High School Journalism Institute » journalism

How’s it shakin’?

Matthew Stefanski - Victory Christian Academy — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:44:49 +0000

While at HSJI, multimedia students Matthew Stefanski and Michael O'Neal completed this story on different types of handshakes.

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Swag: Can’t Have Enough of It

Matthew Stefanski - Victory Christian Academy — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:40:42 +0000

HSJI Students Matthew Stefanski and Michael O'Neal ask people to define and rate their swag.

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World Peace

Matthew Stefanski - Victory Christian Academy — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:15:58 +0000

This is a multimedia presentation that Matthew Stefanski (Victory Christian Academy) and Michael O'Neal (North Central HS) completed while at HSJI. The piece highlights people's views on world peace — and whether it's possible.

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Pros’ words of advice

Samantha Coppedge - Hamilton Southeastern HS — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:40:45 +0000

This afternoon during lunch I experienced something awesome. I met with two professional journalists (in hopes of one day being in their shoes).

First, I sat down with my bowl of pasta and breadsticks next to Rebecca Salerno, who is director of creative services at the Indiana University. She told me that not only was she a student at HSJI, but she also was a previous counselor, too.

"You have to be like a cheerleader," Salerno said after someone at the table questions the hardest part of the job.

She admits that it’s sometimes hard to get people motivated and excited for their work.

Secondly, I met with Leigh Hedger, who is the custom publications manager for my local paper, the Indianpolis Star. It was interesting to meet someone who works for something that I read frequently.

"What’s the best part of your job?" someone at my table asked Hedger.

"I love seeing my name in print," she said.

Hedger didn’t let up on her secret love either; she enthusiastically told us a few more times that she enjoyed seeing her name in print.

All in all, my lunch was a lot more exciting than normally.

(Samantha Coppedge is a sophomore at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind.)

When I grow up …

Courtney Fishman - Beachwood High School — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:55:34 +0000

Since I was a little kid, I remember people asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up. My first answer was a princess. I could live in a castle and wear pretty ball gowns. What could be bad about that?

As the years went on my response transformed, and by second grade I thought I was destined to be a singer. I hoped to become the next Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera touring the world and gracing fans with my voice.

It’s probably not surprising that my plans changed once again, or more like hundreds of times, except now I’m pretty sure I know what I want to do (for the time being).

I hope to go into the field of fashion public relations, so today’s “Lunch With A Pro” was extremely beneficial.

This afternoon I had the opportunity to meet with Rebecca Salerno, the director of Creative Services for Indiana University.

She informed me that “having a degree in journalism would prepare me for a job in marketing/public relations,” so I’ll have to keep that in mind.

After telling her about the career path I wanted to take, she advised me to look up "The Sartorialist," a fashion blog by Scott Schuman, an IU grad. I advise you to check it out. The photography is awesome.

Meeting with Salerno was a great experience, and she convinced me even more to go into the public relations field.

When I start college in two years, it’s possible that I might want to major in something else, but there’s one thing I’m sure of.

I’ll still be asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Learning experiences at HSJI

Ellie Price – Avon High School — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:51:19 +0000

This week at the High School Journalism Institute (HSJI) has shown me that I truly love journalism. I was always worried about entering a career in this field because of the lack of jobs in this terrible economy, but I realized that I am passionate about journalism. I look forward to growing as editor-in-chief and a professional journalist.

Although large newspapers may be folding, online journalism is becoming more prominent in this technology-driven world. I learned in the large group sections that my high school is one of the few schools that does not have an online publication in addition to their print newspaper. Understanding web design is essential in today’s society. WordPress will be an easy way for our staff to upload content on a daily basis. My staff will begin creating our site next week, and I am excited to finally be a part of this area of journalism.

The design lectures have inspired me to re-design the newspaper in order for it to be clean and easy to read. It is important for our publication to be professional in our print publication and our future website.

Throughout this week, I learned how to handle my responsibilities as editor-in-chief. I learned about the characteristics of different staff members and how to accommodate each member. Writing journalistically can be a challenge for new writers, and I know how to effectively teach them.

I am so glad that I was able to attend HSJI at Indiana University this week. Being among other high journalists has motivated me to improve my own ideas, and I cannot wait to implement these ideas next school year.

My HSJI experience: Olivia Paredes

Miranda Carney – Mason High School — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:38:12 +0000

As a young, aspiring high school journalist, one student is laying out the stepping stones for her future.

Olivia Paredes, a junior at Mason High School of Ohio, attended the week-long High School Journalism Institute from July 5 through July 9 at Indiana University. As a staff member of her school newspaper and a hopeful future journalist major, Paredes has made a lot of progress during the workshop.

