High Schoolers 'Get Their Toes Wet' In Journalism

Reporters may get their first introduction to journalism in high school.

Locally, several high schools offer students the opportunity to "get their toes wet" in journalism through school newspapers.

Tiger Tracks is the name of the Warsaw Community High School newspaper. "It's been the Tiger Tracks for a number of years," said publications adviser Susan Yingling.

Tracks is usually 12 pages and is published monthly, said editor Jill Keim, a senior. Keim is in her second year on the staff and took journalism class her sophomore year.

Since it is published monthly, Yingling said, there can be more of a focus on a theme. Last year, for example, when the boys' basketball team went to semistate, they had a theme of March Madness, which went very well, Yingling said.

To be a member of the Tracks staff, Yingling said, they ask that the student take journalism or English honors. For photographers, they ask that the student take photography class or have experience at home.

Students who are unable to fit a publications class in their schedule can be on the staff as an extracurricular activity.

"We do take on people as extracurricular," Yingling said. "They have to have been on the staff before or had journalism."

During the two years before Yingling became adviser, Tracks was published only four times a year.

"We're trying to build the program back up," said Yingling. Last year, Yingling's first year as an adviser, Tracks ran eight newspapers. "Last year was a new experience for me. I'm grateful to everyone who's helped me."

One of the biggest supporters, she said, has been parents. "I find that parents have been a real backbone for our publication."

The first issue of Tracks is scheduled for late September and its theme will be homecoming.

Keim said she became involved with Tracks because "I like the writing part of it." Keim assigns the stories for the paper and edits them.

Jean Beatty, a junior, was the sports editor last year, but handles the finances for both Tracks and the yearbook this year. She is also going to oversee the sports department this year.

Yingling said, "(Beatty)'s got a large responsibility with the finances and (Keim) has a large responsibility with the writing."

WCHS is trying something new this year with its student publications. Yingling said the newspaper and yearbook staff are now combined. Both of the publications classes are responsible for each publication. While last year Tracks had a staff of 17, this year, there are 35 students on the publication's staff.

"I try to keep this a student-focused publication," said Yingling. She said when she asks for ideas, students "definitely have their ideas" of what they want to see in the newspaper.

"As a whole," said Yingling, "journalism is overlooked as a valuable teaching course. It's not just about writing, we learn practical applications" such as computers, law, financing, being objective and many other skills.

Keim said, "With all the issues, it's a learning experience. The first issue is experimental, but by the May issue ... we know what we can do."

Yearbook and newspaper classes also are combined at Whitko High School, including this year, the mass media class.

And, like the Warsaw students, Whitko students join for various reasons.

"As a career, I want to major in photojournalism and I've done yearbook since sixth grade," said sophomore Brooke Workman.

Senior and co-editor Loranna Sparks joined for "photography reasons," while co-editor and senior Tasia Lung said, "I was just looking to get more involved with the school."

One of only two males in publications, sophomore Josh James said, "I want to express my opinion through the school (paper) because not everyone like me gets to express (themselves)."

Whitko's school newspaper is the Wildcat World. The newspaper is 31 years old. "Ever since the school started here," said adviser Nancy Lake. The paper will be put out approximately eight times this year and has about 12 pages, but varies.

Unlike Tiger Tracks, the Wildcat World is printed, copied and stapled in-house. Tracks is outsourced.

Sparks said the staff gets a lot of feedback after an issue is put out. Students make suggestions or want to know why something is done one way and not the other.

But it is often hard to get students to participate in the school's publications. One reason, Workman suggests, is "because they think writing newspapers isn't cool."

"It's a lot of work and people know it's a lot of work," said Lung.

Students involved in publications aren't limited to the school newspaper, though. "We've been asked to write other stories (for local newspapers). I've been asked to write four or five stories," said Workman. The stories, she said, are usually school-related.

Asked if it's easier to interview or be interviewed, Workman said, "It's easier to interview because when you are getting interviewed, you worry about what you are going to say."