Hillsdale Academy is publishing a newspaper for the first time in two years. The new publication draws talent from both the upper school and the lower school of the Academy.
Sixth grade students in Academy Teacher Karen Somerville’s classroom receive lessons in newswriting a couple times a week from Maria Servold, assistant to the director of the Dow Journalism Program, while upper school students meet during lunch periods to learn newswriting from Servold and take stories. The students in the upper school are assisted by Academy Teacher Ellen Condict.
The students will publish one issue of the paper, yet to be named, this semester.
Servold remarked on the incredible interest and progress that the 6th grade students had been making in their lessons.
“They’re 12 and they understand it already,” Servold said. “They’ve surprised me with how quickly they’ve picked it up.”
Somerville said the academy has been without a school newspaper for several years and that she’s happy to get one started again.
“Maria Servold and I talked about it last summer and she offered to help with the project, so I invited her into my class to work with the kids,” Somerville said. “They have already learned so much from her and I can see their articles coming together.”
The 6th grade students also expressed their excitement about the publication.
“It will help us in the future if we want to become journalists,” said 6th grader Hannah Neukom.
“I didn’t want to do it at first because I thought it would be a lot of extra work, but I’m really enjoying it now,” said Ian Calvert, another student in Somerville’s 6th grade class.
While the publication is not currently funded and has few writers, Servold hopes that the program will expand and eventually find funding. Part of the problem is that many of the upper-school students already have full schedules and many extracurricular activities, which leaves little time for writing and reporting.
According to Servold, The publication has been slow in finding reporters in the upper school, but many students in the lower school are enthusiastic about the opportunity to write for a newspaper of their own.
“I’ve never had to teach young kids, so it’s been great to see such excitement about journalism in young students,” Servold said.
Somerville also expressed enthusiasm about the project, saying that it gives her students an exciting opportunity to improve their skills.
“As their teacher, I am always looking for ways to make learning interesting and practical for them,” Somerville said. “I can’t wait for them to see the results of their efforts to become better writers.”
Both students and teachers have expressed that the skills and projects being created have developed the capabilities of the students, while giving them something fun and exciting to take part in.
“It’s just great. They really love it,” Servold said. “It’s been
