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Share your newspaper ideas!Lori’s section editors have spent lots of time brainstorming story ideas, as have many of the other classes at HSJI! No need to keep them a secret! Share your great ideas in the comments for this post, so that your fellow HSJI-ers can take home some solid ideas for the school year. Some things Lori’s section editors name up with were finding fresh approaches to events that happen every school year at every school in the country. Namely:
What are your ideas? 34 comments to Share your newspaper ideas! |
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Copyright © 2010 High School Journalism Institute - All Rights Reserved |
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Let’s have students from all the labs collaborate under this prompt. Put your story ideas as a comment.
25 Story Ideas
By: Gabe Englander
1. Swine flu outbreak at Camp Livingston
2. Fun places to go near Sycamore
3. Spotlight on organizer of AP and SAT Testing
4. Intoxication at football games
5. College Transcripts: Do local colleges apply or take out weighting of GPA’s?
6. Do standardized tests accurately predict how students will fare in college?
7. Going green: An advertising façade
8. Long term effects of high school sports on the body
9. Suicide Prevention: Profile a school counselor or administrator
10. Getting a physical for sports without health insurance
11. Follow a freshman through his or her first week of school
12. Are students washing their hands effectively? (Or just doing a courtesy wash)
13. Struggles of a bulimic student
14. Motives/attitudes of an anorexic student
15. Offset symptoms of sleep deprivation by moving school start later
16. Does Fit for Life actually help students maintain a healthy lifestyle?
17. Profile of a student with diabetes
18. How to cope with depression
19. Attitudes of students toward other obese students
20. How many students actually care about politics?
21. Underground life of a smoking minor
22. Why Kings Island is a lame place to spend a summer (this is an amusement park)
23. Crime statistics of SHS students
24. Mock report card for Principal Chris Davis
25. The new and improved Wifi: Are students encouraged to bring in laptops?
Ben Boyce
25 Story Ideas
1.Look at fights at your school. How often do they occur? Talk to students involved and find out what the consequences are.
2.Follow three different students through the college application and admission process.
3.Analyze the school’s policy on dancing at school dances and how students feel about it.
4.Look at how a team is dealing with the loss of a star athlete. How are they being replaced?
5.Document a long road trip for a sports team.
6.Do standardized tests really predict how well someone performs in college?
7.Do students get enough feedback from teachers after tests?
8.Is class rank still relevant? How does it work and are colleges still using it?
9.Follow a freshman through his or her first week in the new high school.
10.How to stay clean in school.
11.Analyze the cost of playing a sport such as hockey or football
12.Do a package on all the sports injuries at your school over the year. How severe and how long it took to recover?
13.Is the cafeteria food healthy? Put together healthiest meal from the cafeteria.
14.Do a big review of the ten best sandwiches in your town. Consider cost, does the place have a student discount?, taste, if its filling or not, and how far away it is.
15.The effects of caffeine on teenagers’ bodies.
16.Do students get enough sleep? What are the dangers of not?
17.What are the consequences of getting caught drinking, and how does it affect ones future?
18.Find students living with diseases at your school such as diabetes, and tell what it’s like.
19.Has high school experience prepared you for college? Get advice from college students on how to be better prepared.
20.Do short features on all the custodians in your school.
21.Analyze car idling and the effects it has on the environment and the car. Check out the laws against it.
22.What types of music do students listen to and why?
23.Investigate the vandalism situation at your school. Who’s doing it? What are they writing? What are the consequences?
24.Check out the piercings and tattoos students at your school have.
25.Are there any new programs or classes at your school? Any that are failing?
Amber Taylor, Story Ideas
1. Who organizes AP tests, profile the steps they take and how they impact testing day
a. The counselors at my school forgot to mail a student’s registration packet and he didn’t find out until testing day—possible story that leads to a how-to make sure you’re taking the test.
2. Testing
a. Trends in testing—standardized tests really impact grades
b. How effective are standardized test—if your school does spectacular (70% of students rank in the top 90 percentile and the other 30% of students scoring below 60 percentile) then do slightly “worse” the next year (only 65% of students rank in the top 90 percentile but the other 35% of students actually score between the 60 percentile and the 90 percentile—pretty good for most schools in STL) the school looses funding.
c. Students who take AP classes just to build up transcripts
i. AP classes and how they prepare students for college vs. regular classes that don’t
ii. How AP classes and weighted grades impact students and class ranks
3. Religion
a. Profile students of different religions at KHS
b. Show how far separation of Church and State actually goes
i. In France students are not allowed to display religion at all—angle of how that would affect students at KHS/what they think of that law (Man on the Street design)
4. Depression—how students cope with hardship/how depression affects student’s school work. Talk to psychology teacher and students who battle depression.
5. Overcoming injuries—profile students who’ve had to have surgery because of hurting themselves while playing HS sports
6. The long term effects (good and bad) of HS sports on students
7. Blood drive
a. Where the blood goes
b. Follow a person donating blood for the first time and document what they’re thinking each step of the way
c. Students who organize blood drive, why they do it
8. Sleep deprivation with students—effect of staying up late to do homework and how it effects concentration at school the next day
9. Part time jobs
a. How they affect student’s school work
b. Interesting student jobs
c. Best and worse student jobs
d. Students who work multiple part time jobs
e. Why students have part time jobs
10. Senior pranks gone wrong—the best and worse pranks over the years
11. Prom
a. Jobs of the prom committee members
b. Funds, where they come from and what they go toward
c. Should junior and senior prom be together or separate?
