Ames High’s award winning “Scratch Pad” is back for another wonderful year. With senior co-editors Jacob Pleasants and Brighton Prueger, this year promises to be very entertaining. “SPAD is always an exciting experience. Reading the hundreds of submissions from the student body is a great time,” Pleasants said. “Last year, we didn’t get as many submissions as we would have liked, and we hope to turn that around in this year’s publication. We’re going to try to step up publicity and maybe look into hosting some events, like a poetry slam.” Scratch Pad is an organization run by the students for the students. It publishes writings and art by AHS students. Scratch Pad has been thriving for over 20 years. The co-editors choose students who want to be on the editorial board by reviewing applications. The students who are chosen for the board review articles and drawings turned in by fellow students. The board meets once a week to decide what stays and what goes for the year’s issue. “We had a lot of great applications and we feel very good about this year’s board,” Pleasants said. “We will begin accepting submissions around the beginning of February, and we would very much like to encourage students to submit their finest literary pieces.” To submit to Scratch Pad, place entries in the Scratch Pad boxes that will be in many English and Art classrooms, as well as in the Media Center.