The Rush 2012

What’s Inside 2 Building a portfolio 3 Carolina Journalism

Sports Camp 6 Covering the DNC 8 How sensitive is too sensitive?

Volume XVIII // 06.21.12

4-5 In pursuit of

excellence

Tips and tricks to help your publication get from good to great

Tech tools power student journalists Some schools cope with outdated technology, make the best with what they have GettinG your money’s worth: tools for a journalist

by Charles shotton First Flight High Students at D.H. Conley High don’t care that their school newspaper, The Shield, is produced on three computers with software three generations behind.

They don’t care that the school has no money to print more than a handful of copies.

When journalism teacher Lisa Stroud tapes the full-color pages to the cafeteria wall, they stop and crowd around the paper to read the news concerning their school community.

“I’ve concentrated on making sure my kids know how to do what they’re doing,” Stroud said.

“Finishing issues, and doing the best with what we have.”

Still, Stroud says, better technology would be welcome.

Many high school journalism programs are struggling to keep up with the latest technology.

But no matter which journalism field it may be, it takes more than just the equipment to produce quality publications.

In any newsroom, the computer serves as the center of the publication, the source of producing work. With Apple, Dell and Toshiba releasing new models of computers, it can be easy for schools that operate on a tight budget to fall behind.

Schools who have the privilege of obtaining up-to-date technology often benefit from faster programs and software, according to Terrance Oliver, an assistant professor at UNC. “(At West Henderson High), we have Macs instead of PCs, unlike many other schools who have PCs,” said Austin Downing,

Computer Product: MacBook Pro Price: $1,199-$1,799 benefits: HD webcam with FaceTime connections, iCloud backup storage, Intel HD Graphics, Intel Core i7 processors. summary: The MacBook Pro has the ability to automatically search for wifi, and can also burn DVDs in seconds.

Software Photo by Molly CoCCia, West henderson high (‘13)

With her Canon Rebel T3i, Molly Coccia takes a self-portrait while using the camera feature of her Apple iPhone.

“There is a lot of great photography being done with iPhones and point-and-shoot cameras,” freelance photographer Erik Perel said. “You don’t necessarily need the latest and greatest to capture great pictures.”

West Henderson High (‘14), assistant web editor. “Macs are design computers, so it makes it much much easier than other computers.”

However, with price tags exceeding $1,000 for a MacBook desktop computer and $900 for a MacBook laptop computer, these high prices can often create problems for many schools with a small budget, Oliver said.

“Our school newspaper is pretty basic; it’s black and white and with few pictures,” said Baily Nelson, Lawrence Academy (‘15). “We would be able to produce a better paper

with better quality and draw in more readers if we had better computers.”

Almost as necessary as the computer is the publication software, such as Adobe InDesign and Photoshop. Journalists use those programs to build pages, design graphics and edit digital photographs.

This software is constantly offering upgraded versions.

Adobe recently released its newest software upgrade known as CS6.

The newest and fastest programs share the same problem as the latest computers: the price tag. The InDesign and

Photoshop upgrade costs $699, per liscense, without an educational discount.

While some schools such as West Henderson High have the budget to obtain the best programs available, other schools’ such as Northwest School of the Arts’ are operating on outdated technology. At NCSMA Summer Institute, students and advisers are able to use the UNC journalism school computers equipped with up-to-date software. Through using the best equipment, students and advisors can produce advanced

see TECHNOLOGY, page 7

Product: Adobe CS6 Price: $1,299 benefits: Updated Photoshop tools, better integration with links within the programs. summary: CS6 allows users to have increased creativity and enhanced graphic production.

Camera Product: Nikon D3200 Price: $699.95 benefits: Telephoto lens, off camera flash, video recording. summary: Good starter camera with interchangeable lenses that allow for variety of skill levels. rePorted by Charles shotton

sourCes: aPPle.CoM, adobe.CoM and nikonusa.CoM

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Diverse work earns title

by Hailey JoHns West Henderson High Resita Cox of Kinston High carefully inserted the final pages of her Journalist of the Year portfolio.

She slid the binder that held her best works into the beige envelope to be sent off to UNC where her journalism accomplishments and expertise would be critiqued by a panel of judges.

Several weeks later, Cox (‘12) received a phone call from her journalism adviser, Michael Moon, with news that she had been named the North Carolina High School Journalist of the Year.

Cox served as editor-in-chief of The Viking Press her senior year. She believes being a diverse journalist is the primary reason for her victory over other high school journalists.

