TOWAMENCIN- North Penn elementary students typically only visit the high school when going to the planetarium. However, a group of sixth graders from AM Kulp Elementary who want to start a newspaper visited the Knight Crier staff on Tuesday morning with open minds. They were eager to learn valuable information they could carry over to their own site, the Kulp Scoop.

AM Kulp Elementary teacher Heide Pickens elaborated on why they felt the need to visit the high school with the newspaper staff.

“Dr. Broxterman gave us the opportunity, as he had mentioned to us to start a student-lead newspaper. We are meeting just a couple times a week. They really struggle with organization and the ability to write articles, to decide what articles go first, how often, what kinds, so we had thought it might be a good idea to come over here and see the Knight Crier,” she explained.

“I want to learn some organization tips to improve our newspaper and some writing tips that can help us make our articles more interesting,” says AM Kulp student Carina Laventure.

To begin the session, Knight Crier Advisor Mr. Kevin Manero posed the question, “What is the single best way to become a good journalist?”

The answer? Reading, of course!

The young students were then introduced to the endless possibilities that joining the newspaper would present, which range from simply interviewing unique people in the school to helping organize Town Hall meetings. This quickly caught their attention.

Following the discussions about the Knight Crier came information about digital footprints, a topic the students were not too informed about. While it may be unsettling, it helped to let the kids understand that anyone can see what they have written online, and that could open up many doors in their future.

On deciding what to write, the young staff was taught to ask the what, when, where, why, and who cares? They were also taught to how to construct a good story, which consists of listening, reading, and having a good interview.

Students were then assigned to a Knight Crier staff member who tested their new skills during a mock interview. In the mock interview, the Knight Crier staff gave constructive criticism and helpful tips.

So why was this beneficial for the students?

“It helped them to learn to use their voices,” Pickens said, ““They are the future. They need to have the opportunity to do that early. We try to encourage the students that if they have a voice, they should learn to show that voice in an appropriate manner. I’m here to help them with the newspaper, make sure the content is appropriate, and to bring out those questions or thoughts that they may have.”