Jumpstart your journey with Journalism Foundations

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By Tyffani Caddy


Lending their ears, Journalism Foundation students listen to what Mrs. Thompson has to say on their work for the day. Photo by Tyfanni Caddy

Journalism Foundations is a class that introduces students to the world of journalism and publications. It gives them a taste of what being a journalist is like. Students write articles, learn about graphic design and make their own newspapers and mini yearbooks. Become part of the news team or yearbook staffs is a possible outcome of taking the class. News team writes articles, takes photos, manages social media and gets the student body involved on the website, “The Roar.” Yearbook takes pictures, writes features, also maintains social media and gathers all the information to create the yearbook, commemorating the school year.

“I didn’t expect to get anything out of Journalism Foundations,” Rachel Knief, senior, said. “Once we started writing and designing for yearbook, I realized I actually really liked it, and it sparked an interest that I didn’t know I had.”

Mrs. Thompson, her staffs call her Tom, teaches the Journalism Foundations class. She also advises “The Roar,” the school website, and “The Prowl,” the yearbook. She was part of the opening staff 18 years ago.

“I really love Tom,” Elizabeth Berry, junior, said. “She’s got an awesome personality that makes you want to do more and be better. She is super enthusiastic about journalism and design; she’s always telling me if only she could sit and work on tweaking yearbook spreads or helping us write better copy then she wouldn’t retire. She steps back and watches us and then adds guidance when she feels we might need it or we turn to her.”

Journalism Foundations can kickstart a future in journalism. Towards the end of the year, Mrs. Thompson chooses students she knows she can depend on to work for either the yearbook or the website. She expects her Journalism Foundation kids to work as hard as her staff members.

“I was in my Japanese class when two people from news team came and gave me the invitation to come onto news team,” Ainsley Davis, senior, said. “ I was really surprised because I didn’t think that I was very good in the class. I’m really happy to be on the team because I get to create pieces that I am proud of.”

In Journalism Foundations there are projects that are similar to being on news team or yearbook. The assignments consist of a mini newspaper, a mini yearbook, pub terms collages, news summaries and articles about different topics. These tasks give students a taste of what it’s like to be on staff.

“I like that Journalism Foundations helps you learn the basics of journalism, and Mrs.Thompson  does a good job teaching us about how journalism is changing with technology getting better,” Andrew Yu, junior, said. “Overall, we learn a lot of stuff that others probably didn’t know.”

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Tyffani Caddy is a junior and a first-year reporter on newsteam. She is very into sports and trends which makes it easier to write. Her favorite quote is, “ If it doesn't challenge you, then it won’t change you” by Fred DeVito. Her dream job is a sports journalist which was inspired by her love for sports and her passion for writing. She is a former Navy brat, so she has lived in many places in the United States. Her dream college, NYU, is in New York which is where she wishes to pursue a journalism career.