Your assignment …
 Partner with someone.
 You have two minutes. Ask them three to four
questions.
 Switch. After one minute.
Your question …
 Did you find a great story?
 And if you did, did you get enough information to write
a powerful story?
High school news
reporting – turning
average into
GREAT
Jeanne Acton
ILPC Director
What is the job of the high
school reporter?
 to tell the story of high school students
 to give the powerless a voice
 to report on school events, activities, policies
 to hold the school accountable
 to entertain, inform and protect
What is NOT the job of the
high school reporter?
 to print shock stories (or photos)
What is NOT the job of the
high school reporter?
 to print gossip
 to print OLD news
 to be a PR machine for the administration
 to “get” the administration
What is NOT the job of the
high school reporter?
 to be a PR machine for the newspaper class
What should a news story
look like for a HS paper?
 Very often it’s a news feature
 Rarely do you see a GOOD straight news story
 Look for the “how” and the “why” of the news
 News stories should look a lot like Time magazine
stories — finding a face for the news
 Dig deep and find unique angles rather than tell old
facts
Why do we avoid the inverted
pyramid news story for HS?
 Honestly, it’s boring.
 HS papers rarely break news.
 Students want to read about students. People should
drive the news stories.
Here’s the boring news lead…
The largest local provider of free and lowcost counseling for families and children,
Lifeworks is kicking off a $1.5 million
public fund-raising campaign that will
allow the nonprofit group to help more
teens.
Here’s the story with a face
…
Aaron Fain knows what it’s like to need help.
At 17, his mother, a heavy drug user, disappeared with her latest
boyfriend. That left Aaron broke and homeless, too old for foster care,
too young to make it on his own.
Lifeworks helped him get his life back together.
“The helped me get food when I was hungry and gave me shelter
when I needed a place to stay,” Fain said. “They really helped me
through some tough times.”
Lifeworks, the largest local provider of free and low-cost counseling
for families and children, is kicking off a $1.5 million public fund-raising
campaign that will allow the nonprofit group to help more teens.
What did the reporter do?
• She found a face to accompany
the news.
• The facts (news) are still there, but
they are surrounded by an
interesting story.
Let’s look at another story.
The school board voted to end block
scheduling next year. Because of budget
constraints, the district will resume the sevenperiod day in the fall of 2011.
“We just can’t afford to have eight
periods anymore,” superintendent Bill Boring
said. “If the state changes the funding system,
we may be able to bring back block
scheduling in the future.”
Chances are everyone at your
school already knows the schedule
is going to change. Rarely, does a
high school newspaper break a story
… it’s just hard when it’s not a daily
paper. (So again, throw out the
inverted pyramid.)
So instead of telling an old story, put
a face on the story. Weave together
the news facts with someone’s story.
Jamie Hersh freshman year didn’t go too
well. He failed five classes. He didn’t improve
much his sophomore year, either, earning only
two credits — P.E. and computer tech.
“I just wasn’t into school,” Jamie said. “I
hung out with my homeboys, and we chilled.”
Somewhere between his sophomore and
junior year, Jamie said he grew up. “I knew I
didn’t want to be in high school until I was 30,”
he said. “I promised my mom I would
graduate.”
Jamie started summer school and with his
counselor made a plan to graduate. At the end of
this summer, Jamie will be eight credits shy of
graduation.
“No problem,” he said.
But there is a problem. Next year the school is
changing from block scheduling back to a regular 7period day.
Jamie won’t be able to get his credits for
graduation. “I can’t believe they are doing this,”
Jamie said. “Everyone in my family was so excited
about my graduation. I will have to go to summer
school or come back the following year.”
Let’s look at an example from
the professional media
Non-profit groups across the country have been
hurting for years because of the lagging economy.
Government funding is down, as are private grants and
donations.
The closure of Eloise’s Home, a day care facility
for seniors with Alzheimer’s, is one of many non-profit
groups that is closing its doors at the end of the year.
What can we do to improve
it?
Carol Hale sits on her cream-colored
couch, babbling softly to herself.
“Da ba da ba da ba,” the 78-year-old
chants, wiggling her peach-painted
fingernails in the air. Then she peers at a
guest she had greeted moments earlier,
“Hoo, hoo, who are you?”
This is the new Carol Hale, the one
Alzheimer’s made.
A little more than a year ago, Carol’s
87-year-old husband, DeWitt, began
driving her every day to Eloise’s House, a
day care facility for seniors with
Alzheimer’s. But in November, the nonprofit home closed because of funding
problems.
Since then, Hale’s verbal skills have
deteriorated, and she is losing the ability to
perform simple tasks, such as dressing
herself.
Though Alzheimer’s gets worse with
time, Carol’s husband blames her
deterioration partly on the closing of
Eloise’s House.
“Now she wanders around like a lost
sheep,” he said. “She doesn’t know what
to do with herself.”
What I see …
On April 15, 200 BHS students attended prom. The theme
this year was “Star Studded Night.”