d. Someone who goes to multiple proms—comparison/explanation why they attend so many
12. Student rights
a. Where they begin and where they end
b. Students to push their rights to extremes
13. Security
a. How secure the school is against intruders
b. How financially secure the school is
c. How secure school technology is
14. IN-DEPTH—Profile a day/week at private schools (all boys, all girls, mix), a school out in the country, a school out in the city and another local public school
a. Review policies
b. Review activities
c. Interesting classes
d. Cliques
e. Atmosphere
f. Quality of education (back up with test scores and ranking of school in the nation)
15. College—finding the right college
16. College roommates—rooming with someone previously known vs. someone new
17. How to decorate College dorm effectively and on a budget
18. What I wish I knew freshman year—upperclassmen give advice to freshman
19. Feature on interesting clubs
a. STAND
b. GSA
c. Anime
d. LEAF (just a few examples, there are hundreds at our school)
20. iPone vs. iPod touch
a. applications
b. uses
21. Interesting injuries students receive during the school year—profile of the hazards of daily life
22. Adopting a pet
a. Finding the right pet for your family
b. Best animal shelters to visit
c. People who take in homeless animals
23. Sex education—teaching abstinence doesn’t work, school the school update sex ed policy.
24. Down on our luck—13 facts about the number 13 (there were three Friday they 13ths this year)
25. Student definitions of various ideas/philosophies
a. Beauty, faith, truth, lies, religion, ect…
Mackenzie Becker, (Section Editor, Tony Willis)
Kirkwood High School
1. How are college applications processed?
2. Are we creating generations of test takers?
3. Does standardized testing really help predict how well a student will do in college?
4. Follow three different students through the college admissions process –> an academic, an athlete, and an average student
5. How have people cheated the system in order to become valedictorian, etc? (Cite The Overachievers)
6. What are the long-term effects of high school athletics on the body?
7. Investigate a student who has lost or never had health insurance.
8. What happens to people with chronic diseases who have no health insurance?
9. What are the effects of caffeine on the student body?
10. How healthy is the cafeteria food?
11. Explain the importance of hand washing.
12. How many calories are in certain popular restaurant meals?
13. How does sleep deprivation effect students?
14. Would students benefit from starting school later in the day?
15. First Issue–> Profile the new presidents/leaders of clubs and organizations.
16. Profile athletes with asthma
17. Discussion of various teen eating disorders.
18. How have student athletes overcome injuries?
19. How does depression affect students?
20. What can teenagers do now to prevent future health problems?
21. What affect do headphones have on students hearing?
22. Provide a variety of safety tips for students.
23. Follow a foreign exchange students experience with prom.
24. Profile people who attend multiple proms.
25. Profile people who have gone to prom all four years.
26. Describe students’ various summer activities.
27. ACT v. SAT, explanation of both and a description of SAT Subject Tests
28. Series of How To: change a tire, do laundry, etc
29. Middle school students who are taking classes at the high school.
30. Investigation on how college admissions officers and potential employers examine a students Facebook profile.
1. AP testing
a. Who sets up these tests?
b. What does their job entitle?
2. Class rank: our school vs. others
a. What does class rank really show?
b. What are the benefits and disadvantages for schools without class ranks?
c. Is there a reason our school uses the class rank system?
3. Did your high school experience prepare you for college?
a. Find four or five freshmen college students that recently graduated from our high school and interview them on how the feel about their preparation before college.
b. Did the classes they took benefit them in any way?
c. If there is one thing they could do over what would it be and why?
4. What do colleges really look for in your high school transcript?
a. Does class rank matter?
b. Do they take into consideration AP and honors classes?
c. What is the number one thing to look for?
d. Does attendance play a role?
5. Best cell phone providers for students
a. Which company has the best plans for high school student’s budgets?
b. Who has the strongest service?
c. What are their customer’s reviews?
6. Document a sports team on a long road trip
a. What is it like on the bus ride there?
i. In the hotel room
ii. At the game
iii. After the game
iv. On the road back home
7. Health insurance vs. no health insurance
a. Visit a local hospital and ask for itemized printout of how much standard procedures would cost for a common injury such as a broken arm without insurance. Compare the total to a person with insurance
8. New classroom textbooks
a. Who orders the textbooks in the school district?
b. How much do they normally cost?
c. Where does the money come from?
9. Follow a pint of blood
a. At a school blood drive follow the procedure a pint of blood goes through before it is used inside a hospital. Begin with the blood being drawn from a person’s arm then being sent off to the lab and so forth.
10. Foreign exchange students and their view of prom
a. Do foreign exchange students attend prom?
b. What is their view of the event?
c. Do they host proms in their country?
11. Prom budget
a. Where does the committee get their budget?
b. How much do they pay
i. DJ
ii. Rent of the room
iii. Decorations
iv. Food and Drinks
v. Prom Favors
12. Homemade prom dresses
a. Find a student who has made their own dress and compare both in price and appeal to another student who purchased theirs.
13. Multiple proms
a. How many proms a student attends in a year
b. The cost of multiple dances
c. The experience of prom with a different school
14. Custodian procedures
a. What do custodians clean on a daily basis?
b. What only gets cleaned every so often?
i. Does this cause more cases of sickness?
15. How to choose your college roommate?
a. Should you room with someone of your own personality or someone opposite of yourself?
b. What are the advantages and disadvantages of rooming with someone you already know?
16. How do universities pair roommates?
a. Is there a procedure they follow?
b. Do the try to put similar personalities together?
i. Similar studies
ii. Similar ages
17. Cheap and effective ways to decorate your dorm
a. Local stores with good deals on all the needs for going away
b. Tips on items to save on
18. School library budget
a. Has the budget increased or decreased over the year?
b. How do they choose what books to purchase?
i. Do students have an impact on the books they buy?
19. Iphone apps to organize your life
a. The most common apps used and how they are effective
20. Inside look on what happens behind the curtains
a. All the practice and rehearsal spent to prepare a theatre production
b. What it takes to prepare costumes and props
21. Student silence on drug issues
a. How sometimes not saying anything is worse than telling it all
22. New principle coverage
a. Bio of new principle with timeline of past principles
23. Where did our mascot come from?
a. Has this always been the mascot?
b. Will it ever change?
c. **Sidebar with five most unusual mascot names
24. Adoption
a. How students who have been adoptive go through school
b. How old were they when they were adopted
c. Do they believe it plays a role in the person they are?
