Holy Angels Catholic School New Media Club

Whether you are just starting a school newspaper or are trying to enliven an existing newspaper, there are a number of fun ideas to keep students interested and reading. One important rule to ask yourself before you put it in the publication is, "Will anyone care?" A good newspaper generates a buzz about its stories because they are timely, thought-provoking, and make people want to share the information with others.

Here are a list of basic ingredients that will make for a well-rounded newspaper:

• News - This is the obvious. What is going on around school? Are there new construction projects or rules? What big events are happening in the different grades?
• Features - What human interest stories would appeal to the class body? They can be school-related but they can also be general stories that simply are important to students.
• Sports - Report the scores and stories. Don't try to give a play by play, just relate the highlights and mention the names of those who made the outstanding plays.
• Editorial - Have the newspaper's editor write about whatever is being talked about in school the most that week. Don't be afraid to give opinions but be clear that it is strictly one person's viewpoint.
• Reviews - What is the hit new movie, TV, or best-selling book and what does the reporting student think about it? Thumbs up or thumbs down plus explain why.
• Polls - From "What do you plan to do after graduation?" to "What is the worst food in the cafeteria?"
• Puzzle Corner - Students love to do word puzzles: either mini crosswords, word searches, or even trivia questions.
• Comic Strip - Let the artist on the staff create their own cartoon. Possibly "The Life of a Student" or something the kids can relate to.
• Poem - Run a poem each issue - either something made up by the staff or a poem submitted by a reader.
• Advice Column - Let readers ask questions (anonymously) and call upon the school counselor to help answer them. Or have a range of answers given by a counselor, a student, a teacher, and a parent.
• Spotlight On - Highlight one person a week by putting their photo in the paper and giving basic info about them, such as likes and dislikes, hobbies, etc. And don't forget a quote! The person can be a student, teacher, janitor, cafeteria worker, etc.
• Letters to the Editor - A good newspaper generates feedback. Print letters that come in to the staff and let other readers know what people are thinking.
• Photos - Make the newspaper more personal by showing pictures of what you are discussing, shots of the athletes in action, and so forth.
• Advertising - Maybe the local pizza place, movie theater, or bookstore would be interested in advertising to help defray part of the cost of publishing your newspaper.

BRAIN-STORMING

Here is a list of topics that Sycamore High School's Media Club brain-stormed to create their school newspaper. Read through the list and then we will compile a list topics for Holy Angels Catholic School's newspaper.

1. Swine flu outbreak at Camp Livingston
2. Fun places to go near Sycamore
3. Spotlight on organizer of AP and SAT Testing
4. Intoxication at football games
5. College Transcripts: Do local colleges apply or take out weighting of GPA’s?
6. Do standardized tests accurately predict how students will fare in college?
7. Going green: An advertising façade
8. Long term effects of high school sports on the body
9. Suicide Prevention: Profile a school counselor or administrator
10. Getting a physical for sports without health insurance
11. Follow a freshman through his or her first week of school
12. Are students washing their hands effectively? (Or just doing a courtesy wash)
13. Struggles of a bulimic student
14. Motives/attitudes of an anorexic student
15. Offset symptoms of sleep deprivation by moving school start later
16. Does Fit for Life actually help students maintain a healthy lifestyle?
17. Profile of a student with diabetes
18. How to cope with depression
19. Attitudes of students toward other obese students
20. How many students actually care about politics?
21. Underground life of a smoking minor
22. Why Kings Island is a lame place to spend a summer (this is an amusement park)
23. Crime statistics of SHS students
24. Mock report card for Principal Chris Davis
25. The new and improved Wifi: Are students encouraged to bring in laptops?