In Catholic schools around the Diocese of Camden, students are trying their hand at journalism through school-sponsored print publications, television stations and other classroom-based activities.
And whether it involves sharing school news or interviewing Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata – and everything in between – educators and school leaders say the exercises are key to building skills that will benefit students for years to come.
“Journalism is a valuable skill for all students, but especially for high-schoolers, who absorb news content every single day through the internet,” says Alexa Loreaux, world literature and religion teacher in Holy Spirit High School, Absecon, and adviser for The Spartan Spirit newspaper. “It’s important that they have writing as a creative outlet in the beginning. Then, as they learn more about all that journalism contributes to society, they begin to appreciate ethical reporters and seek out reliable sources on their own.”
The Spartan Spirit affords students the opportunity to engage in each step of newspaper production – including planning and designing each of the roughly four issues that are published each year. The publication covers the latest happenings at the school and church, with news related to academics, sports, extracurricular activities and faith.
Students there can also join in the production of Spartan TV, which is part of the school’s performing arts program. The newly renovated television studio is the perfect workshop for students to develop segments on academics, arts and athletics – as well as a range of other programs. There is “Walking with Francis,” which updates students on the latest travels and guidance of Pope Francis, and “From the Desk of the Doc,” which includes a weekly interview with principal Dr. Tom Farren.
“We have editors, writers, anchors, cameramen and the full components of a working studio,” says Claire Collins, music and instrumental teacher and adviser for Spartan TV. “I am very proud of these students. My dream for Spartan TV was to be completely student-driven so they could experience the importance of seeking out the truth and then how to report it to the community, and most importantly, be proud to have their name attached to the reporting.”
The Spartan TV crew has weekly meetings to discuss which stories they will cover – student service projects, student government updates or a wide range of other topics. Each meeting, Collins says, includes discussion about “the importance and responsibility of stating the facts, and most importantly, the need to report positive news that will inspire and guide our students toward fulfilling our mission statement and Christian values.”
As Holy Spirit High School celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, the student journalists will be hard at work chronicling their alma mater’s history, as well as its staff and some of the things that make their school community special. They will also cover special events organized to mark the milestone.
Students attending Catholic Partnership Schools in the Camden area are also getting journalistic training, through their English language arts curriculum. The schools partner with Healthy NewsWorks, an organization that “empowers elementary and middle school students to become researchers, writers, critical thinkers, and confident communicators who advance health understanding and literacy through their factual publications and digital media.”
Jameka McGraw-Byrd, executive director of Catholic Partnership Schools, says the collaboration has been incredibly valuable for students.
“They learn the foundation of good journalism – how to find credible sources, conduct good interviews and tell truthful stories in an engaging way,” she explains. “We have also partnered in the past with Penn Literacy Network to train our teachers to integrate literacy throughout our curriculum richly and engagingly.”
Students have had the chance to contribute to a student newspaper, and earlier this year, some students conducted a Zoom interview with Jordan Mailata of the Philadelphia Eagles. Middle-schoolers in Saint Cecilia School and Sacred Heart School have also been able to take an elective course, Digital Art and Design, as well as a summer photography course. Such experience, McGraw-Byrd says, is part of their efforts to introduce students to a variety of career paths.
She adds another tangible benefit of exposure to journalism training: “With students’ increasing access to the Internet, misinformation and disinformation are enormous problems. Our teachers model finding trustworthy, credible sources early in our student’s academic careers.”
Both McGraw-Byrd and Loreaux also spoke about how students remain mindful of their Catholic values in their reporting. This includes treating interviewees with decency and honor, regardless of point of view.
“Students typically choose to write about faith-based topics such as our school Masses and Holy Days throughout the year,” says Loreaux. “Motivating them to keep that Catholic spirituality at the center of journalistic practices allows them to remain mindful of their beliefs in all that they pursue.”
Student journalists at Holy Spirit High School – including sophomore Angel Elefante, Spartan TV producer, and juniors Brian Palin, Delaney Evans and Liza Martino, who are anchors for various programs, said they have developed research and writing skills through these experiences.
“It’s so easy with social media to spread misinformation instantly to any community worldwide and manipulate the truth or present only one perspective,” the students agreed. “We discovered we needed to use multiple resources that can be fact-checked to ensure that the news we are reporting is the accurate truth.”
They added, “Our writers have needed not only to report the story but to add the perspective of our Christian values to the segments we present while still maintaining integrity and truth.”
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