March 1, 2011

Society of Professional Journalists chapter hosts area high school workshops

Throughout February, students from the Harding University chapter of Society of Professional Journalists hosted journalism workshops for high school students at Harding Academy and now plan to continue these workshops for CrossPointe Preparatory.

The SPJ members visited the classroom of Harding Academy’s yearbook students over the course of three workshops, instructing the 19 students on topics including design, interviewing and ethics through lecture and one-on-one interaction.

The Harding students were able to host these workshops through a grant SPJ president and senior print journalism major Sarah Kyle proposed to the regional SPJ office.

“[The grant] was really a godsend and allowed us to provide high school students with not only instruction, but also the basic tools to begin their journalism careers,” Kyle said.

SPJ members leading the workshops included senior print journalism majors Kylie Akins, Jessica Ardrey, Lauren Bucher and Carly Kester, junior print journalism major John Mark Adkison, and freshman public relations major Kristi Soto.

March 3 and 10, the group will host workshops for CrossPointe Preparatory with a focus on interviewing techniques and using those skills to create a dynamic story.

Although there are no other workshops currently planned, Kyle said that the workshops are extended to any interested school in the Searcy area.

“High school students don't get a whole lot of exposure to journalism, at least not the exciting, real part of journalism,” Kyle said. “We, as students and student publications workers, have a fresh take. We have recent examples and a whole lot of enthusiasm.”

For more information, please contact Sarah Kyle at skyle@harding.edu.