“I have written editorials, covered sports games, tackled controversial subjects within my school, taken photos and even designed most of the pages that appeared in my school’s newspaper,” Cox said.

“The judges commented that I tackled a variety of different things, which is why my portfolio stood out so boldly. It is very important to diversify your material that you include.”

Runners up for N.C. Journalist of the Year were First Flight High student Amulya Uppalapati and Samantha Sabin from Northwest School of the Arts. Cox received a $2,000 scholarship while the runnersup were awarded $500. The scholarship money is provided by the N.C. Press Foundation.

“I have always doubted my talents and winning this award told me that I actually have a future in doing something that I love,” Cox said. “It feels incredible to be recognized for something I have worked so hard for.”

Cox says her experience as a high school journalist has fostered her passion for journalism. In the fall of 2012, Cox will begin to study journalism and

builDiNg yOur pOrtfOliO

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2012-13 NCSMA Officers presiDent

nCsMa

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yearbook

• Work on multiple publications Resita Cox of Kinston High global studies at UNC. Originally, Cox was not going to apply for Journalist of the Year because she was too busy with school. It was Moon’s encouragement that persuaded her to submit a portfolio.

“Eventually he convinced me to put together my portfolio in which I am so happy that I decided to do so,” Cox said in an email. “I owe Mr. Moon a lot for forcing me to apply and be recognized for my talents.”

Moon encouraged Cox to apply for Journalist of the Year after observing her strong writing and leadership skills.

“She’s a talented student journalist, and in my opinion she’s one of the best high school journalists in the country,” Moon said. “Everyone recognizes her drive and determination.”

The portfolio is divided into five sections: skilled and creative use of media; inquiring mind and investigative persistence; courageous and responsible handling of sensitive issues; a variety of journalistic experiences; and sustained and commendable work with community media.

Cox selected an editorial she wrote about CNN’s coverage of the protests in Libya against Col. Muammar Gaddafi.

“The violence bothered me.

In journalism something we’re supposed to do is advocate our beliefs,” Cox said. “I wanted to do that for my school and so I included the piece.”

Judges seek a journalist with experience said Monica Hill, director of the N.C. Scholastic Media Association, who administers the competition.

“They’re really looking for a whole-package journalist, and they’re considering how well

• Decide early on whether or not to apply • Include a variety of journalistic work • Use your design skills in creating the portfolio • Show sensitive issues you’ve covered

See requirementS

students write as well as how strong a reporter a student is,” Hill said. “They’re also looking at design skills.”

Although Cox made the decision to apply for Journalist of the Year close to the portfolio deadline, she still managed to select her best works and describe the issues she faced in working on them.

“The hardest part was picking the articles that meant the most to me,” Cox said in an email. “I have written a lot for my school newspaper and really wanted to submit all of my articles, but I had to fish out the most relevant ones that meant the most to me.”

Hill believes that the Journalist of the Year competition provides good opportunities for students.

“I think it’s important to really think about the opportunity in North Carolina for students to win some really wonderful cash scholarships,” Hill said. “It’s a well-funded state Journalist of the Year program and preparing a portfolio allows an applicant to really examine their journalism career in high school, think about what they’ve done and showcase it.”

name: Jordan Hennessy, (‘13) name: Destiny Perry, (’14) school: First Flight High school: Fayetteville Christian email: hennessyja1123@dare- email: tinkerbe1112@aol.com tolearn.org

vice presiDent

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newspaper

literary Magazine

name: Hailey Johns, (‘13) school: West Henderson High email: hjohns311@gmail.com

name: Ashley Boles, (‘13) school: Providence High email: aboles29@gmail.com

vice presiDent

vice presiDent

electronic Communication

Visual Communications

name: Emily Velk, (‘13) school: Ravenscroft School email: emilyvelk@gmail.com

name: Chandler Darden, (‘13) school: W.A. Hough High email: chandlerdarden@yahoo. com photos by Jordan hennessy, First Flight high, (‘13)

kay pHillips DistinguisHeD service awarDs name: David Jackson school: W.A. Hough High The recipient of the Kay Phillips Distinguished Service award for 2012 is adviser David Jackson. The award was established by the NCSMAA executive committee to recognize those who have made large contributions to scholastic journalism.

The (Raleigh) News & Observer also received the Distinguished Service Award.

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2012 regional workshops to take lessons of NCSMA on the road NCSMA holds annual workshops in each of eight geographic regions. All students and advisers are welcome to attend. These one-day, $10 workshops are good for those who were unable to attend the NCSMA Summer Institute. Also welcome are those who want to build on what they learned at the Institute under the guidance of professionals and others experienced in scholastic media.