25. Long term effects of high school sports on the body
a. Good and bad effects
b. How to prevent some effects
1. Who organizes and plans AP/SAT/ACT testing?
2. How do transcripts get to colleges?
3. How does LHS class rank work and how does it compare to other schools?
4. Building up transcript/GPA vs. Taking challenging classes to prepare for college
5. Standards for college admissions
6. Teachers using technology in classrooms
7. Who pays and sets up prom?
8. Foreign exchange student’s opinions on American schools
9. Rights of school regarding searches
10. Security of school’s technology
11. How college roommates are chosen
12. What do students look for in a college
13. How well do LHS classes prepare students for college?
14. How do athletes condition over the summer?
15. What is the reputation of LHS athletics?
16. How are coaches and teachers hired?
17. Students who do charity work
18. Origin of sports nicknames
19. How do students balance school and sports?
20. How do sports injuries affect students while in school?
21. How does amount of sleep affect performance? Do LHS students get enough sleep?
22. What is the effect of energy drinks on students?
23. Are ACT and SAT tests accurate indicators of performance?
24. How does school go about suspending and expelling students?
25. Impact of managers on high school sports teams
1. Emphasis on GPA vs. extracurriculars
2. Rheumatoid arthritis in athletes
3. Prevalence of biking vs. driving
4. Varying political views in youth
5. Raising college standards
6. Prom funding
7. American high schools vs. European high schools
8. Priority placed on prom
9. Significance of private universities vs. public universities
10. Breaking gender stereotypes in classes
11. Youth and extreme sports
12. Updating and justifying the dress code
13. Internet server vulnerability
14. Foreign exchange student backgrounds
15. School-sponsored service trips
16. Prevalence of religious clubs at school
17. Liberal arts vs. professional studies
18. Careers from creative writing
19. Personal opinions of Ivy League students
20. Keeping hydrated
21. Keeping unusual pets
22. Being adopted
23. Texting security
24. Lack of exercise in school
25. Use of social networking to finish school assignments
Kara Campbell, Lafayette High School
1. There is a bill about concealed weapons on college campuses being allowed on college campuses. So they can protect themselves from attackers. If this passes for college would it trickle down to the high school level?
2. There is a pending law that you no longer have to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle in MO. There is an age limit, but I heard it would be really hard to enforce that. There are also a lot of variables that go along with it.
3. When getting the scholar athlete award do the coaches really need to announce the person’s grade point average? It’s kind of embarrassing if you don’t have the greatest grade point. Coach McAllister didn’t say the grade point at his banquette, because as a student he didn’t like his grade point announced.
4. If you look up at the school cafeterias gates there is a sign that says ‘could drop at any time’ does the school really need that gate endangering students while trying to buy lunch? What is the purpose of this gate? Didn’t the old cafeteria function without a gate about to drop? If the gate needs to be there, does the it have to be right above the kids heads? Is that safe? How is it held in place?
5. The same people always lead every club. There should be a limit to give more people an opportunity. Going of Jared’s column.
6. How exactly the cafeteria food made? Is it healthy? Gross? Real meat?
7. Reviews over the cafeteria food. What is healthy and the least expensive to buy?
8. When I took the EOC in lang. and math the grade has not yet been calculated into the grade. However when I took it in history when I got home the grade was in the computer and it counted for 15%. It was also, the day before my history final. Why did the Rockwood School District take away my last day of review? And why did they make the history exam be taken in a shorter amount of time so late in the school year?
9. Why did iTunes raise there prices? Now many more people are downloading illegally. Didn’t Apple see that coming?
10. Athlete of the month in the sports section
11. Cover the field trips and competitions for band, choir, theater, orchestra, other fine arts, and foreign language.
12. Cover the academic team. They are a scholar team that doesn’t get school funding for anything, when you would think they would, because they are representing the school in academics, which the school is so happy about how many smart people go here.
13. Every month have a little interview with a staff member from the newspaper, so people know how hard we work and what’s going on.
14. Have a college story about the economy. People are staying closer to home. Has tuition lowered any? Is tuition just getting higher every year? What are students doing to finance their education? Are parents still helping out as much? Interview the college counselors about scholarships and which ones are unknown? Also, are people still planning on joining sororities and fraternities, because of money?
15. A story on new high school addictions. Cell phones, iPods, and of course Facebook. Studies have come out about grades lowering, however my mom takes my phone and Internet away for an 90 min and now I don’t have any C’s. Last semester I had 2 C’s before we started this.
16. How much homework is too much? What is the healthy amount? How much time do teachers expect you put in? How much homework can teens really handle? Is too much stress put on us for good grades? Most people do a sport or other after school activities and don’t have enough time to do their homework. What are people giving up for their schoolwork? What are people giving up for their sport?
17. Are warranties worth it? The sales associate always tries to persuade you to buy it, but do people really need it? Is it a marketing ploy? Do people actually use them? Compare people who use it and don’t use it.
18. Most people start applying to colleges their junior year. What mistakes are people making on their applications? What should they be sure to have? What sets them apart from the other applicants?
19. Last year I joined the freshmen mentor program. They seemed really dedicated about helping out eh new freshmen, but the mentors never met their mentees. Will that change next school year? Is it just another thing to put on your college application? Or maybe it has just turned into key club where everyone signs up and no one does anything?
20. During school elections a majority of the people never votes. Is this one of the reasons that the voting turn out and registration is so low for real elections?
21. Tenure in the Rockwood could possibly be gone in the next few years. However, f they do that then it will be impossible to fire a teacher. A middle schooler killed himself, because a teacher was bullying him. This teacher was off tenure and the school called it a learning experience. The teacher was never fired. She could still be doing the same things to other students.
22. Why do colleges rely so heavily on standardized tests? The only thing they predict is how well you can take a test, not on how smart you really are.
23. The good and bad affects of going green.
24. Global Warming has been around for a long time. So why is it all of a sudden getting the attention? Why now?
25. The cops are loosing some funding. Is that why they are pulling more people over and creating more speed traps? Also, the cops have moved their hiding spots so people don’t slow down at cretin spots.
• who organizes AP tests
• college applications – what to do an what not to do
• class ranks – how it’s unfair and being done away with
• building up a transcript vs. preparing for college
• interview with a college admissions officer
• iPods in class – using Podcasts to teach
• accompany a sports team on a long trip to a game
• class trips
• textbooks – who chooses them and pays for them
• car insurance for teens
• how to get good college recommendation letters
• advice for incoming freshmen
• student jobs – pros/cons, where to find them, etc.
