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Junior journalism program launches in Fernie

Young writers excited to step into world of journalism, work to be published in upcoming edition
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Submitted

Chrisy Hill, Community Literacy Coordinator, Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy

Jr. Journalists is Fernie’s newest after-school program.

Through a collaboration between The Free Press and Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) a group of grades 3-6 students met for their first of nine sessions learning about journalism.

The students will be mentored by the editor of The Free Press Phil McLachlan and facilitated by the Elk Valley community Literacy Coordinator, Chrisy Hill.

Throughout the program the students will learn about interviewing, editorials, ethics, editing, newspaper layout and reporting newsworthy events.

In the next two months, each Jr. Journalist will become a published journalist. Residents of the Elk Valley will be able to watch for their articles in upcoming editions of The Free Press.

During their first session, each student wrote their own biography explaining why they are doing this program.

Isla Barron is 11-years-old and in grade six at École Isabella Dicken Elementary School (EIDES). She is doing the program because she loves to write.

Cameron Etue is 11-years-old and in grade five at EIDES. Cameron delivers the newspaper, is interested in talking about the news and wants to know how the newspaper is constructed.

Bailey Hill is 10-years-old and in grade five at EIDES. Bailey likes to write stories.

Gavrael Vaughan is eight-years-old and in grade three at EIDES. Gavrael loves writing and has written an editorial before.

Evie Woodall is nine-years-old and in grade four at EIDES. She thinks that journalism sounds interesting and wants to have fun.

These kids are extremely excited at the prospect of seeing their stories in print.