NorthCeNtrAl piedMoNt

NortheASt piedMoNt

NortheASt

NorthWeSt

SouthWeSt

SouthCeNtrAl piedMoNt

SoutheASt piedMoNt

WheN ANd Where to Get More trAiNiNG Oct. 4 Northwest Regional Workshop Boone Appalachian State Oct. 9 South-central Piedmont Regional Workshop Charlotte The Charlotte Observer Oct. 11 North-central Piedmont Regional Workshop Greensboro N.C. A&T State University

SoutheASt

Oct. 18 Northeast Piedmont and Southeast Piedmont Regional Workshop Chapel Hill UNC-Chapel Hill Oct. 25 Northeast and Southeast Regional Workshop Greenville East Carolina University Oct. 30 Southwest Regional Workshop Asheville UNC-Asheville

Camp offers authentic experience in sports journalism

by Arjun GuptA Providence High Not many people get to interview football players at Kenan stadium or attend a press conference in the Dean E. Smith Center.

T he student journalists attending the first-ever Carolina Sports Journalism camp later this month will get to do just that.

Former senior writer for Sports Illustrated and author Tim Crothers has covered sports for 25 years, and he now plans to share his experience with a new audience: high school students.

Crothers will serve as the lead instructor of the camp scheduled for June 27-30 that is being hosted by the UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

“We’re going to run them through ... a crash course in how to write a sports feature story and opinion columns in the sports realm,” Crothers said.

The idea for the camp came from an email. Durham Academy student Mimi Patterson asked UNC faculty if they had plans to teach a sports journalism camp.

NCSMA Director Monica Hill

and others made it happen. “(The camp) is something that doesn’t really exist much around the country, and I think it’s something that would have inspired me to start my career earlier,” Crothers said.

Camp instructor Jed Williams agreed. “I can remember vividly that stage in my career,” he said.

“I know how important workshops and camps like this were for me.”

With all proceeds from the camp benefiting NCSMA, the $500, three-and-a-half day camp is full of opportunities for aspiring sports writers.

Students will interview athletes and coaches, tour UNC sports facilities and learn from professionals who have worked with ESPN and the Washington Post. They will also sit in on Crothers’ undergraduate sportswriting classes.

Crothers said the best sports writing follows the “bedrock rules” of journalism and reporting while adding a personal style to the work. Encouraging student journalists to pursue both is the primary goal of the sports writing camp.

“As they become more and more comfortable with the gen-

eral rules of how to go about it, to also develop their own style, and their own voice ... (sports journalism) allows you to spread your wings a bit,” Crothers said.

But at the same time, Williams said it’s not so different from the traditional reporting.

“You always come back to the core principles about what good journalism is, how to connect with your audience, how to be very creative and robust in executing good stories,” he said.

Students who have heard about the camp are excited.

Stephen Idol, Providence (‘13), said what appeals to him was interviewing prominent players. Ryan Wilcox, Lake Norman High School (‘15), said he was drawn to sports writing because of the speed with which events occur.

Sportswriting has changed greatly since Crothers and the other instructors first began.

“You have the legions of reporters from ESPN ... so many more bloggers, so many more fan sites and Internet sites to compete with,” Crothers said.

“What sets you apart is your ability to find a story ... and to apply your own writing talent to make it good.”

SportS Writer or fAN? What draws many students to sports journalism is attending big games.

But what many of them don’t realize is that sports journalists can’t be fans. Cheering in the press box is taboo. At The Daily Tar Heel, sportswriters cannot wear UNC gear while covering a game.

“When you’re there working, it’s different from being a fan,” said Brandon Moree, the sports editor for The Daily Tar Heel. “Imaginably, this can be very difficult sometimes. I mean obviously, deep down, you really want Carolina to win ... one of the hardest transitions for new sports reporters is checking your emotions at the door.”

Jed Williams, a former sports reporter, said it’s tough for reporters to reign in their biases at the press box: “It’s a really tricky thing ... you have to draw those professional lines ... and understand that your role being a professional fundamentally changes.”

tipS froM A uNC CoACh Volleyball coach Joe Sagula has years of experience dealing with reporters. be prepared: Sagula appreciates when reporters have researched his team. be Aware: Too often, he says, reporters ask a list of questions without really paying attention to the answers. “It can be a really good dialogue if they react to what I say,” says Sagula. Good follow-up questions signify a mature journalist, he said.

