Brooklyn Grade School's 'Newspaper Club' Has Students Learning Tricks Of The Print Journalism Trade
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- In a world filled with podcasts and YouTube videos, some Brooklyn elementary students are going back to basics by learning how to become print journalists.
As CBS2 found out, all they need is a pen, a piece of paper, and the right quotes. While interviewing the winner of their school's spelling bee for their latest article, 10-year-old Frida Kelner and her partner make sure to ask all the right questions. They then jot down the answers in a notepad.
"Usually we prepare them beforehand, but right now we went with the flow and asked a few questions," fourth grade Friday said.
The two are part of PS 236's Newspaper Club. Once a week, ten students at the elementary school gather for almost an hour to work on assignments and learn how to get the facts straight.
"The truth and make sure they write what the story is about and make sure the story is written properly," Principal Salil Paingankar said.
Always working in pairs, the student journos use their "press passes" to gain access all over the school in Mill Basin to interview students and take pictures for their stories.
"It gives them that opportunity to hone their researching skills, instead of just reading a book and writing about it," STEM teacher Lillian Espinal said.
Not only do the students have to pitch story ideas, they also generate their own headlines.
"I kind of want to be a reporter when I grow up, so this is good practice," 9-year-old Juliette McMahon said.
The latest edition of the PS 236 Times highlighted a recent food drive. One reporting tag team is publishing their next article about the first grade holiday show.
So what's the biggest problem an 8-year-old journalist faces?
"Mostly for me, the spelling because I am not a good speller myself," third grader Matthew Mesionzink said.
Luckily for he and his colleagues, they have plenty of time to learn how to perfect their craft.
The PS 236 Times publishes once a month. It gets printed, and then made available to everyone in the school.