• prom – who organizes, pays, plans it
• foreign exchange student’s perspective on prom
• sports rivalry – your school vs. another school
• someone who went to multiple proms
• school renovations and student, parent, and teacher reactions
• networking site and teens
• length of day and school start time – why so early and who decides
• foreign language classes – compare and contrast
• band, all the effort it takes and all the practice put in to the halftime shows and competitions
• self defense class in gym
• sexting
• follow the school resource officer for a day
• how school administrators determine punishments
• sports tryouts
• college roommates
• what people wish they knew the first week of college
• how to decorate a dorm room
• behind the scenes of the school play, musical, talent show, etc.
• athletic trainers – advice for athletes
• school library – how to use resources, budget, who picks books and pays for them
• iPhones
• steps to going green
• “bromance”
• school mascots – history
• ADD/ADHD and how it affects students
• how the economy effects students
• best ways to study
• teen communication – technology good or bad?
1. Where does the money for prom come from
2. Foreign exchange students perspective going to prom
3. Who organizes AP exams what that staff has to go through
4. Class ranks how they are going away from high school system
5. People who go to high just to get into college not to prepare for college
6. What the ACT really means on your life
7. The reputation of my high school athletic program
8. ADD/ADHD and how it effects students in class focusing
9. Energy drinks and how the highs and crashes effect there effectives of paying attention in class
10. The struggle for students to find jobs
11. Custodian job and what is actually cleaned
12. Suspension process to determine what you can get you suspended for 10 days
13. What does a person go through and do when suspended for a certain amount
14. Sports hobbies that are out of the norm
15. How secure is our school technology if broken into
16. How injuries from sports do not just effect you in sports but in school but long term effect
17. Unusual summer vacations
18. Celebrities that went to our school and if they give anything back
19. Choosing the college roommate
20. Sleeping disorders on it affects your attentiveness in school.
21. How to hydrate properly without the extra calories
22. How to condition for a season without crossing the line
23. Annual budget for the library for books
24. The set gpa for athletes to be eligible.
25. How people balance sports and school
26. How student managers impact sports team
27. CHEERLEADERS!!
28. Relay for life
29. TWINS how sharing the same school and comparisons
30. The art of the bromance
31. Summer camps and what they do and how it impacts
32. Louie the lancer behind the name
1. Who organizes AP/ACT/SAT testing?
2. How do college apps get in?
3. Who sends in transcripts to colleges?
4. How do class ranks vary at other schools?
5. Did high school prepare you for college?
6. What is the college admission process like?
7. What’s the most used cell phone around school?
8. What technology do most teachers use?
9. How do suicides effect teens?
10. Suicide prevention?
11. Can gay students take their significant other to school dances?
12. What is the real cost of prom?
13. How do foreign exchange students see dances and other school functions?
14. Is there anyone who goes to multiple proms?
15. Anyone who asks their date to prom in special ways?
16. Any former students who are in the Armed Services?
17. Neighborhoods with streets divided where one side goes to one school and the other side goes to another?
18. How to choose a college roommate?
19. Advice: what I wish I would have known before going to college?
20. Sports drinks that are really good for you?
21. Annual budget for library and how they spend it?
22. Any special clubs no one really hears about: anime club?
23. “Bromance” and what it takes to have one?
24. Best friends who go to different schools after high school?
25. Religion & Sex.. where’s the line?
Mina Yu
Story Ideas
1. Laptop use in school. Last year, students brought in laptops in large group to take notes. If Rockwood or neighboring schools have any future plans on implementing the use of laptops. Include pros and cons
1. How do non-publication students view online journalism and journalism in general. Why do some students read the paper while others choose not to?
2. Feature story on the best cell phone company, reviewing each company and doing a review on the current best seller phone.
3. Siblings who play on the same sports team that have to compete against each other (track, cc, swimming, etc) Or siblings who attend different schools.
4. Complete college process. Explaining the different terms of the college application terms such as early enrollment, etc.
5. Pick the top 5 schools that former LHS students attend (MIzzou, MO State, etc) and do a “pros and cons” section by interviewing former alumni.
6. Long term story on the college process of 3 different types of students: average student, athlete, the overachiever.
7. Different types of classes that LHS does not offer such as the IB program. What is it and what does it show colleges?
8. Annual school budget. Where does the money go, how is all that money raised, history, patterns, etc.
9. Sex vs. Religion. Some students decide to wait until marriage due to personal reasons, other students do it for religious reasons.
10. Short story on “What I Wish I Knew the First Week of High School/College”.
11. How to keep healthy during sports season. Twist: Add that it is scientifically proven that the best thing to drink after physical activity is chocolate milk.
12. Bromance. Features story on best friends and focus on male best friends.
13. Student athletes who have physical illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, arthritis, etc.
14. Dangerous and Unhealthy College Habits: Binge drinking, All Nighters, etc.
15. Rooming in colleges. How do some colleges match up roommates (some do intensive personality tests and others do random room assignments)
16. The Activity Director at schools who catch students on facebook drinking. (LHS AD Berry gets facebook pictures sent to his office every Monday morning anonymously)
17. OSS and ISS. Personal stories and how it affects your school record and keeping up in classes.
18. Guys in FACS classes such as Fashion Construction.
19. Alumni story, interview alumni and see where they are now. Interview former class presidents, mascots, valedictorian, etc.
20. Ways people have been asked to Prom, interview people who handmade their dress compared to those who spend lots of $$$ for their dress.
21. Differences between American high schools and European high schools.
22. Prom costs, why does the school spend so much money, where does the money come from, is the budget the same every year or does it increase, decrease.
23. Students who attend multiple proms a year. Documentary type of features story.
24. Private schools vs. Public schools. Compare tuition costs, athletic programs, ACT/SAT scores, student enrollment and college admissions.
25. Features/InDepth on Islam, Hinduism, Judaism. Angle: prejudice and misconceptions.
Story Ideas
Max Thoman
1. Foreign exchange students and prom: Do they go? As new people, how do they feel about it? Follow them through the experience.
2. Mizzou Vs. Illini (Tyler Griffey): coverage on that game and students views on the game.
3. Families in Iraq: How they keep going, Who has family in Iraq, how they are affected.
4. Effects of Injuries: Any long term effects in school sports? How it deals with students and their families.
5. The Art of a Bromance: What defines a bromance? How is it?
6. Coaching jobs (still here): Even after retirement some coaches remain at LHS in order to coach their students. What keeps them going? What keeps them here?