Don’t waste people’s time: He dislikes when journalists spend 30 minutes interviewing him, but the next day’s paper only has one line about him. “I feel like, okay, I’m giving you lots of information ... and you wrote a column and you only took one sentence that doesn’t even seem relevant to what we were talking about.” use good quotes: Quotes from coaches and players should be colorful; don’t use generic statements.

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Photo by Jordan hennessy, First Flight high (‘13)

by Anderson sullivAn First Flight High From spending hours after school meeting deadlines to working hard all year to finish a yearbook, student staffs hope their dedication will result in excellence and the recognition that comes with it.

Students travel from across the state to the NCSMA Summer Institute to hone their skills and increase the quality of their production.

“I personally have learned a lot (at camp,)” Kate Taliferro, First Flight High (‘13). “I can’t wait to use some of the ideas I gained here next year.”

Some think that winning prestigious awards proves success, but true success is establishing a high quality product.

“It is important for student media outlets to concentrate on serving their public,” said Monica Hill, NCSMA director. “When high school journalist are serving their school communities with quality publications (and) seeking high journalistic standards, then they are all award-winners.”

All publications should strive to produce their best work. The chances of receiving an award will only increase.

While winning awards reflects quality, Hill stresses that true quality is measured by the response of the public, not the number of awards.

“It’s important to always work towards high standards but it’s more important to serve your audience then it is to concentrate on winning awards,” Hill said.

tips for a successful publication Literary Magazine:

OnLine newS:

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limit the amount of accepted work: it is important to be particular in the submissions put into the magazine. “Most of our school community submits work and our editorial staff is very selective,” noor Kair, gaston Day School (‘13) individuality: Make sure to include pieces that vary while still sticking with the theme. readers will get bored with the entries that are not varied. try to target different readers to establish a large audience. solid theme: Make sure to have an interesting theme and keep it as a focus throughout the magazine. design: Make sure to have “interesting design and design that makes sense,” said Kair. appearance helps to draw in readers.

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Publish frequently: “you have to publish often. you can’t take a break, it’s around the clock,” said Michael Moon, newspaper and online news adviser at Kinston High. be accurate: while being quick to update is important, “good journalism doesn’t go out the window because your posting on a different platform,” Moon said. stay up to date with technology: “always look for new ways to interact. you can’t sit still or the technology is going to pass you by,” Moon said. be creative: Online news outlets should be “leaders in innovation but also adhere to journalism standards,” Moon said.

Photo by allie russell, the daily tar heel

(Above): Chris Waugaman teaches the online news class, while Carly Castillo, Lake Norman High (‘13) looks on.

Waugaman spent time in class to give students tips on how to use their phones to their advantage.

(Middle): NCSMA Summer Institute president, Meredith Vertress, Fayetteville Christian (‘13) directs students at the pizza party.

(Right): Sam McRee, First Flight High (‘14) and Blake Anderson, Wake Forest-Rolesville High (‘13) scan The Daily Tar Heel for photo inspiration during a class break.

Photo by Patterson Wells, First Flight high (‘14)

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Photo by allie russell, the daily tar heel

Photo by allie russell, the daily tar heel

(Above Left): Photojournalism teacher Bradley Wilson shows Jessica Fink, Franklin Academy (‘13), Murphy Grant, First Flight High (‘14) Ellie Nye, Ravenscroft School (‘14), Alex Bennett Franklin Academy (‘13), and Turner Makepeace, Ravenscroft School (‘13) a video before the TV news students interview him.

(Above Right): Photography student Madison Rhoad, East Mecklenburg High, experiments with exposures during down time in the photojournalism sequence. Students in the class learned about proper exposure and composition earlier in the day.

(Left): Students look at yearbooks from multiple schools at the swap shop, which took place during the pizza party on the first day of camp.

First Flight High students Megan Forbis (‘15) , Shelby Klotz (‘15), and Alexis Ashton (‘14) talk about the creative covers of yearbooks. The swap shop allowed students to see quality work from other schools and gain new ideas.

Photo by Patterson Wells, First Flight high (‘14)

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Motivation: without a motivated yearbook staff, not much can be accomplished. “we know that we have to win awards to live up to standards and expectations. i think that has been a major motivating factor for our journalism program,” Jillian Heywood, west Henderson High (‘13) said. “it can be stressful because i don’t want to let anyone down. But, we are largely motivated by wanting to win more and more each year.” be organized and plan: in order to become an award-winning high school yearbook, organization is essential. Staff members should color code their ladder according to deadlines to allow for a clearer view of priorities. “in our journalism room, we normally keep the ladder on the door. we highlight the pages we need to prioritize,” Heywood said. “Organization is a large part of our success. without it, we would not be able to meet our deadlines.”

