OXFORD, Conn. (AP) - When Hurricane Florence wreaked havoc in North Carolina, reporter Paul DiMauro assessed the damage and response to the storm.
In local sports, Renee Barnes covered the Oxford High School Wolverines football team’s home opener, a tough 38-20 loss to Wolcott.
Whether Madeline Haefele is opining on a hot political topic, Arfa Kiyani is writing about upcoming events, a controversial issue is brewing at school or a cool course is being taught in the classroom, the news team of the Wolve Read News is all over it.
Oxford High School’s student newspaper publishes four times a year with a circulation of about 700 copies. Twelve students in the Newspaper Club work under the supervision of two advisers, English teachers Martha Levitt and Richard Pecka.
“We have a number of students who really put themselves out there,” Levitt said Wednesday. “They’re tactful and bold, investigating issues important to students, even when it’s unpopular or unpleasant.”
Levitt recalled how Kendra Grillo, a sophomore, covered an issue with polls, interviewing students and administrators. “She put out her information in a fair way, asking all parties to come together,” Levitt said.
Classmate Stephanie MacNamara covered the course AP Gov. Campaigning Trails. “There’s always fun stuff going on in the classroom,” Levitt said.
Renee Barnes, a freshman, walked the Oxford High School football field sideline for the first time during the Wolverines’ home opener on Sept. 14 for Wolve Read. Her eyes light up when recalling the experience.
“I took pictures and wrote down the big plays in my notebook, the score at the end of each quarter and how the teams scored,” she said. “It was fun. In sports, when you’re playing it’s exhilarating. But when you’re writing, you miss things sometimes.”
Head Coach Joseph Stochmal gave Barnes statistics from the game and he and Coach Lou Diaz filled Barnes in on the things she missed. Barnes said she interviewed them and the team captains on what the team could have done better, adding most told her there were too many penalties.
“Renee is the perfect reporter,” Levitt said. “She has no fear. She just talks to everybody- She gets right in there and asks the questions. She digs.”
On Wednesday afternoon, sophomores Madeline Haefele and Arfa Kiyani got to work editing and laying out Wolve Read’s first issue of the school year.
“I enjoy writing, so I thought it would be a nice way to know more people and what’s happening around school and in town,” Haefele said of why she joined the Newspaper Club last year.
“I’ve always enjoyed reading school papers and thought I’d try it and see if I like it,” Kiyani said of joining this year. “I like being able to express myself through writing.”
Haefele, Kiyani and freshman Paul DiMauro all agree the media should avoid political leanings and should stick to the facts. In fact, DiMauro chose to write an article about Hurricane Florence to avoid politics.
“I think this club is a great way to have a lot of social interactions with new people and to find out about current events and issues in our school,” DiMauro said.
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Information from: Republican-American, http://www.rep-am.com
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