By Gianna Porcek ‘20, Section Editor

The Middle School Newspaper has officially come to an end, at least for the 2019-2020 school year. According to Dr. LaPadula, an eighth grade English teacher who has run the Middle School Paper for the past four years, “there just wasn’t interest from the students.” 

However, this lack of interest in journalism is concerning, now more than ever. According to Student Press Law Center’s Executive Director, Hadar Harris, “Student journalists play a key role in the civic life of their community. Not only do they report on important issues in the life of a school or school district, but as the number of professional journalists has dwindled, student journalists often also fill the gap in reporting on county, state and regional issues.” 

Having the Middle School Newspaper has allowed young students to learn foundational journalism skills, such as implementing article writing techniques in real time and learning to express their voices using publications. Eliminating the paper hinders these skills for future interested high school journalists by taking away a platform to perfect their current knowledge. 

One faculty member in particular expresses the same concern. Mr. Coe, an upper school history teacher, feels strongly about a newspaper’s ability to teach middle schoolers how to express their voice as active citizens in a journalistic fashion. “Student publications provide opportunities for students to develop a journalistic voice and generate original content in a safe place,” Mr. Coe says. “By eliminating the Middle School Paper, the sixth to eighth graders are now short one more opportunity to begin to find their voice. Getting middle schoolers interested in journalism is important for this very reason, as well. In order to fully embrace active citizenship, students of any age need to learn all of its necessary components beginning with the investigative voice in pursuit of the truth. History is made by those who show up and do the work…it’s never too early for all Americans to learn those skills.” The Middle School Paper’s elimination does not only lessen young students’ exposure to journalism, but also, removes an opportunity to begin embracing active citizenship during a pivotal point in their lives.

Those who have previously been involved in the Middle School Paper, whether as a reader or a part of its production, are similarly aware of the impact it has had on the school community or on individuals. Maximilian Gorbaty ‘22 wrote for the middle school newspaper during his time in the Middle School and is now a staff writer for The Minuteman Newspaper: “The Middle School newspaper furthered my interest in journalism by showing me how relationships with other people can be formed…I learned how to conduct an interview and then analyze it. I still utilize the techniques from the middle school newspaper in interview-based projects and essays as well as in the high school Minuteman Newspaper.”

Caroline Tam, former Editor-in-Chief of the Middle School Paper in the 2015-2016 school year, says, “Eliminating the Middle School section is like losing a lighthearted piece of the newspaper. After reading through serious feature articles about politics in the high school paper, it’s refreshing to read about a middle schooler’s favorite TV show.” 

Even having only been at Newark Academy for two years, Kat Dakos, Class of 2025, expresses the same sentiment as Caroline: “I never wrote for the paper but I would really like it if it was still around because I enjoyed reading articles or stories that my fellow classmates wrote.”

Will the Middle School Newspaper ever return? Check back in 2020 to find out.