Newspapers Creating Education
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- Created on Thursday, 27 October 2016 19:48
- Written by Dylan Clark
Around the NEK - Since the beginning of reporting, newspapers have been the one constant source of information, even to this day, communities rely on newspapers to provide up to date information.
This past month, the Caledonian Record celebrated the start of the Newspapers In Education (NIE) program for the 2016/17 school year.
This program was established in 1998 with the idea of exposing students of all ages to news and current events as teaching lessons, has been very successful for the past 19 years. Educational Services Director for the Caledonian Record Rosie Smith, had much praise for the program.
"The idea of the NIE was to show students there is a product out there that is providing new and in depth information every day of the week." Said Smith.
The hope with a program such as this one is that students will understand the importance of not only obtaining the news through the print medium, but also how important the idea of reading is.
"It is our hope to instill the concept of reading the printed word as a way of life for students, so when they become adults, they would continue this habit. The students will be the voters of tomorrow, and it is never too early to nurture their interest in current events and the world around them." Stated Smith.
Through the program, students are able to partake in many learning scenarios through the papers themselves.
A kid scoop page which features new topic every week, the serialized story which offers reading comprehension program, as well as various projects being done throughout the year.
This year's project included the celebration of Constitution Week in September, the Presidential election and this upcoming May being fitness month, there is a plethora for students to engage in.
Former graduate of Saint Johnsbury Academy, Zach Hale said that growing up around newspapers, whether in the classroom, or at home helped him to be a more informed adult in today's society.
"Personally, newspapers have helped me stay away from the trend social media is going with news reporting." Stated Hale.
In particular simply reading a newspaper for whatever reason has its benefits.
"I remember my father teaching me and helping me learn to read through the newspaper, it was more than just a way to learn about current events." Stated Hale.
"Newspapers are a proven and excellent resource for cultivating in students a lifelong passion for reading and being informed. Children who read newspapers grow up to become adults who follow the news and take an active role in shaping the future of our democracy." Stated Smith.
In this day in age, it's easy to see people gravitating towards online forms of media, and of course the local news stations on television.
The role that newspapers still play even in today's society is invaluable .
"Newspapers are still relevant because, due to all the new media, there is so much information out there that is not accurate, online or otherwise." Stated Smith.
"There are also more important factors for our newspaper being tied to the community, if the Caledonian Record were to disappear, who will there be to cover the town meetings, school boards, sporting events, etc." Stated Smith.
The impact that newspapers have on not only a small community like the Northeast Kingdom, but communities throughout the United States is immense.
"Newspapers are still relevant, despite what is now being said about their demise. Our society will suffer a great loss if this prediction comes to pass." Said Smith.