Graphic basics: “Dominant photographs are normally the first aspect that catches the eye of our viewer,” Heywood said. “it is pretty important that they are proportionally larger compared to your smaller pictures. i have learned a great dominant photo normally means a great spread.”

Consistency: ensure that external and internal margins are uniform in order to impress the judges with a cohesive appearance

– by Lauren Stepp

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stories relevant to readers: Stories should cover topics important to the paper’s readers. it is necessary to cover subjects that are intriguing to students within the school.

Challenging stories: according to Logan aimone, the executive director of national Scholastic press association, the judges of the pacemaker awards look for newspapers where “students pursue something challenging, and how well they do it.”

Appealing layouts: Clean layouts can make the newspaper interesting and help to draw attention to certain stories.

“Having appealing layouts can really draw people into the paper and make them interested in reading the stories,” Kate taliferro, First Flight High School (‘13). “it’s important to have different and cool layouts.”

Good quotes: it’s vital for stories to have good quotes that are informational yet don’t repeat information in the story. interviewers should be careful to ask open ended questions so in depth and thoughtful quotes are more likely to be said.

tV newS: •

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slow down: according to Dylan Field, a tV producer and director for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at UnC, it is important to slow down and mentally prepare for being on film. Before going out into the field, reporters should make a mental checklist of what they need to do. it is important to not rush and be mentally prepared. repetition: to be successful, it’s important to practice, especially with reading the teleprompter.

“Do things again and again to get comfortable,” Field said.

Make stories relevant: it is important to make the stories reported relevant to the audience and interesting, thereby holding viewers’ attention.

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Experts offer advice for online journalists by matt Wotus Apex High Modern online journalism is not just about posting stories from the print edition and calling it quits.

A growing consensus among online journalists attending the Summer Institute suggests that good online news pushes storytelling boundaries, explores new technologies and interacts with its audience.

Online news organizations should use the tips below to increase traffic and stand out from others.

social media Chris Waugaman, the online news instructor at the NCSMA Summer Institute, emphasizes the use of social media.

“It’s the modern letter to the editor,” he said.

Social media is a swift and free way to promote and share content.

“In many ways, social media is more important than your website address. Everyone gets on Facebook and Twitter around the clock,” said Michael Moon,

Photo by Allie Russell, the DAily tAR heel

On day three of the Desktop Publishing 2 workshop, Austin Downing, West Henderson High (‘14), prepares for a quiz.

the newspaper and online news adviser at Kinston High.

The Daily Tar Heel has the most “likes” of any college newspaper on Facebook, as well as more than 11,000 followers on Twitter. For Facebook, the paper hired a community manager, somebody who deals with social media. “Another thing we did was put the Facebook widget on our website,” said Erica Perel, The Daily Tar Heel’s newsroom

adviser. “It shows the people who have ‘liked’ The Daily Tar Heel on Facebook, and whether you have ‘liked’ it. We had a dramatic increase in our number of fans.” On Twitter, Perel recommended that news organizations follow people in the community.

More personal stories that relate to your friends and colleagues should go on Facebook, while information for the public

• Tell stories in different ways, should be shared on Twitter, said John Zhu, the assistant director including videos, photo slideof Communications at the UNC shows and interactive graphEshelman School of Pharmacy. ics, said Sarah Glen, director of enterprise for The Daily search-engine optimization Tar Heel and a reporter for The School of Pharmacy has WhichWayNC, a UNC news site done a lot to achieve search- focused on the 2012 elections.

• Think mobile. “Video is engine optimization, Zhu said. something that people want to “The headline of the page has an important part of it. You have look at on their mobile devices,” to get to the gist of your story in Glen said. your headline,” he said.

Dealing with hurdles “How many external sites link to your site is very important, At times, online journal(as is) how much you link out to ists may run into hurdles with other websites,” Zhu said. school administrators. “Become very acquainted with your techinteraction nology department,” Waugaman Great news websites interact said. In addition, he recomwith the audience, Moon said. mended volunteering for others, • Online polls are an easy like your county, so they will be way to invite readers in, said Liz more willing to help you.

Tarry, Providence High (‘13).

