Cardinal Times staff says “goodbye” to 2020 seniors
May 29, 2020
The Cardinal Times Staff says goodbye to its five departing seniors, Archie Barnes, Kiley Hearst, Ella Mashroutechi, Calder Moon, and Evan Reynolds.
Barnes will be moving to New York City, Hearst will be headed to UC San Diego, Mashroutechi plans to go to Portland Community College, Moon will be going to the University of Alabama Huntsville, and Reynolds will be attending Clark Honors College.
The staff will miss these seniors and their amazing work on the Cardinal Times. We hope for the best for them and their lives beyond Lincoln.
Evan Reynolds: Editor-in-chief
Photo courtesy of Evan Reynolds
Senior Evan Reynolds, The Cardinal Times’ former editor-in-chief, will be attending Clark Honors College at University of Oregon.
Former editor-in-chief senior Evan Reynolds brought a colorful and uplifting energy to the newsroom. His lively comments and outbursts sparked excitement among the staff.
“Ever since I met Evan, he was always the most enthusiastic person in the room,” said managing digital editor Hadley Steele. “[It] encouraged everyone to speak their minds and just have fun while creating something we all could be proud of.”
Reynolds selected Mass Communications as his second-alternate elective three years ago. Although he had no expectations of continuing when he began the class, an article published that year in The Cardinal Times called “Abused and Afraid,” an investigative story that exposed the sexual assault of a student by a former Lincoln teacher, convinced him to join the newspaper full-time.
“Journalism has given me a deeper understanding of the enormous responsibility media has in shaping narratives and spreading the truth, and how important truth is to a functional society,” said Reynolds. “Promoting truth, ethics and responsibility in news reporting have to be top priorities for anyone seeking real change.”
During his junior year, Reynolds served as a news and features editor. He won several awards for his impassioned editorials and his review “Battle of the Sexes, a Hillary Clinton Movie in a Donald Trump World,” was published in The New York Times. Reynolds decided to apply for the role of editor-in-chief.
This past fall, Reynolds inherited a young staff– the rest of the staff had graduated in 2019.
“We had 20-something new staffers all on the job while we tried to grow our digital branch and put out monthly quality print issues. Despite all these challenges, I think we put out some of the best work I’ve seen in my three years doing this,” he said. “I’m excited about what the paper can become in the next few years.”
As the Cardinal Times’ editor-in-chief, Reynolds created an environment of responsible journalism and turned the newspaper into a digital-priority publication. Reynolds made it a priority for reporters to focus on telling the stories, not just writing news.
“People have this wrong idea that storytelling and reporting are mutually exclusive when the best reporting often is storytelling. When you look at some of the best journalistic works of the past few years– think [the uncovering of the Weinstein assaults], the [photojournalism from the Hong Kong protests]– you notice that they’re filled with emotion and intrigue and narrative,” he said. “Trying to do quality reporting without showing the human element just isn’t as effective.”
In addition to his successes as editor-in-chief, Reynolds encountered challenges. After being named editor-in-chief he spontaneously ran for office and was elected co-ASB president with senior Anya Anand.
The staff of the paper developed a protocol so that other editors, not Reynolds, oversaw any stories involving ASB; however, as the publication’s responsibility to hold people in power accountable was called into question, Reynolds transitioned out of editor-in-chief at the beginning of this semester, and The Cardinal Times now has a policy in place preventing editors from holding executive ASB offices.
“No one should ever, ever, ever be in those two roles at the same time ever again,” agreed Reynolds.
In many of his articles and editorials Reynolds explored the tensions he sees in the Lincoln community.
“One of [Lincoln’s] biggest problems is that we have a large population who engage in performative wokeness, who ‘walk the walk and talk the talk,’ so to speak, but consistently fail to hold each other accountable and show up on the issues that matter,” he said. “You have issues and movements being inflated by people who want to be in on the “trends” and take up space where they shouldn’t, only to be deflated when those same students undermine them and don’t show up for them.”