“Prom was cool this year,” senior Jack Lamo said. “I liked
the pictures of celebrities on the tables.”
Some seniors said they didn’t like the food at prom this year.
“Last year the food was better,” Candy Flavor said. “I didn’t
like the cheese dip or the mini-cakes.”
Rhonda Popular and Mitch Handsome won prom king and
queen. “I can’t believe I won,” Popular said. “It was such a
shock.”
Even more average reporting
Next year, it will be illegal to text while driving.
“I don’t do it,” said Carol Boring. “I don’t know how to
drive yet.”
Her best friend, Cathy Bland, agreed that texting while
driving could be bad.
“I heard someone’s dad was hit by a student who was
texting while driving,” she said.
It doesn’t end …
This school year students who are late to class are sent to the
tardy lock-out room for that entire class period.
Principal Dan Jones said he started the tardy lock-out policy
because too many students are tardy.
“We have a tardy problem,” he said. “Hopefully, this new policy
will encourage students to be in class on time.”
Sandy Dandy said she went to the tardy lock-out room twice.
“It really is boring,” Dandy said. “I don’t plan on being tardy
again.”
The bottom line is:
We need to cover this stuff
— things like prom, texting,
policy changes, etc…
reporter accomplish good news
writing?
 must find the stories of the school
 must cover the events and activities of the school (hopefully
before the event occurs). Must find new angles.
 must cover issues that relate to teens lives (cutting, obesity,
sexting)
 build a relationship with the administration so that they can
have open and honest dialogue
 understand the population and report on relevant issues
and entertainment
How does the high school
reporter accomplish this?
 cover more than just their friends and their
friends/friends
 ask, look, listen, search, research
 dig deep for real stories, for unique stories
 ask the tough questions
 must be accurate
 must be fair
 must document sources
How does the high school
reporter accomplish this?
 must be ethical
 sources must be solid, living and identified. (The
Internet is not alive.)
 keep an open mind. The administration is not always
the bad guy/gal.
 Edit. Rewrite. Edit.
What is the difference
between average news
writing and great news
writing?
Getting a great interview.
The heart of good reporting
is in the INTERVIEW.
Six steps to preparation
 Build up student’s self esteem
 Review basics of interviewing
 Practice
 Prepare
 Do it
 Debrief – What worked? What didn’t?
Before the interview
 Research what you can
 Set up a time/place for interview
 Prepare (write questions)
 Prepare materials (paper, pens, tape recorder, etc)
Tips for interviewing
 Know the subject and issue
 Start with the easier questions
 Focus on how and why questions (avoid yes/no
questions)
 Don’t be intimidated
 Avoid “off the record” statements
 Have questions prepared
Tips for interviewing
 Don’t be afraid to veer off from your questions
 Ask open-ended questions. Not “Why is the new tardy
policy failing?” Ask. “How is the new tardy policy doing?
Figures?”
 Notice everything. Observe.
 Interview away from friends. NEVER in a lunch room
or hallway.
Tips for interviewing
 Don’t let them see your notes
 Ask tough questions last
 Have a conversation
 Build trust
 Control the interview
 Don’t be afraid to reveal a little about yourself.
Tips for interviewing
 Don’t be afraid of emotions (AIDS)
 Go to their space, if possible
 Be prepared to interview more than once
 Interview friends and family when appropriate
 Dig deep
 End interview with, “Anything I missed, anything you
want to add?
Notetaking
 Do it.
 Write the important quotes.
 Develop a short-hand if possible.
 Transcribe as quickly as possible.
 Practice, practice, practice.
 Take a tape recorder if possible. (Robert)
 Verify notes (optional).
What goes wrong with
interviewing?
 Lack of preparation.
 Missing materials.
 Missed the angle.
 Inappropriate dress.
 Not listening.
 Aimlessness.
 Fear.
What goes wrong?
 Bad notes
 Lost control of interview
 Reporter is late/misses interview
 Friends tag along (either side)
 Subject too dry
Students should know…
 Not every interview must go in the story.
 Everyone doesn’t always tell the truth. FACT check.
 Sometimes people deny saying things after they see it
in print.
 Good interviewing skills take time to develop.
 Interviewing well is not an easy job.
Let’s look at the result of weak
interviewing/reporting…
Many high school students and teachers have friends
and loved ones who are either in Iraq or have been there.
“My uncle went to Iraq in November,” senior Charlie
Brown said. “He’s back now. He said it was really violent.”
Science teacher Sandi Mink’s son is in Iraq.
said.
“It’s tough having your son in constant danger,” she
Brown said he never wants to join the military. “It just
seems too dangerous,” he said.
With a little reporting, we get …
Science teacher Sandi Mink gives her home phone
number to all of her students. She wants to be available
to students as they work on her physics assignments at
home.
But don’t bother calling at 8 p.m. on Thursday
nights. That’s a sacred time for the Mink family.
“That’s Jeff’s time,” she said. “Ever since he went
to Iraq, my son Jeff calls home once a week at 8 p.m.
on Thursdays.
