Kaimin veteran relishes new challenge as editor

By Chelsi Moy
J-School Web Reporter

The new editor at the Montana Kaimin has wasted no time getting her reporters into shape. Jessie Childress, a senior in UM's School of Journalism, began assigning stories and setting deadlines a week before school started. Childress has been working to improve production at the student-run newspaper and make it easier to read.

"Everything can be done on a deadline," Childress said. "This is the paper’s 105th year, so there’s a strong precedent for getting this thing out. That makes me feel better."

Photo by Josh Parker

Jessie Childress is the new editor of the Montana Kaimin

Childress thinks the Kaimin does a great job informing students, and she intends to maintain that high level of coverage. She has no intention of altering the Kaimin's layout, but hopes to work on editing, copyediting, and design. One of her goals is to reduce the number of mistakes in the Kaimin.
Childress grew up in Missoula and became interested in journalism after joining the staff of the Lance at Hellgate High School, where she managed the editorial page. In the summer of 1999, Childress worked on The Midway Dispatch, a special section of the Missoulian published during the week of the Missoula County Fair. In 2000, her senior year of high school, Childress spent much of her time reporting for the Represent page, a biweekly page in the Missoulian.

Childress is beginning her third year on the Kaimin staff, and has been news editor and chief copy editor. Yet Childress admits nothing can quite prepare someone for the editor’s position. She is grateful for the guidance from last year's Kaimin editor, Courtney Lowery, who has made the transition a smooth one. Childress also has confidence in her staff of reporters, which, she said, helps relieve some of the tension.

The Kaimin staff becomes more than friends, she said: "They are more like an extended family."
Kaimin staff members may still be learning their beats, but Childress has been organizing and planning since the beginning of August.

"When no one’s here it's like conducting an absent orchestra," she said.

In fact, Childress was so focused on a recent afternoon that it was hard for her to stray from her newsroom duties to answer a few questions.

"I’m sorry," she said in mid-sentence. "I'm not giving you a very good interview. Today has been so hectic and my mind is on all the stories due."

This is not uncommon in the life of a Kaimin editor.

Amid the pressures and stress that accompany the job, Childress remains optimistic. She welcomes the challenge of "crunch time" and enjoys the newspaper’s quick tempo. Whether it is interpreting the news through editorials or reporting the news to readers, Childress said participating in the paper makes her feel more involved in her community.

"When you are covering the news, you feel like you’re a part of it," she said. "I love reading the news in the morning and just knowing we’re going to cover everything,"

Covering everything is easier said than done. This long-time reporter is no stranger to long, late nights in the newsroom. She has developed a special relationship with the newspaper — some may even call it an addiction. The more hours she puts into it, the more she loves it.

"The Kaimin is like having another boyfriend," said Childress. "If you’re with one, then you feel like your cheating on the other."

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