2008 Woodie Awards
High School Student Delivers Good News
Student Takes Initiative to Start Community Newspaper of His Own
Kristin Walker
Issue date: 10/12/05 Section: Life
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Yes, this is a demanding schedule, but Ryan Salwak, who is a junior at Western Christian High School in Covina, welcomes challenges with all the enthusiasm of a journalist chasing a story.
Literally.
Salwak, 17, has spent the last four years publishing his own community newspaper, The Weekly Tribute.
"I love doing a service to people and a community," he said. "I try to cover things other papers overlook. Things that people would love to read in the morning."
When he was 12, Salwak hoped to get a job as a newspaper carrier. It wasn't lack of ambition that stopped him; it was his age. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune and the Los Angeles Times require carriers to be at least 18 years old.
Salwak was undeterred. His response? He decided to create his own community paper for his La Verne neighborhood.
What began four years ago as a handwritten project has now evolved into a computer-designed, professionally printed newspaper. Salwak's original one-page edition has grown into 20, 30, and sometimes even 50 pages for holiday editions.
The Weekly Tribute may seem like an odd name for a monthly newspaper, but as the paper transitioned from a weekly edition to a monthly edition, Salwak simply kept the original name.
Now Salwak prints 200 copies of The Weekly Tribute and has 180 subscribers from West Covina to Upland.
Salwak applied his inquisitive nature to learning how to publish a newspaper. He has a little help from friends and family, but his name is all over the paper: writer, photographer, artist, editor, carrier, advertising manager. He also designs the pages, gets the layout to the printing press, and packages the finished product.
Salwak is also environmentally sensitive; he uses recycled bags to package the paper.
Salwak only recently got a learners permit, so Dr. Dale Salwak, professor of English at Citrus College, helps with his son's delivery of The Weekly Tribute. One Saturday a month, around midnight, Dr. Salwak drives while his son tosses the paper into customers' driveways.
Dr. Salwak said he is constantly amazed by his son's enterprising nature. His involvement in the paper's production is usually limited to checking grammar or to listening "when he [Ryan] gets stuck," he said.
Running a business requires financial responsibility. Subscriptions to The Weekly Tribute are 50 cents per issue but increase to $1 for holiday issues between October and December. That money is considered a profit and is put into a savings account.
Salwak prints in black and white and sells ad space to local businesses to offset production costs, which average around $300 per month. Ads usually cover half of the bills, and his father makes up the difference.
Salwak strives to meet self-imposed deadlines for every issue. Sometimes in the interest of school and his involvement in other activities, he misses deadline. It can be frustrating, but is good practice for the future, he said.
"A lot of his pressure is self-imposed," Dr. Salwak said. "I think he's a lot like me; he likes that healthy pressure."
Balancing several different projects isn't always easy, but Salwak is adept at multi-tasking.
At Western Christian High School, he enjoys his journalism class, which produces the school newspaper, The Western Spirit. And whether he is riding his bike, hanging out with friends or on his way to school, he is always looking for news.
"Whenever we travel, the first place he wants to go is the newsstand," Dr. Salwak said.
Salwak's preference for positive stories and photographs is clearly stated in the newspaper's slogan: "The positive paper that brings positive news." The recent September issue featured a story about four girls who set up a lemonade stand to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims.
Occasionally Salwak has the opportunity to cover events outside of his neighborhood. He has been to the Academy Awards, the World Series, and a press conference given by former Gov. Gray Davis and Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger in Claremont. A combination of press pass, camera, age, and natural eagerness has gotten him into places that might otherwise be off-limits.
"People see themselves in him, when they were a kid," said Dr. Salwak as a possible explanation of his son's ability to get through security. Dr. Salwak said that he tags along after his son.
The Weekly Tribute is divided into several sections including local events, California, sports, food, and health. Each issue has recipes and word games that can be worked out over a cup of coffee. Subscribers are encouraged to send in photos of pets for Pet of the Week.
Margaret O'Neil, professor of communications at Citrus College, recalled a language arts department Christmas party two years ago when Salwak brought copies of his newspaper.
"That's when I became a subscriber," she said. "I was so impressed."
On top of everything else he is doing, Salwak recently decided to spend his Tuesday afternoons volunteering in the Clarion newsroom at Citrus College. He will help the journalism staff deliver the campus newspaper and maintain the newsstands.
Salwak is particularly interested in the mechanics of professional newspaper printing and production. As for the future of The Weekly Tribute, Salwak said that he plans to continue producing the newspaper.
"I'm hoping someday it can become a big city paper," he said.
Information about subscriptions and delivery are available at (909) 593-5374.