Journalism

In the Intro to Journalism class, taught by Mrs. Currier, students will learn what it’s like to be a part of a newspaper producing team from getting interviews and writing stories to laying out the paper and distributing it to the student body. Students willing to join this class will learn several skills on and off the computer, including writing a news article, getting and performing an interview, selling advertisements, and formatting a newspaper layout.

According to Currier, what is nice about the class is that it eases students into the writing and production a yearbook or publications student might do. “If students think they might like to join the yearbook, newspaper or Tigard Today staff, this class is a great way to find out,” Currier said. “In addition to the hard skills or writing and production, students also get a sampling of the importance of teamwork needed in a student-run production.”

Students will also co-write with one another to cover stories and layouts together. They will also have weekly quotas to finish their stories and submit them to get a grade. Often students’ stories are featured in the paper–in print and online.

This course is a stepping stone to taking higher level publications classes, where a student could potentially join the yearbook staff, the newspaper staff or the cast of Tigard Today.  Overall, Intro to Journalism teaches basic skills and teamwork, demands effort, and ultimately welcomes students of all talents and calibers and has a place for them.