The Tom Gayda Redesign Philosophy

• Your newspaper should go through an overhaul each year. While professional papers may keep the same look for years, a scholastic publication is unique: the staff changes each year. I believe it is important for each staff to have input and create a paper that is uniquely theirs.

• Your newspaper should be designed with your audience in mind. You are creating a paper primarily for teenagers. Make sure the content and design are aiming at the appropriate audience. You are not making a newspaper for your grandparents.

• Balance the serious with the fun. Sometimes you must trick the reader into looking at your publication. Include fun regular features that readers will look forward to seeing each issue. Hopefully, they will stick around for the rest of the content, too.

• And while we are talking content, the design should never overpower the content. Your paper can be as pretty as you want it, but that won't matter if the content is lame.