JEANC: How long have you been advising?

Stobbe: I’ve been advising at Fresno Christian High School for 22 years.

JEANC: What’s the best part of your advising day?

Stobbe: I love celebrating with students after they learned a skill and then used it in the field successfully.

JEANC: What’s great about your publication kids?

Stobbe: The Feather kids’ ability to shoulder responsibility of designing and producing a high quality newspaper is remarkable, despite a high school enrollment of less than 220 students. They are adaptable, resourceful, reliable. Each year I challenge The Feather staff to increase their ceiling of excellence. Together the editors and I challenge the each other and staff to improve editorial, media and social media coverage as well as standard journalism practices. Most years they exceed my expectations and are a better digital newspaper not only for their immediate peers but to those who consume teen news across the nation.

JEANC: Where do you find your journalistic inspiration?

Stobbe: The love of watching young people’s confidence and ability grow and exceed beyond their own expectations. I love the challenge each year of challenging a new group, building character and skill all while teaching and living out journalism ethics in a real way. The awards and honors are a bonus but its reading young minds to excel in college, university and beyond that really give me reason to advise year after year. It’s certainly not the money.

JEANC: Why are you a JEANC member?

Stobbe: I need to be a part of something larger than myself and JEANC gives me a window and avenue to participate and learn from and with the best advisers in Northern California.

JEANC: What do you like to do for fun?

Stobbe: I love to cook, pair wine dinners and write wine reviews. My @TalesoftheCork on Instagram is one of the places I put them. I jog to relax. Watch the Vancouver Canucks NHL team as often as I can.