7. Sex Education: Why is the district so against sex education? Why is abstinence only taught here? What do students think?
8. Prom Committee: How is it chosen? Who plans it all? What happens at meetings?
9. Prom Money: Where does it come from? How is it spent?
10. Designer dresses vs. cheep: What’s the difference? How much?
11. Abercrombie Employees: Why are they being treated bad? Who has stories?
12. Punishments: When can the school punish you when you do something outside of school?
13. Choosing a college roommate: What should they know about college roommates?
14. Islam: It’s so misunderstood. We should clear up the air.
15. Annual library budget: what’s the annual budget and what books are usually bought?
16. Anime: why is it so addictive? Anime Club. Etc.
17. Hidden Valley upgrade: New tubing scene is going to be implemented soon and more runs are being added. Will prices rise? How interested are students?
18. Hidden Valley update: What happened with the town hall meetings? How did that all turn out?
19. Davidson Goes To Chesterfield: We say goodbye to Mrs. Davidson as she goes to Chesterfield Elementary. Who will replace her? What are her thoughts?
20. Camps: What types of camps and trips were taken and what good values were learned?
21. Random stories from the audience: interview and find a story on someone at random.
22. Public Schools vs. Private: cost and benefit etc.
23. Where they are now: Lafayette alumni where are they now?
24. Janitors: how are they treated, they deserve more…
25. Saying goodbye to celebrities this year.
1. Shadow janitors; what they have to go through to clean the school
2. Students who are not involved in school activities; why are they not involved?
3. Should children with special needs be seperated from children without special needs? Why or why not?
4. How they decide on and plan the senior prank?
5. The pressures of prom
6. How the staff decides what food is sold in the cafeteria? Is nutritional value important or do finances overrules that?
7. Have swim team swimsuits haves evolved and changed over the years
8. What does the school technology allow you to do and not to do?
9. The adjustments foreign exchange students must make adapting to a new atmosphere
10. The nutritional value (or lack of) of the cafeteria food
11. The social aspect of high school vs. the academic aspect
12. The efectiveness of the ciriculum we learn in school
13. How having an African-American president effects Canadian high school student
14. The positive changes that can be made at school with the economic issues the world is facing
15. The impact media makes amoung teenage youth. Positive and negative aspects
16. Why teen violence has grown so rapidly over the past few years?
17. What the new principal has accomplished in his first year? What he plans to accomplish in the future?
18. What students plan to do after graduation? Where they plan on going?
19. The pressure of high school and the things students will go through to relieve it
20. The rapid competition for a spot at University. How it has changed over the years
21. The valadictorian and what they had to do to earn the spot
22. The coaches of sports teams. What do they do to earn respect and how do they encourage team bonding?
23. An interview with the best track runner in school. What did they do to prepare for the event?
24. How do students feel about the current driving age? Should it be younger or older?
25. How do you feel about cliques? Do you feel St. Augustine has cliques? Do you feel like you belong to many cliques? Do you feel like you have been wrongly defined?
1) New Football Coach: What is it like filling the shoes of a state champion coach?
People: How have the demographics of Knoxville Catholic’s students changed over the years?
2) Required Novels: Why are some of the novels we read so outdated?
3) Computers: What will they look like in the next twenty years?
4) Future Project: Why is one wall in the “Fine Arts Hallway” made of glass?
5) Principal: What is a day with Mr. Zompryac like?
6) Cafeteria: Where does the extra food go? Are we disposing of it in a way that benefits the environment?
7) Tuition: Is the economy affecting your college search?
9) iPods: How have they affected the record industry and the amount of records that are bought each year?
10) Drugs and Alcohol: How common are they at Knoxville Catholic?
11) Facebook and Twitter: Are we all journalists?
12) Unsung Heroes: How much do you volunteer for your community?
13) Voice: Who is the new “Voice of the Irish” and what are their responsibilities?
14) Blarney Stone: How did that become a football tradition?
15) Mac vs. PC: What’s your opinion?
16) Smart Boards: No more chalk or dry erase boards?
17) Classes Online: How effective are they?
18) News Online: How much longer will we be getting the “morning paper?”
19) Figures: Why are some of our school buildings named after people?
20) Politics: How will Obama’s decisions affect us when we are adults?
21) Mixed Emotions: If you were president, how would you handle the situation in the Middle East?
22) TV News: Should it be retitled “The Bad News?”
23) Music: What is your opinion on the music industry as it gets more and more profane?
24) Food: How important is it for you to eat right at school?
25) Economy: How is the economy affecting purchases you make and how often you go out with your friends?
AJ Caughey
1. Top Songs in students opinions and genres, compare to the national charts
2. Story on gangs in the school, talk to members if they are willing
3. Story on cut classes why they are cut and how they choose
4. See what is the most popular class, profile the teacher and ask students why they enjoy the class
5. Ask permission from a differently abled student to do a profile on them
6. Interview a band student and ask them about the band program, figure out how much some of the instruments cost
7. Ask any new starters in sports how they plan to fill the shoes of the person they are replacing
8. See if new students or foreign exchange students go to prom or other school dances
9. See if homosexual students go to dances or not
10. How safe do students feel in school?
11. Why do schools use the text books they do
12. How do some classes become required?
13. How did the economy effect students summer vacation plans?
14. How should students prepare for the ACT
15. Do students cheat? If so when, and how do they justify it in that moment?
16. How prevalent is drug use in the school in students’ opinions?
17. How do students feel about drug use and drinking? Does it change the students’ opinion of a person when they find out they drink?
18. Ask new teachers if they have any teaching methods they consider unique
19. Do students think creationism should be taught in school?
20. Have any very successful people come from the school? Profile them and track them down, ask about their high school experience
21. Do students drop out? Interview a dropped out student.
22. Do students think that Macs or PCs should be used? Why did the administration choose one or the other
23. What do students not involved in the student publication think? Do some research on you a put it in the paper.
24. Do students receive a paper at home? Ask which one, if they read it, and if they think the newspaper as a form of media is dying
25. Interview and profile a student garage band, give them some free press and ask them about their music. Put a link up to their website, videos or material on your website if you have one.
