I have been on the Treaty for three years. I joined in my sophomore year of high school and have written for news and features ever since. In my time I’ve seen the decline of how many kids are signing up for journalism and how many students will sign up. I don’t understand why this happens to be the case though. I can honestly say that journalism has been one of the better parts of my time at Parkway South and I believe more people should join the class.

Journalism has taught me a variety of skills such as using your resources, writing stories, editing, people skills, etc. My writing style and voice have especially sharpened in my time in this class. I can write stories faster in a time frame as well as edit them. I know how to talk to people more confidently, ask them more complex questions, and use what they tell me to contribute to a larger story. I know how to organize and plan better when I write a story.

One of the most important things about the class is the experience. Interviewing teachers, students, and staff makes you see South High in a different light. Sometimes stories can make the school feel a more diverse and tight-knit community. It feels powerful giving a voice to those who don’t speak up much. Despite the jokes Mr. Brady makes that no student reads the paper, you can’t help but feel like you’re representing the people of the school.  

Additionally, Journalism is a really fun class. You get to explore parts of the school that you may not visit otherwise, talk to people you wouldn’t normally talk to, and it’s a class that is really flexible. The staff has always been my favorite part because of the atmosphere we create. Bouncing ideas off one another, helping each other with stories, or just socializing with one another is always a bright part of the day.

One of the biggest reasons I believe more people should join journalism is it’s a class that caters to your needs at times. For example, sometimes stories won’t get done within a week or two of each other which sometimes is ok. The class’s flexibility is one of its greatest strengths. There are lag days where there’s nothing you can really do for your story other than wait, or when you’re coming up with your next idea you can work on other school work. Mr. Brady’s understanding is what sets the class above others for me. On top of everything else it also counts as an extracurricular activity. 

Others would argue that there are other elective classes that students should take. I can’t argue against every class in South high, that would be way too long a paper. All I can say is that newspapers will give students just as much as they give it, which a lot of other elective classes can’t say.

We can’t force anyone to join journalism (much to Mr. Brady’s disappointment), but you won’t find a class with as interesting an experience, learning a new skill set, or one that cares about you more. Did I mention you can also earn an H?