Hard Work Pays Off for Year 10 Journalist Leaders
Journalist Leader is one of several leadership roles students may apply for in Year 10 as part of the Year 10 Leadership Programme.
During 2020-21, four Journalist Leaders captured life at Notting Hill from their viewpoint through articles which appeared on our website and were shared via our social media. Over the year, the team learned how to organise and research their work, new writing skills and styles, craft headlines, write for different audiences and source or create images to accompany their work. With a Covid lockdown in force during the spring term, they also quickly learned the value of online collaboration and teamwork!
As our team of Year 10 Journalists come to the end of their programme, we asked Shivani, Tara, Lydia and Flora about their experiences as NHEHS Journalist Leaders.
Our Year as Year 10 Journalist Leaders
From November 2020 to November 2021, the four of us have been Journalist Leaders for our school. We have been writing regular articles which have been published in the school newsletter and magazine and on the website. However, this week is our final article so we decided we would share with you the best bits about being a Journalism Lead and our top tips for writing a great article!
Shivani P, Year 11
“One top tip when choosing a topic to write about is to think what you really care about. The more passionate you are about the topic, the more you will enjoy writing about it, and the better the article will be. For example, I am particularly passionate about Feminism, therefore during the week before International Women’s Day, I decided to write an article about the tradition of International Women’s Day, how it is celebrated around the world and some of the women that my friends and I find inspiring. Tara, another one of our journalists, wrote an incredible article about teenage mental health and the effects of social media, family and life-choices. The writers of each article were very enthusiastic about their topics, which meant they not only had fun whilst writing but also got to create an amazing article! Overall, I have had an fantastic experience working with the rest of the journalists and I strongly recommend applying for the role of Journalist Lead if you are enjoy writing in any way. I am sure you will really enjoy it!”
Tara A-H, Year 11
On choosing a topic to write about: “Most topics have an angle that allows different readers to think and interpret it in their own unique way. I was able to write in one article how World War Three could have commenced, which I linked through to the ethics I had been learning in my PRE classes. Writing these articles is a good chance to experiment with your writing style and finding your interests in different areas. You will get the opportunity to write quite a few articles throughout the year, so it’s quite helpful to have a think about which themes and styles of writing best suits you. Be sure to step out of your comfort zone at times, though, because it will not only improve your writing, but also make your topic sound new and different because it would be written from a different perspective.
Another very important piece of advice is to be positive with the way you write, using your own words to convey your thoughts. When choosing your topic, make sure that you make it into something out of the ordinary. Even if it’s as simple as talking about the school menu, for example, make your your own and feel confident with what you write. Writing articles for the school publications is an honour, and I am eternally grateful that I got the opportunity to have my writing and my articles published on the school website. It is a great thing to look back at and cherish the minor moments of stress, or the sudden urges to write, or even an impulsive decision to write regarding a specific subject.”
Lydia M, Year 11
“The third tip is to do as much research as you can. It is fine to read one source and write a quick one-sided piece; but what really makes you stand out is to gather as many different points of view as possible. As much as harmony is appealing, by having your conflicting ideas shared on a page you will entice the reader (and yourself) to think and challenge their own views. It helps you step out of your own box and look into someone else’s. Your title might grab the reader’s attention and pull them in, but it is your article and the ideas you convey that will make them stay. While on the topic of titles — make sure you make it stick. Whether it be a pun, play on words or rhetoric, it is imperative that you use something that, when someone glances at it in their peripheral vision, they scroll back to find out more. It is, after all, the first thing a reader will see and you know what people say about first impressions. My final point is: take pride in your work. It was the most self rewarding experience to open the website and see my article posted and it felt even better to be commended by friends and family. Hard work pays off!
I hope the next Journalist Leads have as much fun as we did writing our articles and pursuing external interests. Remember, be bold and be controversial (within the line of reason!)”
Flora D, Year 11
“Finally, remember that journalism isn’t just all about informing people about what’s happening in the world around us; it is about engaging readers into perhaps unknown topics or issues and really making them care about them. Some of the best articles or pieces of journalism can start with a seemingly arbitrary topic or headline and by the final sentence have readers determined to make a change in their society or in other people’s lives. It has been really enjoyable to work with the other Leaders, learn more about a wide variety of topics and to have had the opportunity to share my perspective and views on subjects which I am passionate about. I hope it is not the end of my journalism journey.
Overall, we would like to say a massive thank you to Mrs Bennett and Miss Arestis who guided us through our journalism journey! It was a a great honour to have our writing shared on the website and we would not have been able to do it without the support you provided. Thank you for helping us have an amazing time writing about the things we are passionate about whilst also teaching us how to craft a great article! Also, we would like to thank all those who have read our articles or supported us in any way! A great article is nothing without a great audience. Lastly, we would like to wish the best of luck to the new journalism reps on their journey. We are sure that your articles will be amazing and we can’t wait to read them!
Thank you, and good luck!
Shivani, Tara, Lydia and Flora
If you would like to read our 2020-2021 Year 10 Journalist Leaders’ articles, please see the links below:
https://nhehs.gdst.net/the-climate-of-fashion-an-eternal-battle/
https://www.nhehs.gdst.net/year-10s-sixth-form-experience-day/
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