Contributions by Type
Contributions by Type
1) Informational Articles
The details: Informational pieces (for our purposes) are articles
written to inform a reader. They include most of what we think of
as "reporting" (covering recent events, explaining a current issue,
etc.); they also include "how-to" articles and other pieces, such
as describing to the reader a little-known place or pasttime. Informational
articles about an issue should accurately portray both sides of that issue
whenever possible. At the moment, we are especially looking for sports
writers to tell our readers about how PHS's teams are doing
on the playing field/court. Photos are encouraged, as they both draw attention
to your article and allow for easier formatting.
How to submit: E-mail all informational articles as plain/rich text
or as an attachment (.rtf, .doc, and .wpd only, please) to staff@phsphoenix.com.
2) Editorials and Creative Writing
The details: Editorials are articles written to take a stance
on an issue; creative pieces are written to entertain. Examples of
editorials include satire, humor pieces, political articles in which a side
is taken on a candidate/issue, riddles, etc. Photos are encouraged, as they
both draw attention to your article and allow for easier formatting. For
extended creative pieces (more than 800 words), feel free to submit a shortened version or a "teaser," and we will provide our readers with a link to the full text version online.
How to submit: E-mail all informational articles as plain/rich text
or as an attachment (.rtf, .doc, and .wpd only, please) to staff@phsphoenix.com.
Non-regular contributors to the Phoenix who want to write short editorials
(letters to the editor) are encouraged to make the e-mail's subject line "Letter
to the Editor."
3) Events
The details: We want to know what's going on, so that all
of our readers can know too! Tell us about any upcoming local event that you
think people should know about - whether it's a a Southbury/Middlebury town
event, or your band's next gig. (Make sure that your event is happening after
the release date of next issue, of course.) Event information contributors
will generally not be recognized under the "Issue __ Staff" section
of the Phoenix.
How to submit: E-mail event information (date, time, title, short
description) to us at staff@phsphoenix.com.
(Put "Event" somewhere in the subject line to make sure it is put
in our Upcoming Events section.)
4) Photos
The details: We are always looking for relevant and/or interesting
photos (e.g. of recent school events) for our articles, collages, and photo
gallery. All submitted photos should be taken by you, and some basic information
about the photo (what it is of and who is in it) is always helpful.
How to submit: E-mail photos as attachments (most picture
types work, but .jpg and .png are preferable) to our address at staff@phsphoenix.com.
Please limit the total size of your attachments to 5MB.
5) Donations
The details: On average, printing the Phoenix (black-and-white
only) for our readers costs about $70 every two weeks - and as we include
more material in each issue and gain more readers, costs will rise. Printing
costs are currently paid by the editor. By contributing as little as $1
per month, you can help keep the Phoenix afloat. More, of course,
is always better! All donors of at least $1 every issue will be named in a
special Donors section at the back of that issue; all donors of more than
$5, $10, $50, and $100 will be named as such in the Donors section. Please
note that any contributions in excess of printing costs will be saved to defray
later costs; if there is still excess money (which is certainly not yet the
case), it will be invested only in other Phoenix expenses
(e.g. voice recorder/camera purchases); all donors will be notified of any
expenses beyond printing costs.
How to submit: This can be a bit tricky. We ask that no donations
be made in Pomperaug itself, so currently the only way to donate is to give
the money to a Phoenix staff member outside of school. We are working
on a permanent place where money can be donated, so feel free to e-mail us
(staff@phsphoenix.com) if you want
to donate but aren't sure how.
6) The Arts
The details: Feel free to submit any visual artwork (from
short videos to photo collages to comics Impressionist paintings, and everything
in between), and audio clips (a demo of your band's new song, or
maybe a clip from your performance at a benefit concert), to the Phoenix.
(For info on creative writing, see #2 on this page.) Let us know the title
(if there is one), and when the piece was created; also, if there is any back
story, we'd love to hear it. We will only be able to feature (at most) one
or two pieces from each category per issue, depending on space, so don't be
disappointed if your submission is held for a later issue.
How to submit: E-mail all static visual artwork as (an)
attachment(s) to our address at staff@phsphoenix.com.
(Most picture types work, but .jpg and .png are preferable.) Because of the
size of videos, the Phoenix cannot host them directly, but
if you upload them to a hosting service (e.g. YouTube), e-mail us to give
us the link. Audio files should be e-mailed to us as attachments
(.mp3 only). Please limit the total size of your attachments
to 5MB.
7) Your Time (Miscellaneous Ways to Help)
The details: There are always things to do at the Phoenix
that will help keep your favorite news magazine running smoothly, and which
don't require you to be a Twain or a Rembrandt. Though this list
is subject to change, we are currently looking for people to:
- interview teachers (a regular, biweekly position)
- help index past issues (sorting articles by category and issue)
- expand our polling base and come up with new, interesting polls
- provide important sports information (scores, important upcoming matches,
etc.) (a regular, biweekly position)
- advertise/market: not enough people know that the Phoenix exists,
and we need to get the word out!
- raise funds to cover printing costs (note that no fundraising can occur
in school)
- help manage the Phoenix staff (remind writers of their column and
due dates, get an idea of the contribution level each issue, etc.)
- find new members: underclassmen are shamefully underrepresented in the Phoenix,
and we want to change that!
How to submit: If you are interested in helping out in
any of these capacities, or have any other talents/ideas, let us know by e-mailing
us (including your name and grade) at staff@phsphoenix.com.
8) Feedback
The details: We are always eager to hear your thoughts on the Phoenix.
We want to hear your critiques (was last issue's poll a stupid idea?
Did we butcher your name in a caption?), your ideas and suggestions
(should we focus more on the upcoming sports season? Should we rank students
and teachers?), and information (are your AP class sizes at the target
levels? Did three of your friends just get suspended unjustly?) - tell us
what you think! Feedback contributors will generally not be recognized under
the "Issue __ Staff" section of the Phoenix.
How to submit: Though we are tossing around the idea of a "Suggestions"
box next to the Phoenix for anonymity, currently the best way to
reach us with feedback is at our e-mail address, staff@phsphoenix.com.
A note on anonymity: The Phoenix does not print anonymous submissions, though we may look into or act on anonymous information or suggestions.