David Holmquist, age 57,  has been a teacher at Craig High School since 1991. Since 2014 he has served as the adviser for Craig’s student newspaper, the Criterion, and in 2021, he restarted Quill & Scroll, the international honor society for high school journalists.

He enjoys helping students to discover their writing voices and encourages them to find interesting stories and perspectives. Working on a high school newspaper offers a unique opportunity to tell the stories of a school year in ways that other media formats cannot. “News 15 or the Janesville Gazette will cover major events like lockdowns and varsity sports. But our school newspaper can write stories about our school’s teachers and students who often don’t get covered,” he said.

He likens Craig to a  small town, with similar challenges and stories to uncover. “Craig has 2000 inhabitants,” he said. “That is more than many small cities that have their own newspapers.” He added, “We have food services, law enforcement, health care, culture, entertainment. Potential stories are everywhere.” He hopes the newspaper becomes a go-to place for students and staff to be informed and that it provides a spark to conversations. “I want our paper to challenge people, to get them thinking and talking about what role Craig has in their lives and what we want this community of learners to be.”

Mr. Holmquist is a 1990 graduate of UW-Eau Claire, and he received his master’s degree from UW-Whitewater in 2004. He is married with three children and lives in Janesville.