McKinley High School’s student-led newspaper, The Pinion, is starting its 102nd year. Editor-in-chief, Shane Kaneshiro, and digital/print editor, Jerome Linear share their thoughts and feelings while moving forward with The Pinion. Linear and Kaneshiro have been a part of The Pinion staff since their freshman year at McKinley. They’re starting their third year with The Pinion.
Kaneshiro said that being a student in The Pinion means you’re joining a team that works together and supports each other’s writing. It’s one big team; no one is working against each other.
“It was not like a regular classroom. It’s almost like a one-on-one session,” Kaneshiro said.
When writing among other student writers, some people may think there’s tension in the air, to always be competing. However, Kaneshiro described The Pinion staff as a family, working together closely and helping each other.
“Nobody is mad at each other,” Kaneshiro said. “We are one family and team.”
Teenagers often find themselves dreading doing assignments and working seeing as there is no reward or compensation for their time. However, Linear said that working with The Pinion was fun and engaging. Working to a goal and enjoying their time is always up to the student who’s making that decision.
“It’s fun if you make it fun,” Linear said. “It’s just a learning experience that you can get to have easily.”
A lot of opportunities opened up for the two of them during their previous years on the staff, many of which, they didn’t see coming. Last year, The Pinion made a bill to protect student journalists by letting them exercise their right to the freedom of speech in their newspapers and articles, it was signed by the Hawaii governor, David Ige. It was a big accomplishment for the whole staff and future students. Linear described it as “life-changing.”
“I didn’t know it was going to be like this. I didn’t know there were going to be opportunities where I made a bill into a law. I mean, it was so life-changing,” Linear said.
Everyone in The Pinion staff has certain skills and weaknesses. Kaneshiro said being able to master those skills in all areas is unattainable. However, pushing and wanting to better themselves helps improve those abilities that aren’t strong.
“You are not mastering; you are continuously learning,” Kaneshiro said.