43
and edit
VIBRATO
PROOFS
templates,
A group of
how to
Vibrato staff
members review
shoot and
the recently
received printer’s edit video,
proofs. The
how to
students check
for colors, photo blog and
quality and
create
proofread one
last time.
polls.
They also
learned that a website
does not happen
overnigh, and that the
learning never stops.
As their adviser, I work
with them, guide them,
and make sure the
content is appropriate
and of the highest
quality before each
story is uploaded, never
forgetting it is their publication, and
a student one at that.
But the day I realized that my
students truly felt ownership of the
website was on Saturday morning,
Nov. 14. I, like millions around the
world, woke up to more news stories
detailing the horrific Paris attacks
that occurred the previous night.
I was at the Orlando airport early
that morning, with a colleague
and a group of students, waiting
for our return flight home from
the JEA/NSPA fall conference. After
visiting several news sites, I went
to hockadayfourcast.org to review
some of the stories my students had
saved as drafts. A rather large image
of the Eiffel Tower
FOURCAST
was the first thing During class time,
The Fourcast staff
that appeared on layouts pages as
our site. At 2 a.m., soon as all story
final drafts have
without thinking been submitted.
editors
twice, the assistant Section
work closely with
assistant editors and
web editor had
make sure the pages
posted a graphic are finished in a
timely manner.
of the classic
French icon, along with an editorial.
She did not ask for my permission,
consultation, or review—she simply
posted it. I was impressed by her
boldness and touched by her story.
And of course, I felt great pride.
Deep inside, I knew this was exactly
what was supposed to happen.
My student felt ownership of the
publication.
These are the moments when you
realize that your students are truly
engaged and have indeed learned
from all your instruction, direction,
and guidance. They now get it: there
is a platform in front of them, and if
they use it wisely, they will shine.
The sophomore student who
suggested we produce the guide to
the 2016 primaries also got it; she
took ownership of the newspaper
and used it as platform to shine. Not
only did she shine, but she radiated.
Out of 29 newspaper staff members,
15 decided to volunteer and work
on the elections special issue. The
final product featured information
about the candidates, facts about
issues, the election process, voting
information, editorials and poll
results that had been conducted at
school. The glossy magazine was
elegantly designed and looked and
felt like a professional publication.
The best compliment came from the
school’s headmistress, Liza Lee, in an
email to me the day after the issue
was distributed. “This is wonderful!”
she wrote. “Please tell everyone
involved that it’s a spectacular
achievement. Do you have an extra
copy? We were at a dinner party
last night and one of the guests
persuaded me to give him mine.”
Everyone wanted to own a copy of
my students’ publication. And that
felt great.