Despite his critique of parts of Lincoln’s culture, Reynolds has respect for the adults who work hard to improve students’ lives, as well as an appreciation for students who care about fighting for underrepresented voices.
“There are a lot of amazing people I got to know over my four years here and I’m going to miss them terribly. And one of the hardest parts of quarantine is not being able to say goodbye to the amazing teachers I’ve had– the ones who’ve really changed my outlook on learning and on life,” he said.
Reynolds was raised by Deaf parents and grew up in a bilingual home. He praised Lincoln’s ASL program, which has worked to normalize Deaf culture.
“I think knowing both English and ASL and interpreting my entire life has given me a predisposition to communication and learning other people’s stories,” he said. “Ableism, like all other systems of oppression, is a powerful force, and one that can’t easily be counteracted if the people it targets aren’t seen and heard. So if you meet a Deaf person– treat them like a person.”
Reynolds hopes to pursue a career in grassroots organizing and will major in political science at Clark Honors College. It was his passion for politics that inspired him to join Lincoln’s Constitution Team his sophomore year.
“[Constitution Team] speaks to a broader theme I’ve learned in high school– go all-in on whatever you’re passionate or curious about,” he said. Figure yourself out. That’s what this old, decrepit building is here for.”
Reynolds has advice for future Cardinal Times staff.
“As the world evolves, so must journalism, or else it will die. So don’t be afraid of pushing boundaries with your coverage or challenging existing paradigms– because ten, 20, 30 years from now, people might look back on it and realize it was ahead of its time,” said Reynolds. “I wish I had more time to see what this paper’s gonna become. I feel like we were only just getting started before I had to go. But I have enormous faith in… the entire staff to use what we’ve learned this year and work to build something greater and bigger, beyond what I could ever have imagined.”
Ella Mashroutechi: Managing print editor
Photo courtesy of Ella Mashroutechi
Senior Ella Mashroutechi, former managing print editor, is attending Portland Community College this fall.
When Ella Mashroutechi reflects on her time at Lincoln and on The Cardinal Times, she looks back fondly on the friendships she made and the lessons she learned.
Mashroutechi joined the Mass Communications class as a sophomore based on her counselor’s recommendation. In her junior year, she joined The Cardinal Times staff as a reporter and photographer.
“I got really passionate about writing and journalism and it felt really amazing to put in the work into an article and then see it get published,” Mashroutechi said. “I was hoping I’d get better at writing and expressing myself with words, which ultimately happened.”
As a senior, Mashroutechi became the paper’s managing print editor. She supervised section editors, edited articles, communicated with the editor-in-chief and worked on the layout of the paper.
Looking back on her three years on The Cardinal Times, Mashroutechi feels especially proud of the work she and her classmates were able to produce during this school year.
“The paper this year took a big turn. We tried our best to improve it [from last year] and I think we [did],” she said. “We published some really great pieces, thanks to our amazing writers.”
Mashroutechi values her fellow writers and will remember most the friendships that she made. Her favorite memory is a trip the staff took to Anaheim, Calif. to attend a high school journalism convention.
“When we went on a school trip, we got to go to Disneyland and we had the best time,” said Mashroutechi. “We really got to bond as a staff and it felt really cool.”
Fellow senior and former Cardinal Times Editor-in-Chief Evan Reynolds says he’s grateful for Mashroutechi’s hard work and dedication to the paper.
This year, Mashroutechi, Reynolds and current Editor-in-Chief Cole Pressler were responsible for most major editorial and content decisions in The Cardinal Times.
“Not everything worked, but I can’t stress enough how much none of it would have worked if it hadn’t been for Ella,” Reynolds said. “She was really the one able to keep things grounded and focused– and she was also definitely the best at managing deadlines and keeping reporters on task.”
After spending time studying journalism, Mashroutechi says she’s learned a lot, but the most important lesson she has learned is the importance of honest journalism and good writing.
