If one were to compare the work on our school newspaper with a tour bus, the destination would be known, but no one knew how far the journey would be. The bus driver was our teacher who tried to guide us through all the imponderables. The newly elected editors-in-chief got on at the first stop. The eager researcher Viktoria was happy to present tricky questions to the teachers, which more or less made them sweat. Luzie, with her good connection to the teaching staff, asked questions of the new headmaster and his deputy.
I stormed into the first row of seats with the vision of making a difference and improving something. I’m interested in politics and cabaret, I’m also said to have good ideas sometimes. In consultation with the editors, I recruited the step representatives Steffi, Linus and Paula to let the threads come together here. The agreement that everyone was allowed to write about the things that interested them most under the title “Pausenhofgeflüster” motivated the editors.
However, once everyone was on the bus, we drove through rough terrain straight into lockdown. Stop, get out, go home and stay there – that was the motto. A long, hard winter break was ahead of us. It got logistically difficult. The meetings were only about teams. Some lost their enthusiasm and no longer really wanted to believe that newspapers would be sold in the current school year. In addition, it was important not to lose touch despite homeschooling. The school year was a challenge, which is reported in articles such as “Highway to Quarantine” (Luzie) or “Everything is shaking and nothing is flowing” (Franziska and Melissa). The original leitmotif receded into the background.
It shouldn’t always be about Corona
But who wants to read only discouraging Corona articles these days? This is how Franzi, who has been a creative and articulate editor for years, said goodbye to our director, Dr. Panzer as an occasion to let the school rooms talk about the “era Panzer”. Interviews with two teachers under the heading “Flirting tips for beginners from advanced” should also bring lifelike impetus to the school newspaper. Needless to say, this topic did not meet with everyone’s enthusiasm, but we were also pursuing the goal of softening philistine opinions.
While the orphaned bus waited to continue its journey, we collected contributions and experiences. When I saw the Nockherberg 2021 in the BR, I knew immediately: “I would like to talk to this fasting preacher about the Bavarian school system!” I spontaneously asked cabaret artist Maxi Schafroth for a zoom conversation. The chemistry between us was right from the first moment. The planned 45-minute talk turned into a frame-breaking event. We not only chatted about urgently needed changes in the system, pressure to perform and flat hierarchies, but also about problems in puberty and love. By the way, we’ve been in close contact ever since! As a counterpart to this, I also conducted a “Girls Talk” with Katharina Schulze, the leader of the Greens parliamentary group in the state parliament. We spoke openly about personal matters and politics. The right to vote at 16 or the luxury tax were on the table. In the end I even received an invitation to the Bavarian state parliament.
In the summer of 2021, the bus finally rolled back onto the streets. The aim was to win the race against time and to sell a newspaper fresh from the press in time. Everyone stepped on the gas!
Of course there were breakdowns and burst tires on our long route. You can imagine that there is tension when you sit emotionally crowded together for so long. “When will we finally be there?” This perpetual question hung over our heads like the sword of Damocles and the annoyance with faulty printed copies made nothing easier. In the end, the number of fellow travelers was more than manageable. Maybe we should have followed the well-known rule less often and talked to the driver more while driving. And maybe the driver should have kept a better eye not only on the road but also on the passengers behind him. Maybe then we would have avoided some discrepancies in the last kilometers. In any case, everyone was happy when the bus doors opened for the last time and the ignition key was removed.
We will probably never travel together in this constellation again, but the result of our trip is impressive. We can “make leaves”!
Amanda Zaus reports for the JMF Read me editorial team at the Johann-Michael-Fischer-Gymnasium in Burglengenfeld.