Journalists also face the chal• Think about what your audi- lenge of posting news quickly ence wants, Zhu said. “You don’t without sacrificing quality. want to read an article about a Many news organizations use band, you want to listen to the Facebook or Twitter to post band,” Waugaman said. about a developing story that • Allow users to upload their has been confirmed. own photos and videos, Moon “People will turn away very said. “CNN’s iReport, I think quickly if they know you’re not that is really revolutionary,” he giving them something new,” said.

Waugaman said.

Students plan to cover Democratic convention

by Diane Gromelski West Henderson High West Henderson High journalism adviser Brenda Gorsuch has always wanted to attend a national political convention.

So when she heard there was an opportunity for high school journalists to travel to Charlotte to cover the 2012 Democratic National Convention in September, she pounced.

“I applied to send my students to cover the DNC because I would love to cover it myself,” Gorsuch said. “How many times are you going to be hours away from something that could decide the U.S. Presidency and only happens every four years?

The convention is a great part of American politics, and it would

be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Bill Allen, newspaper adviser at East Mecklenburg High in Charlotte, said he has been trying to arrange for high school journalists from across the state to cover the convention. Many high schools have applied for credentials online through the DNC Press Gallery. The deadline has passed; staffs who applied will be notified of their acceptance status this summer.

Allen said his program will aid high school journalists in covering the convention even if they do not live in Charlotte.

“All of the hotels within a 15-mile radius from the convention are booked, so I’m trying to work out something where high school journalists in Charlotte

can host other kids from out-oftown,” Allen said. “Also, I’m setting up a website that will allow reporters to post questions so that the journalists who do get to go can ask on their behalf.”

Briana DeFilippis, Providence High (‘13), said she hopes to attend the DNC. “I want to go cover it because I am interested in politics,” DeFilippis said. “It would be a great opportunity and it’s really exclusive.”

Many high school newspapers publish infrequently, and staffs may not be able to cover the convention in their print editions in a timely manner.

Students can combat this by publishing feature stories regarding the DNC rather than news stories, said Ferrel Guillory,

a UNC professor of journalism.

“High school journalists could find feature stories in their communities and look at the campaign through the people’s eyes and ears,” Guillory said. “They can also take a look at core party platform issues and examine what makes a Republican and a Democrat.”

Gorsuch said it may be better to avoid printing stories about the DNC if they will not be published until after the convention.

She recommends high school journalists use online media to keep reports up-to-date.

“Coverage is going to be more appropriate for online publications where you can do the daily, constant news rather than outdated news a month later,” Gorsuch said.

Tips For sTudenT elecTion coverage 1. Publish feature stories rather than outdated news stories in print editions.

2. Help your readers learn about their own political views by using quizzes as sidebars.

3. Use social media sites to keep readers up-to-date on election news.

4. Publish news stories about the elections on your online site so they are accessible and current.

5. Cover local and state elections that may have more direct impact on your readers than the presidential election.

Source: Brenda Gorsuch and Ferrel Guillory

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FUNDRAISING

raising money might just be one of the hardest tasks to perform for a publication. there are two main ways to pay for a publication in addition to school funding: fundraising and ad sales. in this time of economic hardship,

business are taking fewer risks. “they don’t have money to throw around,” said elizabeth deutchki, northwest guilford High (‘14). and many students are nervous asking for ad sales. that’s why some publications are making the switch

1. selling subscriptions

2. informational packet

3. creative ideas

4. ideas from other schools

DeScRIPtION: Subscriptions to a publication can create a steady revenue for a publication year round.

DeScRIPtION: create a form asking parents for money to support the school’s publication that can go with the first day of school paperwork.

DeScRIPtION: the more creative and crazy the ideas, the more money the publication will make.

• Pumpkin decorating contest, T.C. Roberson High.

tARGet GROUP: parents and relatives.

tARGet GROUP: the community.

MAteRIALS/ eFFORt NeeDeD: Stamps, envelopes and spirit.

MAteRIALS/ eFFORt NeeDeD: paper and a well-written form.

MAteRIALS/ eFFORt NeeDeD: Support from school and community.

• Male bikini car wash, Northwest School of the arts.

ReWARD: about $150 to $250, depending on the size of school or number of subscribers. it also boosts name recognition.

ReWARD: depends on school size. it also boosts name recognition.

ReWARD: depends on success, either way you get name recognition.

tARGet GROUP: alumni and relatives of current students.

