Northwest journalism supporters 'Will Press' by establishing nonprofit

Northwest alum Tim Wardyn, who lives in Chicago, was among those who immediately took notice, having been in Grand Island when the story broke.

Now he and a group of fellow Northwest alums are establishing a nonprofit, We Will Press, in support of student journalists.

Wardyn, who entered the world of journalism after graduating Northwest in 1998, was compelled to write an open letter on Facebook, which began:

“As an alumnus of Grand Island Northwest, I had a flood of emotions when I read about the cancellation of the Viking Saga newspaper. Anger and sadness reigned supreme, but shock and disappointment crept in as I read why, after 54 years, it was ... shut down.”

Indications are the Saga was shut down following a few differences between student newspaper staff and administrators. Saga staffers were reprimanded by administrators for using preferred names in April 2022. The final straw allegedly came in response to the Saga’s Pride Month issue, printed May 16. No one has taken responsibility for the decision, but on May 19 staff were notified the newspaper journalism program was no more.

“Ironically … those articles were about censorship of people like themselves,” Wardyn said.

Since the Sept. 9 Facebook post, Wardyn’s letter has received 99 comments and 21 shares. More than 100 individuals have signed the letter of support.

Eventually, four likeminded people — Wardyn, Erin Merrihew, Jared Rawlings and Allison Luth — came together to form We Will Press.

Like Wardyn, Merrihew is a 1998 graduate of Northwest High School. She now lives in Alliance.

Merrihew said she had a positive experience at Northwest, including support from teachers and coaches.

Of the current Northwest administration, Merrihew said, “I’m not proud of how they’re representing the Viking family. Not at all. I don’t feel that’s how the majority of us really live.”

Rawlings said, “Their school board, their administrators, are derelict right now. They took educational opportunities away from these students.”

Rawlings, who lives in Lincoln, is a 2001 Grand Island Senior High graduate who lived in the Northwest School District. His wife and brother-in-law both attended Northwest and were Saga staff members.

Luth (Northwest Class of 1998) and Merrihew reached out to Rawlings about creating change. Once the four We Will Press founders connected, they discovered how they could help, Rawlings said.

“We are looking to form a nonprofit that will help with the incident at Northwest, of course — that’s our most immediate focus. But we also want to help other people from communities that don’t have access to journalism resources.”

Efforts to make We Will Press an official nonprofit entity are underway.

Wardyn said support has been strong.

“We’re now trying to bring it out into the public and say: Here we are. Who else can we help? Who can we support?”

“We could potentially lean into different situations, to partner with schools, for example, to help foster journalism programs, or to work with individual students,” Rawlings said. “We’re still trying to work all of that out. It could go really far.”

Rawlings added the group would be willing to endorse legislation protecting student free press introduced in the Unicameral.

The group has not spoken with any Saga staffers affected by the program’s cancellation, including current students in the remaining journalism programs (including yearbook and broadcasting) who would like to be involved in newspaper journalism, Wardyn said.

“They need to know that we are here and that we are supporting them. We’re here to help them now, while they’re still in school.”

Merrihew said Northwest alumni are in a unique position to help students at their alma mater.

“We are the most free to speak. We’re not still dependent on the school system for all the things that the students there have to depend on … that the parents of the kids that want to do journalism still have to depend on Northwest for the future of their kids. I don’t (depend on Northwest officials). I’m gonna speak up.”

Isn’t the opportunity to participate in yearbook journalism enough? Wardyn was asked.

“It’s nice to have that. But they had a newspaper program for 54 years, but it took them 10 days to realize they wanted to axe it. It was already set up, and they took it away.

“So I would say, no.”

Students without a newspaper, for whatever reason, are at a disadvantage, Merrihew said.

“Those kids still don’t have that opportunity to pursue (a career in journalism). You know, how do they get a portfolio of articles to move into that career field?”

It’s the perfect time for professional journalists to step in and mentor, said Michelle Carr Hassler, executive director of the Nebraska High School Press Association and an assistant journalism professor at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“Helping provide mentors for students in those schools where journalism publications don’t exist is important,” Hassler said. “Many young journalists have benefited from the mentorship of seasoned reporters and editors.”

Hassler also said the situation at Northwest has led to journalism professionals — whether professor or reporter, editor or publisher — reaching out to her, wondering how they can help the Saga and its staffers.

“I have heard from so many people who are upset about this case who really want to do something, but they just don’t know what to do,” Hassler said. “I know a lot of people in the journalism community in Nebraska, and they are more than willing to help mentor students who don’t have teachers who can (do that) in their schools.”

Making those connections will be pivotal for We Will Press’ mission, Rawlings said.

“We can act as a linchpin between (potential mentors) and with students who are looking to press their case and to pursue their passion for journalism. We need to find ways of getting in touch with would-be journalism students right now.”

The founders are focused on making high schools safe spaces for student journalists and promoting what they believe truly is Northwest’s culture, Merrihew said.

“Having a supportive adult to some kids means literally the world. I want the kids that want to do journalism that want to have a voice. I want them to know that there is a family of alumni that think they’re amazing.

“(We don’t) go about being humans by limiting opportunities and quieting voices. That’s not the Viking way. It’s just not.”