Junior journalists

Burgeoning young journalists from Mr. Loyd’s fifth grade class are leaving no stone unturned at Paradise Valley Elementary School, where the “Room 9 Times” details all the latest happenings within their school-wide community.
When vandals set fire to the school’s playground slide back in November, the newspaper staff went to work – photographing the scene of the crime and reporting on the unfortunate incident.
When word got out that lead custodian Mary Vasquez would retire over the winter break after a near 25-year career with the district, Loyd’s student journalists interviewed her and honored her with a feature profile in gratitude for all she’s done for the school.
Equipped with digital cameras and recorders – equipment awarded to Loyd through a grant from the local philanthropic Live Oak Foundation – students in this class have been crafting articles for their electronic newsletter for the last three years. The publication is produced on Microsoft Publisher – also purchased with grant money – and converted to a PDF file before being sent out to the Board of Education, district administrators, district teachers, parents of students currently in the class and members of the Live Oak Foundation.
So far this school year, Loyd’s editorial team has produced two newsletters – an eight-pager for the Oct. 2013 edition and a class-record 12-pager for the Dec. 2013 edition. The latter included feature articles on Paradise Valley technology committee volunteer Gino Borgioli and new physical education instructor Michael “Coach Mike” Mitchell; a photo spread of the school’s Honor Roll recipients; and a descriptive piece on Paradise Valley’s holiday play. The print version is posted in the school library, just outside the back door of Loyd’s classroom for the entire student body and school faculty to enjoy.
“They’ve really bought into it. They really enjoy doing it,” explained John Loyd, a veteran teacher of 13 years in Morgan Hill Unified School District, the last six spent at Paradise.
Before delving into education, Loyd was the photo editor and eventually editor-in-chief for his college newspaper at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose.
The news bug never quite left him – and local students are now reaping the benefits.
Loyd’s efforts to keep journalism education alive and active in the classroom is a rarity in an era where student-run newspapers in high school – let alone at the elementary level – have been reduced to publishing a few times a year because budget cuts and a greater focus on core academic subjects, according to a May 2013 report from American School & University magazine.
“I’ve always been interested in journalism,” added Loyd. “It teaches meeting a deadline; improves their writing skills; and gives them an opportunity to build a portfolio of writing and photographs.”
Once any student in Loyd’s class contributes to the publication – be it a story, photo or illustration – they earn a laminated “Press Pass,” which students wear like a badge of honor.
“I love this,” said Hailey Freeman, 10, one of two Editor-in-Chiefs for the Room 9 Times whose duties include assigning stories to classmates, editing the first drafts and finding time to write her own articles. “We find them interesting stories. We find (a student writer) who is able to get their work done and responsible enough to get the story done by deadline.”
Freeman, as well as fellow Editor-in-Chief Karen Estrada, were selected for the newspaper’s top positions by Loyd, who asked his students to submit applications for their preferred news job. Loyd will choose new editors for the second half of the school year when students return in January.
“If you want a story, you come to Hailey and I,” explained Estrada, who only selects classmates that have completed their regular classwork and have demonstrated good behavior.
There is also a suggestion box, where students can offer story ideas to the editors. Loyd brainstorms with his students to come up with fresh ideas, too.
Hailey’s mother, Laura Freeman, a regular parent volunteer in the classroom, explained how her daughter – one of three triplet siblings – has “embraced the opportunity” and enjoys “mentoring” her friends while they work on assignments.
“Her writing has definitely improved and I think that she likes to be a leader,” added the proud mother. “I think it’s very cool. It’s really a great piece of work that embraces the whole school. And it’s from a kid’s perspective rather than from adults.”
Every member of the class contributes in some way. Other student staff positions include those held by Aliyah Habib, 10, the newspaper’s photo editor, and Jake Iven, the layout editor.
“I just like photography. I have a family camera and I use it all the time,” said Habib, who selects student photographers for assignments, then chooses the best images for publication. “Hailey and Karen tell me what stories need pictures and I assign photographers to take them.”
Iven’s love of computers – and experience working on them at home with his father – made him the perfect candidate for layout editor. A year ago in the fourth grade, Iven heard about Loyd’s fifth-grade student newspaper, and “I wanted to be in his class. It was really exciting,” he said.
“This is the first year we put together an eight-page newsletter,” said Loyd, whose inaugural edition of the Room 9 Times, produced by students three years ago, was a modest four pages. “It’s at a different level now.”
Since the newspaper is “an extra opportunity,” students work on their stories in class if they’ve completed their other regular assignments or during lunch or recess, and after school at their homes.
“It’s great. It really builds their confidence and leadership skills,” said Principal Swati Dagar, who explained that the research the students do for their articles – and the newspaper as a whole – is aligned with the new Common Core State Standards that must be fully implemented in all California schools in 2014. “They are well ahead of a lot of students.”
Because of the newspaper’s popularity among Paradise Valley students and relevance to 21st century learning demanded by the CCSS, Loyd has been contacted by MHUSD teachers from other schools who want to start up student-run publications at their respective schools.