WhAt YOU SeLL WIth: >> create a solid ad form >> make it creative >> Have a digital copy

techNOLOGY

continued from page 1 projects. Unfortunately for some students, the skills they learn at NCSMA summer institiute cannot be applied to their publications due to outdated technology.

“It is really frustrating because here at camp we are learning about all of these different ways to be creative and artsy and we’re seeing all of these great new ideas that we don’t necessarily get on our own,” said Allyssa Chapin, East Mecklenburg (‘14). “So it is frustrating to go back home when we can’t use the things we’re learning, and we can’t be artsy and crafty and make the newspaper better.”

While the advanced programs may be beneficial, Oliver

hOW YOU SeLL: >> Visit businesses in a group to help ease the jitters >> prepare accordingly >> don’t take rejection personally >> always ask for the sale

WheRe YOU SeLL: >> Stay local >> talk to students with business connections

says that the student is one of the most instrumental tools as well.

“The fundamentals of the programs have been sold for nearly a decade, all of the main functions are stable,” Oliver said.

“Even with an older version of a program, you still have the base tools to produce great work.”

Along with computer programs, the foundation for all great photographs is the photographer. No matter the camera, any student with the will to be a photographer can capture great images, said Erik Perel, a freelance photographer who teaches photography at East Alamance High.

From the simple point-andshoot, to the most expensive Nikon, cameras have and always will play a critical role in student publications.

No publication is complete

without pictures and mugshots complementing stories. With increasing prices and more advanced programs, many schools are sticking to simple, less expensive cameras rather than upgrading and spending thousands, Perel said.

“There is a lot of great photography being done with iPhones and point-and-shoot cameras,” Perel said. “You don’t necessarily need the latest and greatest to capture great pictures.”

Other schools, however, are making the decision to upgrade in an effort to increase the quality of their pictures.

“If you do have a nice camera, you’re able to be up-to-date with the newest software such as Photoshop,” said Makala Edwards, East Mecklenburg High, (‘14). “That allows you to be able to produce much better pictures for your publication.”

ADVISER ADVICE

the building blocks of advertising

ADVERTISING

to fundraising. “i know we get more money from fundraising,” said danny nett, northwest guilford High (‘13). publications can try both techniques.

Here are tips that can help journalism staffers pay for a publication year round.

• 5K race with hot dog eating contest, First flight High.

• Taking advantage of homecoming game and dance, West Henderson High.

“there were two funny ads that my students sold, one was a tobacco shop and i had to send them back. another funny ad that sold was headstones, we ran it but it was kind of creepy.”

– Brenda Gorsuch, West Henderson High “Stressing taking advantage of their connections might seem obvious, but the reminders seemed to help during the year.”

– Steve Hanf, R.J. Reynolds High check out therushonline.wordpress.com for more tips.

REPORTING BY: RENE VANEK NORTHWEST SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

affordable technology options: GoogleDocs: free web-based application that provides word processing, email accounts and document storage. it allows staffers to work collaboratively.

GIMP: free online photo-editing application that provides photoshop-like tools.

Vimeo: free online video-sharing application with world-wide accessibility. users are able to upload Hd videos with no file size limits.

ISONN: the interscholastic online news network is a free hosting service for high school publications. iSonn allows users to create their own Wordpress website and promote their work throughout their network. iTalk: free application available through itunes. italk serves as a full-featured voice recorder with three levels of voice recording quality. can be used in place of a digital voice recorder.

WhatTheFont: free online application that allows users to identify any unknown fonts they encounter. upload a photo of the text, and the app will analyze the font to identify its title.

QR Code Generator: free online generator that produces Qr codes helps promote your online work. a Qr code can be scanned using a mobile device to access a website.

RepoRted by chaRles shotton souRces: fRom staff RepoRts

8

opinion

Should yearbook staffs tackle tough issues?

YES

by HaiLey JoHnS West Henderson High

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Students:

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Arjun Gupta Providence High

Lauren Stepp West Henderson High

Diane Gromelski West Henderson High

Anderson Sullivan First Flight High

Hailey Johns West Henderson High Charles Shotton First Flight High

Students tried to forget. Sirens. Flashing lights.

Police. Tears. Darkness. For Erik Kubas, 15, one bullet existed between the struggling teen and the supposed solution to his problems. The distaste for his own life and his death had earned front page stories in local newspapers across Pennsylvania.

North Star High students wanted to forget the night of Sept. 6, 2010. As a result, the yearbook staff chose to avoid coverage of the suicide, fearing a copycat event. Instead, a small photo was placed in The North Star in remembrance of Kubas. His mother, on the other hand, wanted more.

