Published: September 12, 2008 09:41 pm      

Oakwood student newspaper goes online

OAKWOOD — The Oakwood Times always has been a successful newspaper in the halls of Oakwood High School. Now it’s venturing online.

This year the award-winning student newspaper will sport a new look with a larger staff.

With the increased class size, and forms of media changing constantly, journalism teacher Tim Lee decided to make the Oakwood Times a daily part of the school Web site.

“With this many kids in the class, daily stories keep people more involved,” Lee said. “And I think a big part of the future of journalism is online.”

All daily issues of the Oakwood Times can be viewed by going to http://www.oakwood.k12.us and clicking on the Oakwood High School tab in the left-hand column.

The paper has three editors-in-chief — Katie Lee, Logan Lee and Ross White. Oakwood High offers journalism as an elective class so students can learn the ropes of putting together a newspaper. Generally the class has anywhere from 15-16 students. This year, Tim Lee is teaching 25 journalism students.

“It wasn’t a complete surprise to have this many students. I’ve known this group of kids for a long time,” Lee said. “And I knew quite a few of them were interested in this class.”

Megan Thilmony, 16, said she took the class because, “I always loved reading the school paper, and I wanted to be a part of making it.”

As for her favorite part of the class, “It’s a fun atmosphere,” Thilmony said. “And I like being able to work independently without a daily lecture.”

As the students are becoming aware; journalism and media are everywhere around them.

“Everybody gets news in some way. The forms of news may be changing,” Lee said, “But the gathering of information and techniques are still the same, and that’s what we’re teaching.”

“Journalism is important because it teaches students how the media works, and what they pick and choose,” Jacy Miller, 16, said.

Ross White, 17, said it’s important for young people to know what’s going on around them. “It helps you make better decisions, and keep up with society.”

As far as students becoming more interested in journalism, “I don’t think kids as a whole are becoming more interested, but this group I think may be.” Lee said. “However, I think they’re more interested in the modern ways of journalism; like downloading the daily news on their iPhone.”