Empowering Young Journalists: Easton Elementary’s Newspaper Club

Quiet are the usual bustling halls of Easton Elementary School (EES), emptied of students who have left for their summer vacations. But for some, the next few months will be an opportunity to reflect on what they’ve learned and look forward to how they will make a difference when they return in the fall. Such was the message conveyed to The Spy when we visited the week before school let out and met with four aspiring journalists of the EES Newspaper Club: Andy Bui, D’Sani Bridges, Jordy Michaluk, and Teagen Golden,

What struck us immediately was their genuine connection, sincerity, and willingness to share. For instance, when asked why they joined the newspaper club, each identified a different reason. Teagan, who sees herself as having an adventurous spirit, saw it as a chance to try something new and indulge her love of writing. Jordy embraced the role of a meticulous fact-checker who is excited about researching information and passing it along to others. Andy, the only one graduating, wanted to try new experiences before moving on to middle school. Lastly, D’Sani, once indifferent towards reading and writing, discovered she could enjoy these activities, fueled by a newly found appetite for asking thought-provoking questions.

Led by third-grade teachers Patty Hamsher and Melissa Schnaitman, the club got together at the beginning of the year, driven by requests from some fifth graders who expressed an interest in journalism. Both Hamsher and Schnaitman felt this could be something that would be both fun and beneficial, and it would be the first time in about a decade since the elementary school had a newspaper. Said Hamsher, “We thought it would be a fun seed to plant and a great opportunity for someone, who might feel they weren’t good at reading and writing to find out something totally different–and then, boom, who knows, they could become writers!”

The club met twice a week until May (after which time they lost some club members to sports programs). An “idea bank” was created for each edition, allowing the students to brainstorm and explore topics collectively. After that, the journalists got together in small groups, conducted research, thought up questions to ask, wrote, and (with the help of high school student volunteers) edited their articles. Six Little People Big News editions were published from January to May. Each took approximately 2-3 weeks to complete and contained 6-7-pages of topics that included spotlights of teacher and students, fun facts, local events, a calendar, polls, and even a comics section.

To Hamsher, the group’s enthusiasm gives her a sense of satisfaction that the hard work on all their parts has paid off. She believes that the balance between guidance and independence is critical to fostering a sense of ownership and pride among the students. “We try to provide the structure for each edition,” she said, “but the kids decide what to put into it. We were able to maintain focus and guide in a way that was helpful to them, but also kept the process moving.”

The club’s impact has been far-reaching as the students learn the importance of teamwork and how best to utilize their unique skills and strengths. D’Sani prefers to interview people, and Andy uses his creativity drawing comics and conducting polls. Teagan and Jordy enjoy working together to create “You Ask, We Answer” fact-based articles requiring research.

Hamsher reflected on how the group has bonded through shared experiences, which have helped them to grow as reporters. She also noted that the initial awkwardness they felt when interviewing has developed into a skill, and the once intimidating task of approaching someone for an interview is now met with enthusiasm. “We had to start asking people to stay in the room because everybody wanted to be out interviewing and polling,” she said.

The student’s involvement has given them insights into the more challenging aspects of the journalism world. One notable discussion we observed centered around a poll that Teagan and Jordy had conducted about the existence of leprechauns. They worried about writing a story that rejected people’s beliefs, and it affected how they presented the material. Said Jordy, “I believe a lot of things are real, and I wouldn’t want somebody in a newspaper to say I was wrong.”

In the end, Teagan said, they reported that “If you believe in leprechauns, then they are real, but if you don’t, they don’t have to be.” This exchange underscored the club’s commitment to journalists’ duty to report facts over opinions, even at a young age.

Other stories impacted the kids. D’Sani mentioned how she learned about the teachers through her interviews, gaining insights into the lives of those in charge of their education. Andy remembered working with two classmates, jointly creating a cartoon about a dog.

Looking toward the future, the Easton Elementary Newspaper Club aims to expand its reach beyond the school walls. They want to share their hard work and insights with parents and the wider community. Hamsher said they’re looking for alternative platforms for publishing their newspaper since the one they currently use is limited to very few people and only those within the school. Andy suggested distributing print copies to areas frequented by students, such as the library. His recommendation was met with enthusiasm by the other members.

Another area the club hopes to change is to make others aware of how much effort goes into creating the newspaper. Our discussion showed that each member desires to inform their classmates about topics they may find thought-provoking.  Said Teagan, “We try to help them learn new information, and even if it’s not interesting, we love what we make.”

As the conversation drew to a close, the students discussed ways they planned to attract new members to the club. Jordy emphasized the valuable learning experience and the chance to meet new people. Teagan suggested that the end-of-the-year pizza party would be an incentive. D’Sani has already started recruiting, spreading the word about the club’s impact and opportunities.

Before we left, Andy said he wanted to share one more thing: “Our school newspaper was created to make a difference in the area and to let people know about something. Just like people who have a journalist job, they want to make sure everyone knows about something interesting in the world.”

So this is the story we wanted to make sure everyone knew about–a group of young journalists who, in a world brimming with digital distractions, have embraced the power of the written word to let others know about the events and stories shaping their world.

PHOTOS: L to R–

Little People Big News front page