Bill Minutaglio/Taylor High School/Magdalena Zavala

Magdalena Zavala at Taylor High School is doing wonderful work keeping the fires of journalism burning bright -- with her extensive background in news, her passion for the profession and the high energy she brings to the classroom. And the journalism students at Taylor should give great hope to anyone who wonders about the future of journalism -- they ask good questions, are smart and attentive, and many of them should help to keep the news business very alive and vibrant in years to come.

I'm reminded of this by my high school daughter - the technology is changing all the time. 

But, talking to the great students at Taylor reminded me of something else -- some time-honored things (like the responsibilities of journalists and pursuing the truth, fairness and justice . . . and, oh yeah, meeting deadlines) will never change. The future journalists from Taylor will be gathering and delivering the news in ways we can't imagine right now -- but I have a strong sense that they will do it with those everlasting ideals that still form the bedrock of journalism.

Some researchers have suggested, as we move more firmly into a world of "citizen journalists," that journalism become a required course in every high school. Seems like there are already some proactive students and educators at Taylor High who are getting ready to tell the stories, gather the news. -- Bill Minutaglio