“Being on a newspaper staff and seeing the production process and actually doing it has made me appreciate writers and journalists around the world,” said Mashroutechi. “It’s also made me realize how much the journalism industry is in danger due to the current political environment we live in, locally and globally, and what it could mean if we stop being honest as journalists and abandon our own integrity.”
Mashroutechi plans to attend Portland Community College in the fall to major in Business Administration with a possible focus in marketing. She is also interested in Art History and writing. After attending PCC, Mashroutechi hopes to transfer to another school outside of Oregon.
As for the future of The Cardinal Times, Mashroutechi is optimistic.
“I’m so proud of all the editors and reporters I’ve had the chance to work with,” she said. “I just hope the other students that take over keep on putting in the care and effort that we’ve all put into the work and make sure the legacy stays true. Go Cards!”
Archie Barnes: Managing digital editor
Photo courtesy of Archie Barnes
Junior Archie Barnes, a managing digital editor, is graduating early to pursue his fashion career.
When encouraged by former Cardinal Times staff member Oscar Harold to apply for an editor role, current managing digital editor Archie Barnes decided to go for it. Barnes had taken Mass Communications and was wondering what it would be like to become part of the staff after seeing copies of The Cardinal Times floating around the school.
Barnes– a junior– thought that he could contribute to the paper in an impactful way. Alongside staff members Gabe Rosenfield and Anselmo Iturri, Barnes created the Pit Stop Music podcast.
The critique podcast covered topics from the Top Ten Worst Bands of All Time to interviewing musicians that attend Lincoln. Barnes believes Pit Stop Music is intended to expose the everyday music listener to new music and introduce different genres of music that they wouldn’t have listened to otherwise.
“I’ve never had more fun working on something at school and it was something that came super easy to all three of us,” says Barnes.
Recently, Pit Stop Music was featured on the Journalism Education Association (JEA) Digital Media website, where Barnes talked about what makes Pit Stop special and how to make an effective podcast. The trio is hoping to continue creating episodes even after Barnes graduates.
When not working on stories or podcasts, Barnes spends his time designing and creating new pieces for his clothing brand, Moose. Barnes has long had a passion for fashion and after generating praise from people other than his family and friends for his sewing skills, he decided to create a career out of it. Barnes is known for experimenting with unconventional materials and turning them into functional pieces of clothing.
“I think that the only thing that sets my clothing aside from other people’s is the balance that I have between making the craziest stuff I possibly can and making stuff that’s actually wearable,” he says.
Barnes recognizes the subjectivity of art and how ineffective it is to discredit people’s opinions about your art by saying that their opinions don’t affect you.
“I think real confidence comes from being transparent and letting people know you care, while still trying to change the world. We’re all human and we all just want to succeed in some way,” says Barnes.
Earlier this year, Barnes signed with a modeling agency based out of New York City and this year spent many weeks in New York furthering his career. Because he only needed to complete one more English credit in order to graduate, Barnes decided to graduate early so he could focus on modeling without having to worry about simultaneously finishing high school.
Barnes wants to continue creating and learning about the world of fashion at art school in either New York or London, depending on where he is based at the time. He hopes to eventually start his own clothing company and live in Japan.
Kiley Hearst: News and Features editor
While the Lincoln community only got to experience senior Kiley Hearst for two and a half years, her presence in the school and on The Cardinal Times will be greatly missed by all. Hearst’s blend of leadership skills and kindness was a great asset to the paper, something the whole newspaper staff will miss.
Hearst was the paper’s news and features editor this year, and even though she had to split her time between the publication’s sixth-period class and German 9-10, she always attended at least half the class period to help out and edit pieces to create polished work.
Hearst joined the Lincoln community in January of her sophomore year after spending seven months abroad in Germany.
Hearst took Mass Communications as a junior, where she wrote a handful of articles that were featured in the paper. She continued onto The Cardinal Times as a senior because she loved the class and was excited about the opportunity to be an editor.
“I enjoy being an editor because I can go in and read other people’s pieces and get insight into what’s going on in the school,” says Hearst. “I also really like the opportunity to go and talk to other people and actually get information that I can write about and find topics that I think people should know more about and really package them in a way that I think people would enjoy learning about them.”
