Sam Pope has been working to get a web design class for many years. “It was sort of an accident,” the English teacher said. “About five years ago, Mr. Bott floated the idea of a bigger newspaper web presence. A couple of years went by and one year without asking for it was a web class…This year is the year we get it out there.” 

Pope is talking about the new Stagg website, premiering today. He and his first period web design class have been setting up the site since the end of September, getting it ready for student viewing.

Senior Richard Estepp is one of those students creating Stagg Online. “Right now, I’m trying to create an interactive map using HTML formatting.” But an interactive map isn’t the only thing appearing on the website. 

According to Pope, the website will contain basic info, information about colleges and careers, things going on around campus, such as slide shows, photos, and a couple of opinion articles. “We have lots of pictures from homecoming and a bunch of the first game, you know, the ribbon cutting.” 

Senior Lisa Lopez has been working on the sports page. She said that they would first put up information on the fall sports and then change it once the new season starts. “We’re also going to have pictures of the teams, coaches, and the games we have won and lost.” 

And while a lot is getting done to get ready for the grand opening, Estepp said last week that more still needs to be done. “I am trying to rally the troops. I can be the nicest guy, but sometimes you gotta be tough.” Estepp is the multimedia and news editor.

Pope doesn’t expect perfection, though. “We’re in the crash course, getting kids used to doing interviews and doing research. You can’t just Google this stuff.” 

Estepp is one of a handful of students who took the course last year. The class is a part of the Multimedia small learning community.  He was one of two students, senior Reuben Suchil being the other, to continue the course this year and he says that it has helped him. “I know how to create websites and HTML format.” This, he says, is getting him ready for his future career as a web page designer or computer programmer. “It’s fun to be able to create websites … If I have some boring job, then what’s the point of doing it?” This, he believes, will keep him relevant. He wants to come to his reunion and still see the Stagg Online. 

Pope agrees. “When people Google Stagg, we want to be No. 1, the most relevant thing.” He also wants the website to have student voice on the web. 

But Estepp believes only a certain type of student will visit the site. “If you don’t have school spirit, you won’t care about the website. I have pride in Stagg.”