“He’s called almost every week since he’s been
gone,” she said.
One Thursday in October, Jeff missed his weekly
call.
“I was sure he was dead,” Ms. Mink said. “I started
crying and couldn’t stop. Finally at midnight, he called.”
Jeff had been on a raid and couldn’t get away to
make his weekly call.
“Luckily, Jeff is a computer guy,” she said. “He
works on the communications end of things and
doesn’t see much action. But that night, he had to go
on the raid to identify equipment.”
Remember this one?
Next year, it will be illegal to text while driving.
“I don’t do it,” said Carol Boring. “I don’t know how to
drive yet.”
Her best friend, Cathy Bland, agreed that texting while
driving could be bad.
“I heard someone’s dad was hit by a student who was texting
while driving,” she said.
Here’s good reporting…
“OK. C U @ 7.”
The text was innocent enough. No profanity. No illicit
pictures. No inappropriate messages.
But that innocent text changed Stephen Smith’s life
forever.
As his finger hit the send button on his phone, Stephen
looked up and realized he had swerved into oncoming
traffic. An 18-wheeler was headed right for Stephen’s small
Honda civic.
Stephen jerked the steering wheel and missed the huge
diesel, but his reaction sent the car spinning into a tree on
the side of Route 220.
“When the paramedics finally got me out of the car, I
only had a weak pulse,” he said. “They didn’t think I would
survive.”
He did. Just barely. And that is one of the reasons Stephen
spoke to the Texas Legislature and threw his support behind
the new texting while driving ban.
“It almost killed me,” he said. “I don’t want another
parent to have to live through what my parents did.”
Let’s look again at the prom story …
On April 15, 200 BHS students attended prom. The
theme this year was “Star Studded Night.”
“Prom was cool this year,” senior Jack Lamo said. “I
liked the pictures of celebrities on the tables.”
Some seniors said they didn’t like the food at prom
this year.
“Last year the food was better,” Candy Flavor said.
“This year it stunk.”
Rhonda Popular and Mitch Handsome won prom king
and queen. “I can’t believe I won,” Popular said. “It was
such a shock.”
Gillian Ruiz never thought she would go to prom. She’s a selfdescribed “plain-looking nerd.”
So when senior football captain Tom Hunhel asked her, she
was more than a little shocked.
“We were lab partners in science,” she said. “I thought he was
cute, but I didn’t think he even knew I existed outside of the
science class. He hangs with the popular crowd, and I hang with
the computer geeks.”
But Tom said he has had a crush on Gillian since science
teacher Greg Hill paired them together.
“She’s so down-to-earth and so dang pretty,” Tom said. “Most
high school girls spend hours putting on gobs of make-up and
tons of hairspray to impress the guys. But none of that stuff
impresses me.”
Gillian did accept Tom’s invitation, but now she’s a little
worried about the outcome.
“I don’t know how to dance – at all,” she said. “My mom is giving
me a crash course. I have two left feet.”
Gillian also said she has no idea what to wear. “My usual attire is a
T-shirt and jeans from Old Navy,” she said. “I don’t even know what
stores carry prom dresses.”
Tom isn’t worried though.
“I don’t care if she steps on my feet a hundred times or wears her
favorite T-shirt to prom,” he said. “I am just so glad she will be there
with me.”
Let’s look at the tardy story
again…
This school year students who are late to class are sent to
the tardy lock-out room for that entire class period.
Principal Dan Jones said he started the tardy lock-out
policy because too many students are tardy.
“We have a tardy problem,” he said. “Hopefully, this
new policy will encourage students to be in class on time.”
Sandy Dandy said she went to the tardy lock-out room
twice.
“It really is boring,” Dandy said. “I don’t plan on being
tardy again.”
What if we found someone who was really affected
by the change …
Rafael Martinez lives for baseball.
He plays it every month of the year. His room consists of
baseball bats, catcher equipments, old and new gloves, trophies
and literally hundreds of balls. He was the leading hitter for the
varsity team last year.
But because of the new tardy policy, Martinez may be sitting
this season out.
“If I get one more tardy in first period, I will lose credit for
the class,” he said. “If that happens, I am not eligible.”
Martinez said he doesn’t have anyone to blame but himself. “I
am not a fan of the new policy, but I know Principal (Dan) Jones
was trying to solve our tardy problem,” he said.
So far this year, Martinez has been in the tardy lock-out room
six times, four for first period. After five unexcused absences, a
student loses credit for that class.
“I sleep through my alarm a lot,” he said. “My parents both go
to work really early so I am home alone.”
Since the tardy policy began in January, Principal Jones said the
amount of tardies has dropped dramatically.
“Last semester we averaged 200 tardies a day,” Jones said. “We
are down to about 25 a day now.”
Jones said while he knows the policy is working, he does not
want to see Martinez lose his eligibility.
“I cut a deal with him,” Jones said. “I will call him every
morning as a back up to his alarm clock if he promises to hit a
home run every game.”