In the debate over what belongs in a school’s yearbook and what does not, the North Star staff made the right decision. A yearbook should be a publication that re-lives the happiest experiences of a time period, not a journalistic opportunity to explore controversial topics.

High school yearbooks are essentially about remembering - remembering the positive experiences such as homecoming, prom, trips and athletic events. Looking at pages filled with pictures and photos should be a nostalgic experience. Nevertheless, gay marriage, teen pregnancy, drug use and underage drinking are just some examples of the highly sensitive topics that can be found in yearbooks today.

Before deciding to cover sensitive topics, contemporary journalists must use discretion to avoid the kind

Kelly McHugh UNC-JOMC

Allie Russell The Daily Tar Heel

Erica Perel The Daily Tar Heel

Kevin Schwartz The Daily Tar Heel

Rene Vanek Northwest School of the Arts

Korie Sawyer UNC-Chapel Hill

Stacy Wynn The Daily Tar Heel

Matt Wotus Apex High

Robin Sawyer First Flight High

Advisers:

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It’s easy for a high school yearbook staff to avoid tough topics.

Students and parents expect a nostalgic account of the best of times, and doing anything else could cause a backlash.

But the staff ’s mission should not be to take it easy.

It’s job is to document a year of history—good and bad— that is shared between classmates.

In late May of 2012, students of DeLand High in Florida, opened their yearbooks to discover the yearbook staff ’s bold approach in addressing sensitive issues such as drug usage and sexual identity. Some parents and students expressed disapproval for the attention brought to the touchy and what they considered, inappropriate issues. But the staff ’s coverage of the matters should serve as a precedent for responsible journalism.

Journalism is the reporting of events and news to a wide-ranging audience, meaning the material being covered should be factual.

The DeLand High yearbook reported on sensitive issues that were real problems for students.

Student journalists should tackle these tough issues in their scholastic publications to make their fellow students think. Some may believe that a yearbook’s goal is to keep record of only the happy times in high school.

However, a yearbook should not distort the realities faced by teens.

Because students are the

primary audience for yearbook publications, they believe that their book will hold the memories they have shared. Sensitive issues are becoming less taboo.

Several decades ago, such topics would be considered inappropriate for discussion.

However, today’s teens are becoming more open with these issues. Having a community that is evolving into a more accepting society allows for yearbooks to expand their areas of reporting.

While controversial topics in yearbooks should not go uncovered, they should not be condemned nor glorified in the publication either. It’s important to be responsible.

For example, a high school yearbook feature spread on underage drinking should include factual statistics and discussion about the problems the drinking has created.

The angle a story takes can also influence the way the audience may perceive the issue. If a yearbook reports on the harmful effects of drug abuse rather than making drug use seem like a trend, then the publication would not be endorsing drug use in any way. Instead the staff would be simply bringing attention to the subject and informing the audience of the concerns.

It is the role of student journalists to cover news accurately. Those who have criticized the DeLand yearbook staff for its outstanding practice of journalism cannot appreciate the efforts of good reporting.

While sensitive issues should be handled with care, they should never be left out of a yearbook publication.

NO

by Lauren Stepp West Henderson High

of backlash that Dr. Phillips High students in Florida faced. The yearbook students were trying to cover a prayer vigil for three athletes who were involved in a car crash, including the driver who suffered brain damage and did not return to school. As 2,000 students filed into the football stadium to mourn the misfortune and pray for fellow classmates, photojournalists began covering the event. Those who were photographed crying and grieving did not want their pictures in the yearbook and demanded that the journalists stop covering the tragedy.

Rightfully so.

Yearbooks should represent and reflect the student body. Focusing on “sex, drugs and rock and roll” is a stereotypical assumption that large numbers of the school population participate in such activities.

The 2012 edition of the DeLand High yearbook in DeLand, Fla. included both traditional coverage while incorporating controversial issues from substance abuse to sexuality. Valedictorian Danielle Papin told her local newspaper that the pages do not represent the objectivity that should exist in journalism or represent the class as a whole.

These incidents and others like them prove it is imperative that journalism staffs feed off of the energy that surrounds the student body.

The student body is the driving force behind a yearbook.

The yearbook should be known for the positive stories told by their staff, not the negative publicity generated by controversy.

This edition of The Rush was published during three days from the offices of The Daily Tar Heel at UNC-Chapel Hill.

North Carolina Scholastic Media Association 284 Carroll Hall, CB# 3365 Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3365 therushonline.wordpress.com