1)Which senior football players plan on playing in college? What about those who don’t?
Zlicious Eatz vs. Homemade food
2)Why do we strictly use Macs and Not PC’s
3)What are Principal Kozakowski’s plans for the future?
4)How does Mr. Wood make the transition from being the ‘Dean of Men’ to the head of coach of the JV soccer team?
5)Where will Anthony Barr go to college?
6)What is it like to be a freshman on a Varsity team?
7) Why does everyone hate the bottom locker?
9) Would you really want to attend a co-ed school?
10) Are people aware of how much money they spend on food?
11) Why is football the sport everyone seems to get the most excited about?
12) Does being at an all male school allow you to communicate better or worse with women?
13) What is it like to be a Jesuit living on campus?
14) How was the New Orleans service trip during the summer?
15) What is it like to be the brother of Paris Hilton?
16) Why would you want to be a ‘Big Brother’?
17) Freshman physics vs. Senior Physics
18) The beach vs. The valley
19) Why don’t our graduates want to join the military?
20) What do the security guards do all day?
21) When will we all be given Macs?
22) Why don’t we donate money?
23) Are our students ever going to be part of an ‘exchange program’?
24) Is our school really haunted
25) Why were there so many less applicants for the class of 2013 compared to the class of 2012?
1) Connected with what year the students are in school, based off a survey, what are the psychological moods of happiness versus depression (anonymous)?
Outside of school, where do the students get most of what they learn?
2) Based off a survey of how many of the students get bullied mentally/physically or discriminated (anonymous)?
3) Manufactured transcripts of the students
4) How many of the students get their current events in newspapers versus news television?
5) With what year they are in, how many of the students read books for pleasure versus reading books the students are assigned in school?
6) How much television influences the students?
7) Differentiated by what year the students are in, what are the forms of entertainment outside school and why do the students do it or enjoy it?
9) Who do the students consider legends?
10) Based off surveys who is the first to graduate out of family (for seniors only)?
11) Based off of surveys (anonymous) and interviews how many of the students smoke and drink
12) What are the situations and reasoning’s as to the students smoking and drinking and what it does to them and how to help?
13) Why do we have the mascot that we have and the history behind our school?
14) What do security guards do during the day and if armed why?
15) Based off a survey find what are the different sociological types of people in our school and find out how and why they feel different from the rest?
16) Find out each religion and culture of the students and what is it like? Also their take on nature versus nurture and how they fall into it
17) Who are our transfer students whether they are from another country, state, city, private/public schools, and why they moved? Also what is the difference and if they like anything better or worse from where they left to where they are now?
18) Survey (anonymous) of any student connected to a DUI incident and interview (anonymous) with survivors and observers, and how to cope, deal, or prevent that situation?
19) Methods of new teachers versus veteran teachers and if there are differences, discuss how has it changed so much
20) What are teachers’ interests outside of school?
21) How have the classes changed since school first begun and why did the new ideas come into place?
22) Status of food banks (pick five different people to keep food diaries)
23) Do foreign exchange students maintain their relationships with the students, if so how and why?
24) How many and what kinds of students go into the army? If so what are their reasoning’s?
25) What do the students with special needs like or not like at the school (with out violation of privacy, anonymous)?
26) Based off surveys, what years go to the school dances and their reasonings’?
Jocossa’s Story Ideas
•How students get the information they want. Facebook, Myspace, and other social networks.
•What happens when new isn’t new anymore? What’s after iPods, Twitter, and Blu-Ray discs?
•Coke or Pepsi: The Epic War
•Weighted Grades and Valedictorians: Is our system up to date?
•ACT or SAT? What should we be taking?
•The Twilight phenomenon at CWHS
•Where does CWHS rank among public schools and why?
•Dual Credit Courses: Effecting Financial Aid?
•Facebook Friends? Drawing the Line Between Students and Teachers
•The Faces Behind the Yearbook: Meet Your Flame Staff
•Mr. Sullivan Replaces Mr. Hickox as Asst. Principal: How do they compare?
•Bienvenidos a la Club de Espanol
•Why do we call the school secretaries by their first names?
•Rain boots: The Effect and Trend at CWHS
•Well known school techie graduates, who will take her place?
•Gas Prices are Soaring and Students are Slowing Down
•When did the Bulldogs Become the Warriors and Maroon went to Purple and Gold
•Erin Pringle: Hometown Author
•“Ron Adams to the office.” The story behind the janitorial staff
•The Difference with Dee: CWHS Schools receive new superintendent
•Why Are People Voting for the Homecoming Queen?
•The New Student Council with Mrs. Franklin
•Senior Trips: how much they are costing and who’s deciding where we go
•What Students Are Doing Over The Summer: Camps and workshops such as HSJI, Yearbook camps, Church Camps, Odd Summer Jobs, Weird Vacations
•Homecoming Beach Bash 2009: Behind the Scenes
1.Is the Clark County shuttle bus benefitting the community?
2.What changes does the new mayor plan to bring to the community?
3.Will any of the mayor’s changes affect the school?
4.How will the girls’ tennis team handle losing four varsity players?
5.What will be the parking procedure for the new high school?
6.What kind of policies will be enforced in the new high school?
7.What kind of changes will the new Vice Principal bring to the school?
8.How many students continue to read now that Accelerated Reader is not enforced?
9.What new English classes are offered this year and how are they different?
10.Why are there more students taking Spanish than ever before?
11.What is the PE teachers’ reasoning for new rules?
12.What physical changes will be made to the old section of the high school?
13.What is the plan of action for the deteriorating tennis courts?
14.What is the progress on the new track and what will the finished product look like?
15.Will there now be home track meets? Which school will come?
16.How will the new superintendent use her experience as the elementary school principal to aid in her job?
17.History of the rivalry between Casey-Westfield and Marshall and how it has changed.
18.What is the history behind the quad and what is it’s future?
19.History of the unique gym at Casey-Westfield High School
20.Why is there no discipline for football players while there is for everyone else?
21.How can the dress code be better enforced? Why have it if nothing changes?
22.History behind the inspirational engraving on the old section of the high school building
23.How is the administration enforcing closed campus for underclassmen this year?
