Do you want to write about your passions, engage with the school community, and work collaboratively with your friends? If you answered “yes” to any of these, then maybe Tallwood High School’s Journalism elective is right for you.
Journalism is defined by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as “an academic study concerned with the collection and editing of news or the management of a news medium,” but what does that mean for the students?
“In Journalism class, they learn how to be student reporters, so they learn how to conduct interviews, they learn how to write news and features stories, they learn how to manage and publish a regular online newspaper,” Journalism teacher Mr. Matthew Denvir said of his students.
That’s right: Not only do students write original stories, they are even published online on the Roaring Gazette website. Although this may sound somewhat intimidating, students agree that the class is easy once you get used to it.
“I think at first it can feel [difficult]…you’re going to feel nervous getting out of your comfort zone,” said Leilani Williams, a student currently working on the new, original comic strip that is to be released alongside the third issue of this year.
Despite the apparent struggle of getting started, overall the class is a 4/10 in difficulty, according to the average of four students’ responses.
A common thread in Journalism students’ opinions of the class was an admiration for the creative liberties granted to student reporters.
“I like how lax it is. Creativity and school involvement are the things I like best about Journalism class,” said Lincey Chu, a student working on a new article, titled Meet a Lion: Mr. Ordonio. In observing the class, one can easily see a strong bond between the students, who are frequently laughing and engaging in humorous conversations in the process of their work.
The first weeks of the class consist mainly of an introduction to journalistic writing, with a crash course in the Associated Press’s style guidelines and key concepts such as the inverted pyramid organizational style. As the class progresses, students are allowed to write their own stories, acquainting themselves with the complexities of journalism.
If you are interested in taking Journalism, consider talking to Mr. Denvir in room A109 to learn more!
