Mission Statement

The AHS Web is a newspaper of the students, by the students, and for the students of Ames High School. The AHS Web staff writes to inform, to educate, to entertain, and to provide multiple viewpoints for the Ames High students, teachers, staff, and alumni. Freedom of expression is a “protector of truth” that prevents abuse, and as a student-edited newspaper, the Web strives to provide a public forum for student expression on important and prominent issues.

The Web recognizes that “students of the public schools have the right to exercise freedom of speech, including the right of expression in official school publications” and that “student editors of official school publications shall assign and edit the news, editorial and feature content of their publications” (Iowa Code 280.22). Following the Iowa Code, the Web will not knowingly publish material which is legally obscene, libelous, or intended to cause a material and substantial disruption of school activities.

As credibility is essential to good journalism, the Web staff will strive to honestly, accurately, fairly, and impartially report news that the staff deems important, interesting, and relevant to students. The staff will emphasize school news but will cover any community, state, national, or international news affecting the student body. The Web will not shy away from controversial or unpopular stories that have important news values.

If the staff discovers that a mistake bypassed the editors, a correction of major errors will be printed in the next issue in the section in which the mistake appeared.

Stands taken in the editorial represent the majority opinion of the editors on staff. Other opinion pieces, including those differing with the editorial, will be handled through regular columns, letters to the editor, and reviews.