Young Rams Charge Into Journalism

In a building with as much history as the there is no shortage of stories to be told. With the return of the school paper, known as the Ram Reader, a group of enterprising young journalists are helping to share the stories that matter most to them. 

Under the direction of staff advisor and fifth grade teacher Deanna Yorke the students cover everything from interviews with teachers to school activities happening inside the building. The group of nearly 20 students work together and have published two of their three editions for the year. 

With a combination of fiction, nonfiction and even cartoons the paper provides a unique glimpse into one of the oldest buildings in the district and the students that walk the halls every day. 

James Cafiero a fifth grader at the school said he has enjoyed be a part of the paper's staff this year so that it can grow in the future. "I wanted to make a good impression to the other kids that are going to be in fifth grade next year," he said. 

Cafiero and the other writers have been able to take what they learn in the classroom including their young program and apply it to the paper. That includes a cartoon they made about "Thinking win win," which is one of the seven habits they learn in school. 

Abigail Griffith a fellow fifth grader said since she enjoys writing working with the paper has been a fun activity. She also has enjoyed the fact that only fifth graders can participate making it an even more special experience. 

Griffith's contribution to the last edition was an interview with a younger student at the school who she said had a passion for frogs which she was not aware of before they talked. 

A third member of the paper's staff Julia Mascali said she joined up after learning about it from one of her teachers. "I like fiction stories because you get to make it as crazy as you want," she said. She also interviewed a young student who she otherwise might not have had the chance to meet. Now, she said she enjoys seeing them when they pass in the hall during the day. 

Madeline Martino also enjoys the writing experience and especially fiction but also enjoys fictitious topics as well. "You can write whatever you want," she said. "And you can make things happen to characters that wouldn't normally happen to them and go out on your own ideas." 

Martino also has enjoyed covering news stories and wrote about a beautification project that was undertaken by the students and community members at the school over the course of the year. 

Kylie Corbett said she has enjoyed being part of paper as it gets underway. "It's fun and you get to capture all the school's events," she said. Like may of her fellow writers Corbett said she enjoys fiction writing as well as non fiction. "Some stories you get to make up whatever you want and go on cool adventures but other stories you get to capture the real events that actually happen."

Also writing for the reader is Nicole Orlowsky said her favorite subject in class is writing so being on the newspaper staff is an extension of that. She was also able to take a book she was reading in another class and turning it into a review for the paper. 

The Ram Reader is one of several student run papers that have returned to the district for an activity those involved hope will carry on past the end of the year in June.