Entrevistra” or “Interview.”
One issue highlighted two plays of historical importance by Spanish authors that were staged at Milton: The Sins of Sor Juana about Juana Ines de la Cruz, one of the great poets of the Spanish language; and the Class IV (Grade 9) play, Fuente Ovejuna, a drama comedy, romance and familiar historical themes, written in 1613 by Lope de Vega, a Spanish contemporary of Shakespeare. Another issue staged a contest in writing in the style of Nobel laureate poet Pablo Neruda.
La Voz’s editors deal with journalistic challenges that are unique to their genre. For instance, both the writers for La Voz and the readers have a range of ability; each issue involves at least three rounds of skilled editing. They have to teach their writing staff journalistic style—in Spanish. The editors must merge diverse articles, about the world and the Milton campus, into a coherent and attractive whole.
The editors have said they enjoy the writing aspect of their jobs most—doing research, moving to a framework of ideas, and then writing. Working on La Voz has helped their writing in English, they say: Finding the big ideas come easier; good editing is worth the effort. The pleasure of a finished product, a permanent expression of the ideas and the hard work, pleases everyone.
