Popular Junior Journalist Programme Returns

Popular Junior Journalist Programme Returns

Hold the front page! The New Zealand Herald's highly popular Make a Newspaper programme for schools rolls off the presses again in May.

Now in its fifth year, the educational programme provides all North Island primary and intermediate schools with the opportunity to produce their own 12-page newspaper during term two.

The programme is designed by teachers for teachers and is a novel and effective way for students to work on curriculum subjects while learning about current affairs and working as a team.

"It's a fantastic learning opportunity for kids," says APN National Publications Deputy Managing Editor Shenagh Gleeson. "It's fun and interactive learning, encourages kids to read the paper and, with subjects linked across the curriculum, is of real value to teachers and their pupils.

"Even better, the top 10 newspapers win their schools $5,000 each."

Each week for 12 weeks, students get to work on a different page of their newspaper.

"Each page has a different theme linked to the activities of the sponsors of those pages," Ms Gleeson says. "So one week the subject might be information technology, next nutrition and food and another one could be community issues."

Teachers have been enthusiastic about the programme.

Angela Smith from Marshall Laing School in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill says last year's programme was a "fantastic challenge".

"We selected kids that really needed a challenge. The programme was the perfect opportunity to offer them something different and for them to prove their talents and strengths in a relevant and meaningful way and which also incorporated their community and environment."

The NZ Herald provides the Make a Newspaper programme with all the necessary resources, Ms Gleeson says.

Included are:

* complimentary daily newspapers throughout term two for every student taking part;

* resource book and guide for each student and teacher;

* teacher's notice-board and calendar on the Herald's schools website;

* a free-call helpline at 0800 100 888;

* newspaper templates;

* individual feedback on each newspaper; and

* certificates for all students who take part.

The winners of the programme are announced in September and are featured in the Herald together with all entrants.

Sponsors of the NZ Herald Make a Newspaper programme are New Zealand Soccer and the Small Whites Programme, 5+ A Day in partnership with Foodtown/Woolworths, HP New Zealand, Whitcoulls, Purina Petcare, Wattie's, Sky Tower, TV One/Zone and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise.

Readers can check out details and see winners of last year's programme on the Herald website at www.nzherald.co.nz/schools.

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