On May 8, our newspaper office was graced with a bright and talented group of writers.
These were the Fillmore County Journal Student Writers, participating in the 20th annual Journal Writing Project.
Every school year, starting in September, Assistant Editor Ellen Whalen contacts all seven school districts in our circulation area to let administrators and English teachers know about our program.
The high school students, often seniors, are asked to commit to submitting a written opinion piece for publication in rotation with all other writers. Annually, we’ve ranged between seven and 15 writers per school year.
And, the topics the students can write about are wide open.
While not all student writers were able to attend our May 8 meeting, we did have six present: Katrina Bergey (Fillmore Central), Anna Erickson (Mabel-Canton), Pailey Gorden (Fillmore Central), Leah Himlie (Rushford-Peterson), Hannah Schneekloth (Mabel-Canton), and Maddie Smith (Fillmore Central). Those not present were Amara Nelson (Fillmore Central) and Zachary Queensland (Kingsland).
This meeting presented an opportunity for our staff to get a better sense of how we were connecting with our next generation of readers. We need to understand their perceptions of newspapers and the role they serve in the community. What can we do better?
Do their friends read the newspaper? If not, what can we do to encourage their friends to read the newspaper?
We talked about a wide variety of content that appeared in the newspaper that interested them, along with some content that was of less interest.
We asked them about their writing experience over the course of the school year. Have you had people notice that you wrote something in the newspaper? What sort of feedback did you receive?
What could we do to make the Journal Student Writing Project better for the future?
Did you find it challenging to come up with topics to write about? Was there ever a time when you were hesitant to write about a topic because you were concerned about public response?
What are your thoughts about the role of newspapers in a community?
We gained a wealth of insight from this meeting, and we will plan on conducting more meetings like this with future Journal Student Writing Project participants. Our conversations with these young writers and readers will help us shape our product to better serve generations to come. And, we need to keep that conversation going, year after year.
I shared with these six student writers that when I worked at the Rochester Post-Bulletin from 1994 to 1999, I was in my early 20s. Around 1995, management asked me to attend a meeting about the newspaper launching a website. At that time, post-bulletin.com did not exist.
I was the youngest person in the room by at least 15 years. As I sat around a huge conference room table full of experienced managers, internally I questioned what I could bring to the table due to my lack of experience. I was told that they wanted my fresh perspective as the next generation they needed to get involved in the future of the company. Looking back on that experience today, I greatly appreciate being included in those conversations.
While I can’t recall the details of our meetings, more importantly I can reflect on the fact that I was invited to the table for my input.
And, from that moment on, I was sent to newspaper conferences in Chicago and all over the midwest. I recall sitting in on a session at one of the conferences in downtown Chicago, and one of the speakers pointed to me and said “You are the future of this industry. You will be in a leadership role some day.” I was probably 23 years old at that time, and I honestly thought he was crazy. I had no plans for being in a leadership role at that time.
So, when Ellen Whalen and I met with the student writers on May 8, I explained to them how they are the future of our newspaper. I explained how they will be invited to the table for their input in the future for whatever career path they choose, and they should always take advantage of those opportunities. They are the future.
These student writers took advantage of the opportunity to express themselves in the newspaper. And, from what I hear from our readers, they appreciate seeing these young writers offering their insightful perspectives. It’s mutually beneficial.
It’s not easy to put yourself out there. It’s easy for people to sit back and share their opinions among friends, or even on the Internet. When it is published in 13,500 newspapers, it becomes a permanent record that is shared with everyone. And, once it is printed, it can’t be deleted like an online comment or social media post.
Thanks to the Katrina, Anna, Pailey, Leah, Hannah, Maddie, Amara, and Zachary for taking a seat at the table for the 20th annual Journal Student Writing Project.
Our future looks bright!
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