“I am considering journalism as a career option and now that I’ve taken this camp I have a better understand of what I would be doing.” Paredes said.

Some of the daily activities included classes, labs and leisure time around campus. Teens who attended this workshop had the opportunity to participate in a press conference about dating abuse and quickly publish a news stories covering the topic.

“I really liked the teen dating speaker, and I enjoyed writing the paper on her. I thought it was a very interesting topic, and they made it very real life,” Paredes said. “You could go to a press conference and that’s what it would be like then you would write the story and it would have to be in the paper in two hours.”

According to Paredes, the camp was a great place to improve her journalism skills and bond with her staff. After a week of deadlines, homework and adjusting to college life, she is satisfied.

Paredes said, “I loved camp. It was fun, it was hard and it was challenging.”

My HSJI Experience: Shelley Cook

Madeline Saviano – Whitefish Bay High School — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:34:44 +0000

Student time at the High School Journalism Institute (HSJI) is drawing to a close. One student talked about her experiences at HSJI and what she has learned.

“I learned how to watch out for the little things you can’t have in journalism articles,” said Shelley Cook, a sophomore at Zurich International School, in Switzerland, “and I learned about the writing skills needed in journalism.”

Cook, who will also be spending next week at HSJI, said that she has definitely enjoyed her time here so far, and that the camp gave her an overall view of the world of journalism.

“I would definitely return here next year,” Cook said, “Indiana University is a wonderful school, and this camp also exposed me to University life.”

To summarize her experiences at HSJI, Cook said, “The three phrases that would best describe my time here at HSJI are academically beneficial, entertaining, and a convivial experience.”

The publication dynamic: how journalism governs

Jon Ferguson – Floyd Central High School — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:15:05 +0000

At the High School Journalism Institute, the main point was to obviously learn about student journalism. More specifically, I focused on learning about the dynamics of a publication. I learned about the essential ingredients and qualities that a publication must have to be successful. I learned of the importance of the reader, the staff, and the product.

The reader is obviously the most important part of the publication because they are who the publication is for. The publication was created to serve the reader, and that is its only purpose. It is made to inform the reader, to educate the reader, and to protect the reader. Media was created in our world to create a balance between the people and the being in charge of the people. It was created to inform them of problems and injustices, along with achievements and progressions. It was created to teach them how to accomplish necessary tasks that are not common knowledge. It was created to protect them from a domineering government. There is not a part of the publication that was not created for the reader.

The staff is the next most important part. The staff is who puts together the product, which researches what the reader needs to know and knows how to put it in a format the reader will want to read. The staff is the heart of a publication that puts in all the content, and does all the research to make sure the reader knows what is important.

The product is the face of the publication. The reader does not know the publication by the reader, or by the staff, but by the product. The product contains the information the reader is looking for, written by the staff. It is a bridge between the journalist and the reader, connecting them in an almost tangible way. The product is what the reader looks for in a publication.

With this knowledge, I know that I must put the reader first. Everything I do for the publication must be with the reader in mind. I know also that my job is primarily to help the staff. The staff is the heart of the publication, and my job is to improve them; to teach them ways to properly research and how to inform the reader. I will take the dynamics of a publication to my staff, and teach them the importance of the reader, themselves, and the product they create.

Surfing the tide of journalism: HSJI 2010

Beena Raghavendran - Mason High School — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:11:04 +0000

The world of journalism is sliding through a futuristic time machine these days – people want information now, now, now in the coolest, most efficient way possible.

So what about us? The newspaper people who love that inky, texty smell and the love for that paper-y feeling, who love to kick back on the sofa, feet up and comfy sweatshirt on, and read, just read, like we used to?

This week, we were tossed into a world of multimedia – for the most part, unfamiliar and different from everything we’ve ever done. The multimedia will be maxed out when we continue working on our website, http://masoncomets.org/features/chronicle/, nicknamed The Chronline after our newspaper, The Chronicle. Our goal is to report the truth in all mediums available – more work, more responsibility, and definitely more fun.

This is my second year at HSJI; our school takes our entire newspaper staff with us to IU, and never have I experienced such an instant connection within a group of people as I have these past years at camp. And I truly mean this when I say: Julia, Janie, Sam, Katelyn, Bobby, James, Joe, Rebekah, Miranda, Thomas, Olivia, Rachel, Janica and Megan, I couldn’t ask for a better staff. And, Carlie – if we can sprint with shoes off and InDesign pages in our hands to make a deadline, we got this!

What I did I learn? Newspaper isn’t dying; journalism is just beginning. And in the wave of the future, we will be surfing the tide with our heads full of convergence journalism and great people by our sides.