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Hernando Today

Journalism On Tap For Local Schools

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By LINNEA BROWN

Hernando Today

Published: August 2, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - As newspapers across the nation bear the brunt of industry changes, several local schools are hoping to use them to raise students' writing and communication skills.

This fall, schools on Hernando County's east side will aim to partner with local news organizations for a new, expanded mass communications and journalism program.

"Our goal is to think globally and act locally," said Lechelle Booker, principal of Parrott Middle School in Brooksville. "It's a great opportunity for our kids to get their hands in there and really feel they're making a difference."

Students at the school will collaborate with students from Hernando High and Brooksville, Moton and Eastside elementary schools to create at least one free community newspaper per semester for county residents, with articles about local news topics.

Students will take field trips to local newspaper newsrooms, monitor local news and interview guest speakers about various issues, Booker said.

"We want them to feel a sense of belonging," she said. "They need to be abreast of what's going on in the community, and I think (reporting on the news) makes them feel important, from their perspective."

The paper will also go online, accessible through Parrott's Web site.

One goal with the newspaper is to improve students' writing skills, with state standards and skills for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test woven into all activities.

"This will definitely help with our writing," Booker said. "(Students) have to be proficient writers to create a newspaper people feel comfortable reading."

It will also entail teamwork, with students at each school assigned to specific jobs such as writers, editors or photographers.

While Moton already publishes a school newspaper, this will mark the first time Parrott's staff has tried it. While a request was not filled to add a communications instructor, one teacher will give up a planning period to teach the school's journalism class.

"I'm thinking we can start small and have it evolve into something (much bigger)," Booker said.

Students will also have the opportunity to experiment with other formats of news, with $15,000 worth of high-tech visual and audio equipment approved earlier this month for the program.

Besides a printer, Parrott is purchasing iPods for podcasts and cameras that can be configured to a professional-level digital format for closed-circuit school news broadcasts.

Since students from Brooksville and Moton often move on to attend Parrott and Hernando, officials hope the program's structure will provide a seamless continuum of services for students to continually improve their mass communication skills.

The program boost is part of a $2 million, five-year plan to increase programs on the east side of the county, approved by the school board in May.

It includes increased foreign language and global studies offerings at Brooksville Elementary, increased computer technology instruction at Eastside, increased language offerings at Hernando High and increased support for mass communications and journalism at Moton and Parrott.

While funding is scarce in light of recent state budget cuts, Superintendent Wayne Alexander has vowed to do as much as he can to continue to move forward with the east side school improvements.

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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