Recruit. Recruit. Recruit.
Talk to English teachers, not just the AP teachers but all of them. Get names and then contact those students.How to discover good journalism students -- look for these traits and qualities when recruiting.
Set up a time to meet with the "chosen ones" that allows more than one hour of discussion. Then, brainstorm to get ideas out in the open. Once you have selected a staff, it's time to start planning. You may have to start at the very beginning: What will the format be? Does the staff want a minitab, a tab or a broadsheet?
Can you raise enough funds to have the publication printed or should it be an online site? A tabloid is defined as "roughly 17 by 11 inches (432 by 279 mm)" and commonly "half the size of a broadsheet"; confusion can arise because "many broadsheets measure roughly 291⁄2 by 231⁄2 inches (749 by 597 mm)", half of which is roughly 15 in × 12 in (381 mm × 305 mm) not 17 in × 11 in (432 mm × 279 mm). One even smaller size is called a mini-tab.
Let students know that this endeavor will NOT be a play period but will require time and commitment on their part. Discuss what ethics are involved to publish a publication that is fair, impartial and representative of the school. Let the group know that you will help them stay legal by referring them to a link to media law and the Student Press Law Center. This is not to frighten the neophytes but to assure them that this publication will be "professional" in nature.
Now, it may be time to begin talking about the bells and whistles of producing the publications. What are News Values. How does a reporter gather information?
By interviewing.
Once the information is gathered, what are some helpful tips for writing and editing and how the stories will be accompanied by photojournalism and design.
At the end of the first get-to-know-you session, give each student a handout which will include a quickie link to what they will need to know.
Good luck! You'll need it. (Just kidding. It'll be a blast.)
Adding an online presence in high school
Young people today hang out on the Internet. And that's where they get much of their information about their interests, some of which may be NEWS. Even if news is not their No. 1 priority, it seems important that high school publications have an online presence. Some staffs will merely upload their print publications. Some will go beyond.
Guide to telling a story
Beginning Editing The music on this tutorial is a bit much. Turn off the sound or you will nod off.Guidelines for shooting quality video
Izzy Video tutorials make it easy to learn video.
Video Editing: A Beginner's Glossary
Read Casey Frechette's credentials and see what he has to offer. He's good!
These high school Pacemaker winners show planning and careful execution of ideas.
Palo Alto High School
Carlsbad High School
Annandale High School
Legacy High School
Now you have the visuals, look for the best sounds here.
Working with photos and video
How to take incredible still photos with your phone without video -- and put them together to make great online stories
Click to see a video on how to take photos with your phone
Note in the next video how black and white still photos combine with video and natural sound to produce an excellent video that would thrill the average high school football fan. It captures the flavor of Friday Night Lights.Friday Night Lights from Soul of Athens on Vimeo.
Finally, look at how video and audio go together in "Contribute."
So, this should get you started. At least.
Contribute II: A Film by Charles R. Diaz from Camurai on Vimeo.
Friday Night Lights from Soul of Athens on Vimeo.
Photo Tips
Bluegrass in Athens
It's not easy, but it's worth the extra effort. You can do it.