News-Sentinel wins award for student-made newspaper

The Lodi News-Sentinel is being recognized for its role in a collaborative effort aimed at educating students about the local watershed.

The East Bay Municipal Utility District will present the News-Sentinel with the 2018 Frank R. Beeler Watershed Stewardship Award during the agency’s Pardee Barbecue on Oct. 5, in recognition for publishing the Mokelumne Current, a student-made newspaper about the Mokelumne River.

Kathy Grant, Lodi’s watershed program coordinator, said she came up with the idea in 2014 as a sort of “boot camp” for students to learn how a newspaper is put together, as well as a way to inform the public about the various programs that take students out of the classroom to study water along the Mokelumne River.

“When you include a local focus like the watershed and you get out of the classroom, it completely changes everyone, even the lowest-performing students,” she said.

Grant recalled one fifthgrader in 2016 who read at a first-grade level before participating in the Mokelumne Current, she said, and had talked about wanting to drop out of school.

“That kid jumped three grade levels, and now he wants to be an entomologist,” Grant said.

This past spring was the fifth edition of the Mokelumne Current, she said, and 12,000 copies were distributed to every student in the district from second grade to 12th grade.

“It’s been a pleasure to work on a project centered around students,” News-Sentinel Editor Scott Howell said. “Kathy Grant’s advocacy for the local watershed enhances the quality of life for local residents and inspires students to take an active role in their community.”

Howell also praised News-Sentinel staff who have contributed to the Mokelumne Current, particularly the work of Lodi Living Editor Kyla Cathey.

“Kyla’s enthusiasm about the Current is contagious. Even when she was away from the Sentinel for a short time she still came back to work on the Current,” he said. “The section would not be possible without her efforts.”

Janine Jacinto, a teacher at Heritage Elementary School who has been involved with the project for years, said she is glad the News-Sentinel will be recognized for not only encouraging students to learn about the watershed, but also showing them how newspapers are made.

“The kids love when they get to watch the paper come hot off the press and seeing their work being published,” Jacinto said. “Some get really excited about writing, others get excited about interviewing adults who work with the watershed.”

News-Sentinel staff talked to the students about different jobs in the industry, Jacinto

said, and the students also had the opportunity to meet with adults who study the watershed or otherwise work on the Mokelumne River to learn about different careers they may wish to pursue in the future.

“Thank you to the (NewsSentinel) staff and Kathy Grant for making it possible for the kids to participate,” Jacinto said. “We really appreciate the kids having that opportunity.”