24.Seniors vs. Freshmen: How they evolve over four years
25.What new technology will be used in the new high school?
1. Class sizes growing larger.
2. Students dealing with childhood illnesses.
3. What does it feel like to do… (running article)
4. Does the school allow students to use the weight facility and if so when?
5. Why do we take standardized tests?
6. What is the opinion of faculty and students of the effectiveness of standardized testing?
7. Will we continue doing standardized tests into the future?
8. Feature an uncommon sport that is not done through school/\.
9. Do a feature on the new sport in Terre Haute of high school rugby.
10. Compare public and private schools.
11. Feature people with uncommon life goals for the area… such as coastguard member in the Midwest.
12. Maintaining relationships with the school’s students who go elsewhere (somewhere out of country).
13. Feature on students who maintain relationships with foreign exchange students after they return home.
14. An end of the year article about foreign exchange students with the angle of the changes of returning home.
15. The history of the school buildings.
16. The history of Dason’s room.
17. What music did our teachers listen to?
18. What are we going to use our math for?
19. When is the building due for an update/expansion etc.
20. Follow a janitor around the building and do a profile on him/her.
21. Do a story on the football team at the end of the season on replacing seniors.
22. A story on the football teams expenses.
23. A story on the expenses of producing the school musical.
24. A story on the history of locker tags at North; why we have them, how they started, etc.
25. A Staff Editorial on the difficulties for new journalists to think of story ideas.
1. To write about service opportunities in our school newspaper is a good idea because at Mount Carmel high each person is required to do 40 hours of community service before they graduate.
2. To write about bringing back study hall and walk and talk would be essential because student use this time last year at Mount Carmel to relax in between classes.
3. To write about why the Mount Carmel faculty charges so much money for lunch is a good idea because each year the prices steadily increase.
4. To write about funding other Mount Carmel sports teams would be a good idea because the pours almost all of its athletic money into football, basketball and baseball.
5. To write about giving the journalism students portable laptops to take home would be a good idea because there are over a dozen journalism students but only a few computers in the classroom.
6. To write about having more classrooms would be a good idea because at Mount Carmel there are limited classrooms which results in some teachers having to share.
7. To write about having more electives your junior year would be essential because there are limited electives and the student body would prefer more to choose from.
8. To write about having more passing time in between passing classes because five minutes is not always enough.
9. To write about having a more student influenced opinion on the clothing at Mount Carmel would be a good idea because it would necessary to have at least one free dress day throughout the school year.
10. To write about having more school news paper issues (at least once a month) is a good idea because a lot of events occur at Mount Carmel but not enough school newspapers to cover the events.
11. Having a puzzle page on the newspaper would be a good idea because most readers at Mount Carmel like to play Sudoku or solve world scramblers.
12. Having the Teacher of the month mentioned in the newspaper would be a good idea because he or she deserves a lot of credit for earning that position.
13. Having the Student of the month mentioned in the newspaper would be a good idea because he also deserves a lot of credit for earning that position.
14. Having the Mount Carmel alumni who are currently in the army mentioned is a good idea because a lot of people who graduated from this school are currently serving in the U.S. army and some have died serving.
15. Having better events for Mount Carmel’s annual spirit week should also be mentioned in the paper because the ones we have so far are most faculty influenced.
16. Having better school transportation should be mentioned in the paper because the Mount Carmel school busses no often run late which results in students being late for school.
17. Having a bigger parking space for students should be mentioned in the paper because there is not enough room for student to park their cars and they often get tickets.
18. Having more up-to date computer should be mentioned in the paper because dell brands and P.C.’s are extremely obsolete and out of date.
19. Having the option of off-campus munch should be mentioned in the paper because not all students prefer the lunch that is served in the cafeteria.
20. Having more freedom at the dances should be mentioned because the reason a lot of students do attend Mount Carmel dances are because of all the strict rules.
21. The Mount Carmel Soccer team having their own field should be mentioned in the paper because it is unnecessary for the soccer and baseball team to share a field.
22. The School Newspaper should conduct interviews about student preferences because it is important for the school to know how its students.
23. Changing the lunch at our school should be mentioned in the paper because after talking with many students, most have different preferences of what should be served. 24. Having more clubs should be mentioned in the paper because most students at Mount Carmel are not pleased with the limited selection of after school clubs.
25. Having more languages at Mount Carmel should be mentioned in the paper because French, Latin and Spanish are not languages that all student wish to learn.
Story Ideas for Warsaw Community High School Student Newspaper
1. How do students, counselors, and administrators feel about Warsaw Community School’s reinstatement of the Valedictorian/Salutatorian policy this month?
2. A report getting to know the new WCS superintendent, whose first school year with the corporation will be in the fall
3. Feature on the Student Ambassadors, a new student organization/club at WCHS aiming to represent the voice of students on the school board level.
4. What is the big, mysterious project the WCHS class of 2010 was beginning to work on last spring?
5. Why do some classes have online textbooks/textbooks on CD while others don’t?
6. How do students who get free lunches at school get meals outside of school, and what the corporation trend is on free meals?
7. How do students cut back on spending excessive money on food at lunch at school?
8. What is going on with the construction/rebuilding project WCS continues to plan?
9. What do WCHS students think about the economy? Do they feel it will improve?
10. What causes the cafeteria to put a “no-charging” policy in to place near the end of the school year?
11. How do students, counselors, and teachers feel about our Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences program becoming an honors program for the 09-10 school year?
12. How secure do student drivers feel about parking in the school lots, do they worry their car will be damaged?
13. What does President Barak Obama’s health care plan mean to WCHS students?
14. A story about the fact that the main French teacher retired and Spanish teacher Mrs. Slaughter (who is a French major) is taking over.
15. How do students spend their time during the summer? Do they work on projects, attend camps/workshops, work, practice sports? (This would be a piece for the last issues of the school year).
16. Do WCHS students prefer to use Macs or PCs and why?
17. What do the seniors wish they had been told as freshmen? (This piece could be in the first issue of the school year).
18. What is the story behind the old barn at the edge of the high school property? Does it hold any sentimental value? (The corporation plans to take the barn down).
