"Why Should Schools Have School Newspapers?"
Should Students have the opportunity to respectfully and honestly voice their thoughts and opinions in a school environment?
By Gabrielle Reed, opinion writer
Should Students have the opportunity to respectfully and honestly voice their thoughts and opinions in a school environment?
By Gabrielle Reed, opinion writer
What you are reading right now is the very first issue of the Spartan Scoop newspaper. Well, actually, the first issue of the Queensbury school newspaper came out a few years ago (before it died out). The thing is, school newspapers are actually a great way for students to learn and be better at social networking. In a world where high schoolers aren’t necessarily always taken seriously, school newspapers can be a creative outlet and a way to have your voice heard. And, if writing isn’t your thing, there are endless other ways you could contribute. Participating in a school newspaper gives you more experience in whatever field it is you want to go in, whether that is journalism, poetry, drawing, editing, artwork, photography, or graphic design--or quite literally anything else you would want to do.
Not to mention; it looks good to colleges. So why shouldn’t students have the opportunity to put together a collection of their own thoughts and ideas once a month and publish it? Unlike other means of getting officially published, there is not a harsh selection, and there are laws set in place to protect students’ freedom of speech, so even more controversial articles are protected--and welcomed--as long as the ideas are original or credited to the right person. One group of girls from Vermont put this to the test at their school when they published an article on a teacher. In the end, they came out on top, with plenty of support from their large following which accumulated when news broke out. Putting your work out there, even if it’s just to your school, can make an impact on a lot of people. Although it is not likely yours would reach national news, it is important to start thinking bigger than just your usual circle and step outside of your own comfort zone. This is why school newspapers are so important; they help students take initiative to make their mark on the world, even if it just starts in a small suburban public school.
Not to mention; it looks good to colleges. So why shouldn’t students have the opportunity to put together a collection of their own thoughts and ideas once a month and publish it? Unlike other means of getting officially published, there is not a harsh selection, and there are laws set in place to protect students’ freedom of speech, so even more controversial articles are protected--and welcomed--as long as the ideas are original or credited to the right person. One group of girls from Vermont put this to the test at their school when they published an article on a teacher. In the end, they came out on top, with plenty of support from their large following which accumulated when news broke out. Putting your work out there, even if it’s just to your school, can make an impact on a lot of people. Although it is not likely yours would reach national news, it is important to start thinking bigger than just your usual circle and step outside of your own comfort zone. This is why school newspapers are so important; they help students take initiative to make their mark on the world, even if it just starts in a small suburban public school.