Contributed by Chrisy Hill
Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy
After a two-year hiatus, Jr. Journalists is back. Jr. Journalist is an after-school writing program for students grades 4-6. Through a collaboration between The Free Press and Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) and the Sparwood Public library, a group of students met for their first of seven sessions learning about journalism. While one group is based out of the Fernie CBAL office and another group is based out of the Sparwood Public Library, the two groups Zoom together to work as one. The students will be mentored by ex-journalist Nicole Obre and Community Literacy Outreach Coordinator Chrisy Hill.
The students will play games, engage in activities, and write articles while learning about interviewing, editorials, ethics, editing, newspaper layout and reporting news-worthy events. In the next two months each Jr. Journalist will become a published journalist and residents of the Elk valley will be able to watch for their articles in up-coming editions of The Free Press and online.
During their first session, each student wrote their own bio explaining why they are participating in the program.
Neava Thomson is 11 years-old and is in grade six at EIDES. She is doing the program because she “really loves to write and wants to get better at writing.” She also thinks it would be “supercool to be in the newspaper.”
Autumn Schacker is 11 years-old and is in grade six at EIDES. She wants to get better at writing and “loves it so much.” She says she “can’t wait to get my writing in the paper!”
Dublin Wood is nine years-old and is in grade four at EIDES. He is doing the program because he “thought it would be cool.”
Lilly Buchwald is nine years-old and is in grade four at EIDES. She thinks the program is fun and loves to write.
Emily Yuill is 10 years-old and is in grade five at TFA. She “would love to learn how to be a reporter.”
Kaylee Devine is 10 years-old and is in grade five at FJMES. She wants to “try it out.”
Shyanne Pidwerbeski is 10 years-old and is in grade five at FJMES. She “likes journalism and likes to write.”
Jessica Hikida-Campbell is 11 years-old and is in grade six at EIDES. She loves to write and finds reading the news interesting.
These kids are extremely enthusiastic and can’t wait to share the news with the community.