Another year has come and gone for The Tank. What a year it's been?! We've had reporters talk with a future Chiefs player, a state representative, and a number of retiring teachers who they respected and admired since childhood. What can I say?! We're back!!

It has taken a few years to really get this publication up and running to what I'd envisioned, but I think it's safe to say The Tank is officially back. You may or not be aware, but the CHS student publication was founded some time in the 1930's.  Earlier this year, our librarian Mrs. Fagan bestowed upon me a box containing what I think is the official collection of Tanks through the years.  The earliest I've found so far dates back to the 1932 school year. Imagine that?! The program ran for 60+ years giving CHS students a chance to publish their writing for all to read. From what I can tell, the program continued in various forms up through the 1990's when for various reasons it was cut. 

Three years ago a deal was struck between the Cameron schools and Cameron Newspapers, and The Tank was reborn. The first year I frequently found myself asking what in the world I was thinking and why I ever wanted such a dubious distinction as Tank advisor. The growing pains were almost unbearable and logistics were a nightmare. I thought maybe I had finally gone off my rocker.

Now, three years later, the kids have once again shown all of us what they're capable of accomplishing. The Tank, in its current form, is now published each week of the school year and I'm only a tiny part of the equation. The student editors handle all assigning of stories. Students report directly to their peers for feedback, advice, and ideas on on every facet of making the publication a reality. Morgan Breckenridge handled all the initial stages of editing for every story written this year. If it was written, hers were they first eyes to see it after the writer. Caleb Cole handled all layout and design for the actual publication.  He decided where stories were placed and which pictures would run. This might seem easy enough, but trust me...nothing with computers ever is.

This year we tackled a whole new level of exposure with The Tank. We started our own web page and, again, a student led the charge. Michael Cox handled all the web information. He made sure the website was attractive, up-to-date, and a viable facet of what we do. He took us into the 21st century with virtually every other newspaper in the country and took the publication to the world. You can check out his work yourself at tank.cameronschools.org.

The rest of the staff was constantly helping each other out. Whether it was taking care of pictures due to a reporter's scheduling conflict or just helping with interview questions, the staff helped each other through it.

Meanwhile, I sat back in amazement. Who would have thought a weekly publication could be virtually 100% student-run and find such success. These kids had a publication ready every single week, even through breaks. They pushed through stories and topics which might have not been their forte, but they handled each one with the respect it deserved. They took picture after picture and were more than happy to share with the yearbook staff. Most importantly, they had an editorial ready to go every single week which meant I didn't have to, a Tank first for me! (For those of you confused by the fact I'm writing this one, it doesn't count since both my editors graduated!)

The point is, these kids have done a great job all year and deserve a pat on the back. The important side note to remember is there are kids walking the halls at CHS every single day who are doing outstanding things and deserve to be recognized. We try very hard to do that with this publication, but we miss so many. That's where you come in. You should be proud of your kids, Cameron. I hope you take a moment to pat a kid on the back because there are so many who do so much more than they ever receive full credit for. I have named but a few, so find a kid near you and tell them to keep up the good work.

As for The Tank, we'll be back next school year with a whole new staff ready to bring the news to CHS and beyond.