Why should I take Journalism? It’s that time of the year where South Lakes students pick courses for the next school year. Some may be considering taking journalism but are questioning, “why should I take journalism?” Here is some information about the course.
Journalism is an elective offered at South Lakes high school and students are able to take the course all four years of high school. There is Journalism one, two, three and four. Journalism one is for first year students, two is for second year students, and so on. When you start the class you are initially a staff writer but if you decide to further take the class you may be provided with a leadership position running certain aspects of the class, giving students leadership skills and opportunities. For example some jobs you could undertake are Co-Editor in Chief, broadcast editor, editor for a specific topic. Another bonus that you can get for taking the class multiple years is you are eligible to get a 0.5 grade bump for journalism 3 and 4 students.
Journalism is a self-paced class even though you are still under the guidance of the teacher. This means students must stay accountable and on track for what they are required to produce and meet deadlines by the end of each quarter. Each quarter students must write a specific amount of articles based on their job. Writing articles and producing content is how you can maintain an A in the class as that is the only requirement for being in the class. There’s almost no tests or homework for the class.
During the first couple weeks of the beginning of the school year students have the opportunity to decide which topic they would like to write for the year. This doesn’t quite mean you need to just write for that topic, as if other topics need more articles you are able to write for those too. The five topics to choose from are news, student-life, sports, features, and entertainment. This gives students creative freedom with what they are writing about and gives them the opportunity to write about things they are interested and passionate about.
If you enjoy being in front of a camera, this course also gives you that opportunity to do so. Being a part of the social media group gives students the opportunity to learn marketing skills and work on the Seahawk Scoop run by journalism with the job of filming and editing. Students are also able to help with social media by making tiktok and instagram posts. You also get the chance to involve our school and interview students for articles learning interviewing and communication skills.
If you plan on going to college, this is a course that colleges love to see. Journalism tells colleges that you have developed excellent writing skills throughout your high school career, setting you apart from other students who may apply to the same school. Journalism is a class that helps students learn and improve their writing skills. Even if you decide college isn’t for you, you can still use the skills that you have developed in your journalism class, as whatever you do in life involves writing. It’s important to have writing skills as they make you sound more professional when it comes to writing emails for a job or essays for your English class. If you were wondering what jobs you could get if you took the class, some examples would be journalism, not just writing for big newspapers but also broadcasting for new outlets.
Overall, this class is a fun and stress free class whether it’s writing about your favorite sports team or participating in fun Friday activities. We hope you consider taking Journalism as an elective and enjoy the benefits of this class.
