Education Update Launches Innovative Middle School Journalism Initiative
By Adam Sugerman
In September, the staff of Education Update launched the Middle School Journalism Initiative with students from two inner-city public schools: The Young Women’s Leadership School in Harlem and Public School 169, a school for special-needs children, on the Upper East Side.
Our goal is to enable middle schoolers to sharpen their literary skills and take ownership of their own school newspapers, in the process, learning to interview, report, research, write, photograph, edit, proofread and design. An integral part of their work will be embracing the lifelong skills of analysis, critical thinking and giving as well as receiving constructive criticism.
We will also teach students the financial side of publishing, including advertising, selecting paper, developing a business plan, and distribution.
An important component of the initiative is to organize field visits to a variety of educational venues (behind the scenes at The New York Times, behind the scenes at Rockefeller University, a visit to an animal hospital) as well as to invite professionals in the industry to our students’ “newsrooms.” The New York Times is excited about our project, as is the New York Press Club. Both organizations will be providing their reporters to work with our students.
We are proud to publish our first group of students’ interviews of school staff including teachers, assistant principals, crisis intervention counselors, and the school nurse. #