19. How often do students use their school-issued agendas?
20. A piece about how this fall is the high school’s first full soccer season to use the new soccer fields.
21. A news report about how the school nurse, what she does, and how she can help students. (This would probably be more effective if it was published at the beginning of the year).
22. A piece with student’s reactions to the recent death of celebrities such as Farah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays.
23. Do students prefer Starbucks (we don’t have one in our town, but in the town where we go to the mall), or Courthouse Coffee (the local coffee/hangout spot)?
24. How many of our graduates that go to college attend college in state? To which in state colleges do most of our graduates go?
25. What is the most popular reason students use the media center (for research, to check out books, to access databases, etc)?
Anthony Zomparelli
HSJI
Tony Willis
25 Ideas
1) Asking students in your school about what Movies, Music, and what they like to do on their free time. This would be a good story idea because you can learn more about a person you do not know in your school.
2) You can write a story about why the school lunch service should lower the prices. This would be a good story because I think many students would all agree that school lunch is over priced.
3) Write a story about why the school should get back study hall. This would be a good story idea because many students need more time to do homework.
4) You can write about a daily routine for a janitor at your school.
5) You can write a story why we shouldn’t have uniforms at our school. Many students would agree on this and would love to read about it.
6) You can also write about getting new uniforms for all the sports teams. Many of the same uniforms are being used years after years and I think we all can agree that new uniforms are needed.
7) A good story idea is maybe making an A and B team to every sport. This would give each student a chance to play on a high school sport.
9) No more fines-Every time students are late to class they shouldn’t get a 5 dollar fine anymore.
10) Shortened Jug- We shouldn’t have to pay 15 dollars for Saturday jug.
11) New locker rooms- Are locker rooms are run down and old we deserve some new ones. This would be a great story idea.
12) Later start (8:30)- With all the different commutes to the school kids are always late. If we extend the start time to 8:30 maybe we can prevent a lot of the lates.
13) Lower Prices in store-This would be a good story idea so more students can wear are team clothes.
14) Expensive parking pass-A lot of students drive to school and the parking pass is a lot of money.
15) Why did the school choose pc as our computers?
16) What kind of cologne do kids wear?
17) Split from white sox and cubs fans
18) Who do you like better Ozzie Guillen or Lou Pinella.
19) How is the football team looking this year?
20) Favorite school lunch.
21) Ipod or Zune?
22) Mac or PC?
23) Making Carmel coed
24) Why do we have to wear our school I.D.’s?
25) Favorite video on youtube?
1. Why it is necessary for students to read books that are very old in English 10? Why teachers don’t choose some modern books that have the equivalent value as the old books?
2. Why our school doesn’t have a news website? How can we develop one? What does it take?
3. How have people treated the pets? Do people support the new special airline for pets?
4. How are we going to prevent the spread of flu at our school? How can we get students to know that it is important to not get sick.
5. The sanitary of our cafeteria. How are we going to maintain a clean lunch place?
6. Interview the Muslims in our school, and get students to know more about the culture.
7. Write about the student who went to Africa as a volunteer and helped the poor people out there. How people think of going aboard and helping third world countries instead of helping the poor in the states?
8. Why doesn’t our school provide IB program? What does it require to have IB program?
9. How is the security of our school? Interview the police officers. Are they fully armed or not?
10. Where did we get the money to have the new computers and all sorts of high tech stuff coming in?
11. Why is the social study apartment having new textbooks? Where did the old textbooks go?
12. Interview the exchange students who came back from Germany. What are the culture differences? Similarities?
13. How has the technology gone into students’ everyday life? How has the technology affected students’ lives? What are the parents’ reactions to the high techs dominating students’ daily activities?
14. Many students pass the driving tests, but why accidents happen every now and then, both major and minor.
15. Because of the bad economy, teenagers find hard to get a summer job. Why? What are the other ways for teenagers to earn money during summer?
16. The relationships between siblings. Why siblings fight with one another? What should the parents do?
17. Write about the day of a cleaner in our school. What does he do after the classes have dismissed? How do they work?
18. What are students’ opinions about the new double-seminar schedule that will be carried out on the coming semester?
19. The dress code. Do students really care about it? What do teachers think about students’ ways of dressing?
20. Blogging. What are the students’ attitudes about blogging? How often do they update their blog?
21. IU’s new apartments. Why build new apartments? Are they for the families or just student dorms? Where does the money come from?
22. The Science Olympiad team has been going to nationals. What are their plans for the coming school year? Who will be the couch? Who will be the sponsors? What are their goals?
23. Students go to military after graduate from high school. Why did they choose to do that? How does each family feel about it?
24. Idolism. How do students think of idols? What are students’ reactions on the death of Michael Jackson?
25. Food drive, clothe drive and book drive. How many students have participated? Where did all the food, clothes, and books go? How did the collection benefit people in need?
1. why school should make A and B teams for sports
2. Show new school uniform and where idea came from
3. Earth day, what projects did students do
4. Interview student of the month
5. Interview a teacher each month
6. Why are school lunch prices raising a lot each year
7. Why are some clothing articles such as hats not allowed to be worn in school
8. When will we be getting new textbooks
9. interview any teachers that are veterans
10. Students top ten on their ipods
11. what students did on most recent field trip
12. feature a student that will be a foreign exchange student in another country.
13. Follow around janitor for a day
14. Are there any teachers that are authors in the building
15. what is the favorite school lunch
16. Story on bowling team’s 10 year success
17. Are gas prices effecting how many students drive to school
18. Switch over to Mac’s
19. More journalism classes
20. New Principal, what does he plan to do differently
21. History behind school building
22. Should we get school uniforms
23. Why are we doing finger print scanning at lunch
24. Do you buy music off of the internet or CD’s
25. What school sport team do you want to dominate most
these really helped me!!!!!
Thank you so much, there aren’t enough posts on this… or at least i cant find them. I am turning into such a blog nut, I just cant get enough and this is such an important topic… i’ll be sure to write something about your site
Oh my god., this helped me so much. I am a writer for my school paper and I know for a fact about twenty of thesee ideass aree qoinq in our next issuee.
Thanxx-
Tiaraa .
This helped me alot also =]
you guys rock!
Great blog post.Really looking forward to read more.