Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2018

57 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.BestofMP.com I f you went to Wando High School in the past few decades, or had a child who did, you’ve heard of the school newspaper, the Tribal Tribune . Tammy Watkins is the teacher behind the student-produced publication that serves the largest high school in the state. She has been newspaper advisor for 32 of her 34 years at Wando and has grown the staff from nine students to 56. “It’s not me; it’s the students who put this together,” Watkins said. “This gives them a voice and an opportunity to be proud of something that they produce.” The Tribal Tribune student staff has risen to the challenge, and their product consistently earns awards at the state and national levels. Watkins considers her student staff a family and spends long days and late nights at press time cheering students on in their efforts to produce a paper that meets their own high standards. Though she readily credits her students, faculty and administrators for their outstanding support and talents, Watkins’ dedication to helping students find their voice and giving them the platform of a newspaper has changed the lives of many. Former students who now work in various careers from government positions to higher education have written Watkins to thank her for what they learned in her class. “The skills you learn in newspaper are what most people use every day in the real world,” she said. “You learn to talk to people, to think about the big picture, to ask the right questions. You learn to care about what’s right and what’s wrong and what’s important.” . t l s t zi . | .IL v t l asa t.c | .BestO . Photo by Thomas Runion. Photo by Jess Wood.