Update on our teen page
I don't flatter myself to think that many teenagers read this blog -- the ones who live in my house certainly don't, to their eternal detriment when it comes time for their inheritance. But perhaps some parents of teenagers do, so here's this update on our recruitment drive for budding journalists for our teen page.
"Applications trickled in in the beginning, then on Feb. 26, 27, 28 and even March 1 and 2, I received a mailbox and an e-mail box full of applications," Amy Joyner, who will edit the page, told me. "It's a wonder I didn't shoot myself last week, given all the death-obsessed, teen-angst poetry I read.:)
"Actually, some of the poetry, the essays, the letters and the school newspaper articles were very good. And a few were absolutely great. I saw potential in every application. But there's no way I can manage a staff of 120 teenagers. I'm going through the applications again and choosing the 60 or so best. I hope to have the field narrowed by the end of this week, so I can schedule the first meeting with the teens on an upcoming Saturday."
Comments (3)
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Wow, I'm impressed that you guys received so many applications.
I've recently read several well thought out, well written letters to the editor from teen students.
I think it's great that you guys are giving the teen audience, small though it may be, a chance to participate.
Posted on March 10, 2005 10:55 AM
As with everything you attempt, I wish you luck. I really do.
In this case, I have a suggestion: try not to pick the teens who are the best writers or show the most "promise" as Journalists.
Here's why: If you want your teen page to actually be cool and hip, then the people you recruit who are the best teen Journalists actually won't be on top of what is cool and hip.
I think back to everyone I know -- including myself -- who was an aspiring journalist in high school and now realize we were the total complete outsider nerds -- the last people who would actually be able to interest other teens to read our product.
So, try to relax the rules and go for people who seem really interesting and might bring an edge to things. And, not an edge according to you (which would probably be nearly ANY teen) but an edge WITHIN the teen arena. (How you figure out that is tough..)
But, again, this is meant as a suggestion.
Good luck as always.
Posted on March 10, 2005 10:59 AM
Wow. I'm really pleased to read you got so many applications, that you're going to choose as many as 60 and that the N&R is throwing some weight behind getting kids interested in newspapers and newspapering.
When I was in high school I was lucky enough to hook up with my hometown paper's teen journalism project - and it changed my life, turning me on to journalism.
Good luck with it, and let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
Posted on March 13, 2005 9:29 AM