In March, Falconer feature editor Jenny Diamond interviewed the best friends of two slain students from Santana High School in Santee. What's interesting to me are the people behind the facts. Occasionally, the Falconer's reporting can put Henderson at odds with her colleagues. That's probably good for a journalist, to look critically at issues and keep the establishment honest. She also has seen the awards pile up.
Trophies fill eight shelves in the journalism workroom.
Falconer staffers often receive multiple awards at school newspaper conventions, she said. One of her philosophies is everyone does everything. That means all students write stories, design pages and sell ads. Getting a place on the Falconer's staff of 35 can be competitive. Prerequisites include earning an A in beginning journalism and achieving seniority on a waiting list.