Hearst’s favorite article was a staff profile she wrote on a coworker last year.
“It was really cool to see this other side of her that I had never known existed,” says Hearst, as she learned that her friend was using her role as a Girl Scout to promote dental hygiene in kids across Portland.
When Hearst isn’t writing, she can always be found in the kitchen, baking treats for her friends and family. During quarantine, she’s had even more time to perfect her baking and cooking skills. Hearst is also using this time as an opportunity to learn how to cross-stitch, a skill that goes along with her favorite class at Lincoln, Art of Product Design.
Hearst was very disappointed that her time at Lincoln ended early and she was not able to participate in many senior traditions.
“My favorite memory at Lincoln might be watching all the seniors walk into the assemblies and then [hoping to] finally get to do that myself– although I didn’t get to do it at the end of the year like we all hoped,” she says.
Hearst enjoyed her time on The Cardinal Times staff. She describes the best part of being on the paper as “just being able to sit around the table with everybody and see everyone’s faces and… talk to a bunch of people who have really cool ideas for where they want to see the school going and what things they think are important to bring to the rest of the community.”
Hearst mentored junior Bella Lo this year, who will take over as the next news and features editor.
“My favorite part about working with Kiley was how she made me feel welcome as a reporter on The Cardinal Times staff. I am very grateful for the training she gave me,” says Lo. “Making sure I knew what to do and answering my questions at each stage in each production cycle made me feel more comfortable transitioning into the editor role.”
Lo will miss Hearst’s maturity, kindness, passion for journalism and leadership skills that she brought to the class.
“I noticed from the start [of the year] how caring and nice she was to her fellow classmates and also how funny she was. Kiley always knew how to answer our questions and made sure we were on track as news and features reporters. I looked forward to working with her each class,” says Lo.
Hearst will be attending UC San Diego next year, where she will be pursuing a STEM major and might write for the paper. As she departs Lincoln, Hearst had a message for The Cardinal Times staff.
“I’m really grateful for the chance to work with all the really cool people within The Cardinal Times and these awesome people who love to write,” she says. “It’s been a real pleasure to get to know everybody.”
Calder Moon: Cartoonist
Walking into the Cardinal Times headquarters at Lincoln, it’s not unusual to see senior Calder Moon, The Cardinal Times’ cartoonist, scrawling down his latest idea for a drawing.
Although he was never one for talking, Moon played a key part in the publication. His drawings breathed life into every issue, adding a sense of comedic relief from the mundane and often stressful issues here at Lincoln.
“I really enjoyed reading Calder’s comics,” says Gabe Rosenfield, a podcast editor on The Cardinal Times. “They were all pretty different from each other and always made me laugh.”
After graduating from Lincoln this year, Calder plans to attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville, aiming to become an aerospace engineer.
“I’ve always been interested in outer space and I’m glad to have found a field that suits my interest,” he said.
Aside from being The Cardinal Times’ main cartoonist for three years, Moon also wrote some articles and opinion pieces. Some of these included an in-depth profile on a senior musician, a political piece on the 2020 presidential candidates, and a list of “dos and don’ts” for incoming freshmen.
“Working on The Cardinal Times taught me to take initiative. You can’t always wait for someone to tell you what to do.”
Moon’s cartoons spanned all the way from sending political messages to shedding a comedic light on the current Coronavirus pandemic. In his most recent piece of work, Moon depicts white blood cells inside a body freaking out over the virus the same way humans are.
Nothing made Moon happier than passing his comics around the newsroom and seeing the reactions that ensued. With a creative hole left within The Cardinal Times after his departure, only time will reveal who will be able to match the high standards that he set for other artists.
Moon worked on his comics alone, spending his time completing a checklist of what he needed to do before his cartoons went to print. The only part he didn’t complete, however, was going over his cartoons in ink.
“Like my drawings, I never want anything in my life to be set in stone. I need to be able to change things sometimes,” he said.