Below is an interview with the project founder, Kyle Lowry. The text below contains information about Express, its history, and its future.

1. What was the purpose behind creating the first "My So-Called Digital Life"?

The original My So-Called Digital Life Book-Project was created by Bob Pletka, the former Director of Technology for CVUSD, and current Associate Superintendent for Vista Unified. The goal behind MSCDL was to give everyone a chance to see what school is like for a teenager in this modern world; and to give them the chance to speak for themselves.

2. What exactly was My So-Called Digital Life?

MSCDL gave 2,000 high school and middle school students the opportunity to explore and document their world through the use of digital cameras. Students would take photos of their life, write captions, and then submit their best ones to be narrowed down into the 350 photos that made it into the book. Throughout the entire process, students received guidance from their instructors and from professionals who chose to donate their time. Northview was one of the schools that participated in this project in 2005. NHS also received the honor of being the school whose students would actually edit and construct the book. As far as I know, there are no plans to continue the MSCDL project in the near future. MSCDL was very expensive as it provided numerous technologies and other opportunities to involved schools; it was made largely possible by corporate donations.

3. What is Express?

Ms. Jessica Tate at NHS was one of the participating instructors in MSCDL; as a photographer, she realized how amazing the opportunity was to be published in that project. As I also participated in many aspects of MSCDL and was the Head Student Editor of the book, I heard from my peers how excited and enthusiastic they were about MSCDL. Since it all ended in May 2005, I have been planning something similar to MSCDL: Express. The idea behind MSCDL was that no one but the students have any idea what their life is like; Bob Pletka wanted to change that. Any writer, photographer, or artist will tell you, self-expression is something you cannot put a price on. I developed a concept that rose partly from that, and the blogging craze: A project, conducted over the internet, which would allow students to express themselves in constructive ways to the world. The internet is the common tie between most every student; but it is not always a constructive thing. I want to create something that will change people’s conception of what the internet can and cannot do; and to show them how constructive it can be with the right direction. Later this school year, I will be introducing Express, an eZine (online magazine) that is run by Northview’s Journalism class.

4. Who can take part in the program?

Any student in Northview can submit writing, poetry, artwork, or digital photography. Journalism will conduct the editing and approval for submitted works and publish them to the Internet. They will also designate special topics and requests that students can theme their writing, photography, or artwork on. Journalism will be responsible for letting students know how to submit work and what guidelines there are. Later this year, Ms. Tate’s students will be publishing their digital photography online at Express: Galleries as well.

5. When is the program scheduled to take place?

The first phase, the eZine, is scheduled to begin early 2007. The second phase will commence once this project has expanded to a number of schools throughout California. Phase two will be a book project that takes work published on Express and turns it into a book available for purchase over the internet. The book will be designed and edited in a special publishing class at NHS over the course of one or more school years. Any work published in the eZine will be eligible to be published in the book.

6. Are you working with any other people on this project?

I will be working with several staff members at NHS during this project; as Express grows larger, I will be working with staff from other schools and other districts.

7. What types of events take place?

Depending on a number of factors, there will be several important events that take place later in this project’s life, including a documentary that follows the production of the nationwide book and the students who make it possible. There will also be scholarship awards for selected students published in both the eZine and the book. The scholarships will be funded by the proceeds of the book’s sales; again, all students published will be eligible.

8. How many people are involved in this program?

This first year of Express, the students of Northview, certain staff members, and myself will be involved. After Express has been run successfully for a given period of time, any high school who wishes to participate will be welcome to contribute. So, conceivably, this project can expand to well over 100,000 participating students over many districts and states during the project’s lifetime. Northview will be the very first school to participate in this enormous project and will likely receive nationwide attention because of it.

9. Other schools take part in Express? Are there different sections or is it one big group?

Eventually, I want other schools and school districts from across the country to take part. Express will culminate in a country-wide book project that will contain the work of high school students from every state. Each book phase will include work from all involved schools; as will the eZine. When the number of involved schools becomes too large, Journalism at NHS may no longer be able to run the eZine by themselves. In which case, a new elective course will be created that teaches the ins and outs of on-line publishing and other fundamental computer skills that are highly valued in the modern workplace; this class will then manage the eZine as a year-long project. The book will be divided into different sections based on the themes of the work; it will not be divided by the school/state.

10. How long does the program run for?

The eZine will always be available as long as there are students to manage and contribute. The book project phases will begin once we have enough material to publish. I would like this project to run for as long as we can. In other words, I would like to see this country-wide book project published every so many years; it would ideally become a part of public-school culture, something that middle school students can really look forward to in high school and something that everyone can look forward to reading.