The students behind Glendale High School’s newspaper have a sure thing for the next front page.
Jason Castro, a 2008 “American Idol” finalist and Atlantic Records singer-songwriter, gave an interview to the journalism class, an opening act for a lunchtime concert in the school quad Thursday.
The performance was the only show in Los Angeles County and one of 25 gigs in 25 cities to promote Castro’s first album out this spring.
“We’re pretty lucky to have him,” senior class President Shant Alvandyan said. “It’s cool how everyone is out with their phones taking pictures.”
Castro performed on the same ground where Van Halen rocked the campus in the mid-’70s when the band started to gain popularity, journalism advisor and Athletic Director Patrick Lancaster said.
The writers and editors for the Explosion newspaper weren’t sure whether Glendale High’s rock ’n’ roll history would make it into the front-page feature on Castro.
“[It will probably focus on] how genuine he is, and down to earth,” Editor-in-Chief Tina Petrosian said. “It’ll be a big spread with lots of photos.”
Who gets the assignment?
“It will probably be all of us,” senior Mari Khasmanyan said. “We were all taking notes.”
The monthly paper is no easy feat, students said. With a few weeks before deadline, students stay late after school writing and designing pages.
“We have a while to get this done, but there’s always a lot of editing and rewriting,” said Roger Quintanilla, a senior.
The handful of editors organize stories by page, sometimes discovering they are short on stories.
“So we start scrambling for stories,” Roger said.
Calls go out; interviews are rehashed; and new sources offer new tips.
“At the end of the day, we get the paper out,” junior Justine Valasquez said.
And Castro, 22, offered plenty of material for the feature package, touching on his education, musical background, training, as well as his experience with “American Idol” and in trying to break into the music business.
“I fell in love with songs and how the lyrics and sounds fall together,” Castro told the students. “The first time I went on ‘American Idol’ it was terrifying, but the biggest rush. There’s nothing like playing in front of people.”
Justine asked if being in a school setting made Castro nostalgic for his teenage years.
“Yeah, even though I tried to get out as fast as I could,” he said to laughs.
Students asked how Castro’s life had changed since his “American Idol” appearances.
He said that he doesn’t get the chance to speak to his family or friends as much.
Students also wanted to know about his style, influences and how they could make it in the business.
“There’s no one way or right way to do it, and it’s always changing,” Castro said.
His advice: Be undeniable.
“Where people can’t turn away,” he said. “They have to listen.”
