Students wrap up a new paper
Named The Warragul Regional Action Press (The WRAP), the paper is to be printed every two months – roughly once a term – and surround the voice of students. Created by myself, Josephine Gaal, a Year 10 student and a small editorial team of three girls who joined me on my mission: Fellow Year 10 student Emma McArthur is co-editor, whilst two Year 8 girls, Hayley Petrie and Ruby Birchall are additional passionate writers on the ‘newspaper crew’.
Towards the end of last year, I was part of an elective called ‘independent choice’. This class entailed of one semester, four periods a week, where students were to work on a project in any area of their choice (hence the name).
Over the course of the semester, my project surrounded the large area of journalism. Hours of research was poured into studying the structures and techniques of fashion magazines and playing around with designing articles.
Eventually, I came to learning more about newspapers and the writing styles that they include. Creating my own newspaper based around the school, my final piece to show at the independent choice expo was a newspaper that consisted of a front cover, a news section, an opinion section and an interview with the principal. Afterwards, the idea of forming a school newspaper sparked in my head.
Upon meeting Emma McArthur this year, I have learnt that she is a passionate writer like me. Asking her to be part of the newspaper was a pinpoint moment for the paper.
Working together as the editors of our school newspaper, we have become so proud of our achievement which takes many hours to prepare and print.
Many times, we have dreamt together about how successful it may become and how it will look like the school newspapers that are displayed in the high school films.
We want The WRAP to be a place for Warragul Regional College pupils to showcase their work produced at school and highlight their efforts that are put into the local community and area.
The newspaper builds opportunities for students to achieve experience in media communications or gain attention to their passion in their certain areas of work. It also shapes a place for students to spark conversations and receive insights of important subjects around the school.
Overall, The WRAP is focused around being a product that accommodates all students and their interests to draw attention to the amazing locals that we have in Warragul or even further, West Gippsland.
Recently, Education Minister James Merlino and his colleague Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing visited the college to officially open the newly constructed STEAM building.
The editorial team and I were invited as part of the group of student representatives that were present at the celebration.
Expressing her strong enthusiasm, Harriet Shing asked us for an autographed copy of the first issue and gave us her business card.
Along with her excitement, she even insisted on taking a ‘selfie’ with the newspaper crew on her way out to the car park.
She told us of how thrilled she was to see some of the passion and fantastic work that is produced by the younger generation of the region.
Jospehine wrote this article while on work experience at The Gazette.