HIP-HOP

Furthermore, once you have your audience, know it! Create
polls and Google forms asking for readers’ opinion or feedback.
Use Google analytics to figure out what articles are getting the
most hits, and by extension, what readers are most interested in.
Ask your editors’ opinions on what types of merchandise would
be best for fundraisers. They know better than you what is appealing
to today’s teen.
7
Create a handbook
If you’re expanding your staff numbers, it’s hard to make sure
everyone knows all of the rules. Use Google Sites to create a staff
handbook. This can include general formatting tips, as well as
specific pages for different sections. Our Arts and Entertainment
page, for example, gives tips for writing reviews. You may also
include a page with “experts” to contact for article quotes or a list
of contacts for useful resources such as bus companies for field
trips. This handbook helps your staff become more self-sufficient,
which is essential when many advisers have limited free time.
Apply for grants
Almost every school has some sort of parent teacher association,
and many of them give out grants to various school projects
every year. After I wrote a grant proposal over the summer, our
Parent-Faculty Association gave us $900. This money helps us pay
for promotional materials, such as banners, pens and T-shirts, as
well as conference registrations. Just know the deadlines for proposals.
Talk to Everyone
No one is expecting you to reinvent the wheel. There are many
exemplary high school journalism and newspaper programs
around the country. Google some award-winning high school
newspapers and contact their advisers. Ask them what new and
exciting things they’re up to. Most are more than willing to share
because they’re excited about what they’re doing. Talk to members
of GSSPA, CSPA and the attendees of these organizations’
conferences. If you belong to JEA, they have a listserv, or online
forum, where you can ask other members questions or offer advice.
The more people you speak to, the more information you’ll
get on how to bolster your own school’s program.
9
Don’t Forget to Have Fun!
Again, I know sometimes it feels like your job may depend on
the success of the newspaper, keeping the students in line, and
getting all your articles printed or uploaded in a timely, professional
manner, but keep in mind that your students are not professional
journalists. They’re just kids. They have chores, dates,
family obligations, sports, clubs and other schoolwork. They are
0
doing this for the love of journalism, so don’t squeeze that passion
out of them. Cultivate it!
Praise students for their successes in between the feedback
and critique. Throw them the occasional pizza party. If you have
a small budget, most local pizza places are more than willing to
donate some pies for school events. I’m using some of our grant
money this year to buy my editorial staff Trailblazer T-shirts
for the holidays. Make them feel like they’re making important
contributions and fueling a passion that will hopefully endure
beyond graduation day.
Twitter accounts to follow
@TheRecordNJ (The Record newspaper)
@News12NJDesk (News 12)
@PolitickerNJ
@NJNewsCommons (Montclair University)
@AP (Associated Press)
@nytimes (The New York Times)
Organizations to join
Garden State Scholastic Press Association
(New Jersey)
American Scholastic Press Association
Journalism Education Association
Quill and Scroll
Columbia Scholastic Press Association
Useful websites
SNO (www.snosites.com) - Educational
website service from WordPress
Piktochart (www.piktochart.com) - Creates
infographics
Google Analytics (www.google.com/
analytics) - Keep track of hits and audience
Slack (www.slack.com) - Online group
messaging service
Tribune News Service (www.mctcampus.
com) - Associated Press-style website for
high school journalism
Alana Rome is an English teacher at Pascack Hills High School in Montvale.
She can be reached at arome@pascack.k12.nj.us.
22 NJEA REVIEW