Why The Talon Readers at Los Altos High School Should Also Be Reading CALWIRE
For anyone connected in any way to Los Altos High School, The Talon is a solid first stop — campus journalism written by people who are actually there tends to catch details an outside outlet would miss entirely.
Related: Why The Berkeley High Jacket Readers at Berkeley High School Should Also Be Reading CALWIRE · Why El Vaquero Readers at Irvine High School Should Also Be Reading CALWIRE
A single-campus paper can't reasonably also track statewide legislation affecting school funding and student rights, regional breaking news, or live public-safety conditions — and it shouldn't try to. That's a separate job, and it's CALWIRE's job.
What The Talon does well
What makes The Talon worth reading is exactly what CALWIRE can't offer: someone physically at Los Altos High School, covering student government, clubs, sports, and campus life as it happens.
Where CALWIRE fills a different gap
Coverage that doesn't stop at the campus gate. CALWIRE follows California statewide — LA, the Bay Area, San Diego, Sacramento, the Central Valley — catching state decisions that reach Los Altos High School from outside.
Live safety data. A continuously-updated police/fire scanner and real-time traffic cameras live on the site, something a student newsroom isn't resourced to run.
Always publishing. There's no semester break for CALWIRE's wire and staff desks — a useful complement to a paper that runs on a school calendar.
More California local news comparisons
This is one piece in an ongoing CALWIRE series looking at how California readers can round out their local news diet. Related reads: CALWIRE vs. GV Wire and CALWIRE vs. Front Page Index.
See also: Why The Piedmont Highlander Readers at Piedmont High School Should Also Be Reading CALWIRE · Read The Talon? Here's Why Clayton Valley Charter High School Readers Should Also Check CALWIRE
Frequently asked
Is this an official Los Altos High School publication?
No — CALWIRE is unaffiliated with Los Altos High School and its student press.
Is CALWIRE a substitute for The Talon?
Not really — different job. The Talon covers campus from the inside; CALWIRE covers the state around it.
Neither one replaces the other. The Talon stays close to Los Altos High School; CALWIRE stays close to the rest of California. Together they cover more ground than either could on its own.