Park Avenue Elementary’s new journalism club unveils its first edition

If you want to discover the next generation of journalists, writers, cartoonists and puzzle makers, look no further than Park Avenue Elementary School’s new journalism club! On December 7, The Warwick Advertiser got a chance to sit down with these future journalists to stoke their passion for writing and storytelling, and give them a few pointers as they navigate the ins and outs of local reporting.

Teachers Ashley McPherson and Krystie Gilmore, the editor in chief and senior editor, respectively, help to keep the group on task, brainstorming new ideas and crafting the final product. Club members had to apply for the job by providing a writing sample, just like any reporter. They had to share why they were interested in joining the club and what they felt were the qualities that made a good journalist. According to Gilmore, about 30 students applied, which was narrowed down to 11 to keep the group small. Of those 11, six are fourth graders and five are third graders.

Together, they created The Paw Print, a student-run newspaper complete with coverage of events, student council decisions, interviews with community members, deep dives into history, full-color photos, monthly columns, original comics, household tips, local happenings, and original puzzles created by the comic design crew. They even made official reporter IDs so their fellow classmates know who to go to when they have a story to share.

The first question this reporter was eager to know was... Why? It’s rare to come across a journalism club at the elementary level, so what made these kids so eager to start their own newspaper?

Their answers varied. Most appeared happy to have an outlet for creative writing, with one member, Hailey, their resident columnist, even hoping to catch a bit of fame in the process. The girls on the art side of the paper, Cora and Grace, enjoyed creating cartoons using the school mascot as inspiration, and one student, June, was inspired to join because she saw a need for a local newspaper to cover her school’s events, a dilemma many burgeoning community newspapers know all too well.

Many of these new reporters seemed to view their first official issue, which came out at the end of November, as only the beginning. Right away they talked about expanding the page count and becoming a daily publication. There was even mention of continuing this work once the fourth graders move up and bring with them the tools needed to start a journalism club at the middle school level.

While a bit shy, club members had no qualms asking this reporter some tough questions, like how I got my job, what kinds of stories I write, and what goes into making a newspaper. We also brainstormed ways they could keep certain audiences, like the kindergarteners, engaged. We agreed that visual elements, like drawings, might help to keep their focus more than words.

The next item discussed was timeliness. How does a newspaper stay fresh when they only publish once a month? So we broke down the different elements of the paper. You have the hard news stories that can affect your immediate future, like the signing of a new law, road paving projects, new construction, etc. You have the stories that are more time sensitive, like football games, plays, local happenings. Then there are the stories that seek to capture a moment in time, that provide a snapshot of people’s thoughts or feelings about certain topics, which can include anything from a standard policy change that could affect your peers, like, “how do you feel about the new extra recess,” to something lighter that’s not necessarily newsy, but still serves as a fun opportunity for community building, such as, “What’s your wildest/funniest animal encounter?” And, of course, you have the evergreen human interest story, which gives the reporter the opportunity to tell someone’s story, help them connect with the community, and bridge the gap between stranger and neighbor.

In addition to the reporters previously mentioned, The Paw Print also includes Addy the photographer; junior editors Ethan and Patrick; and reporters Ryan, Ella, Charley, and Mila. The team is aiming to produce nine issues this school year, so if you have a scoop for them that is relevant to the Park Avenue Elementary community, just email the club at pawprint@wvcsd.org.