Goal for staff: Make each day your masterpiece. You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By applying yourself to the task of becoming a little better each and every day over a period of time, you will become a lot better. Only then will you be able to approach being the best you can be.

Goal for editors & advisor: Define success for those under your leadership as total commitment and effort to the team's welfare. Then show it yourself with your own effort and performance. Most of those you lead will do the same. Those who don't should be encouraged to look for a new team. — John Wooden

Monday, February 10, 2014

Day #11: Articles due, article ideas, writing practice

1. Articles uploaded and ready to go. Graphics all there?

2. Senior speech schedule check-in

3. Article ideas for the next cycle
Please use the comment section of this post for article ideas for the next cycle. Those article will come out on March 11. Yikes. Long way away, but there's minicourse in-between. Check the school calendar and the world calendar and see what's going on.
**Please post one article idea per section (news, A&E, sports, Features, Opinion)
** With each idea, please make it clear what the MA connection is.
** Please post 3-5 must-get sources for the article

4. As time permits ... some writing practice

You will present your media law cases on Wednesday. Friday we're going to LitFest!

Some article ideas ... maybe
Narcissist’s Dream: Selfie-Friendly Phone
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/technology/personaltech/making-the-case-for-a-more-selfie-friendly-smartphone.html
 
Michelle Obama Urges Students to Apply for College Aid
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/us/first-lady-urges-students-to-apply-for-college-aid.html
 
CVS Vows to Quit Selling Tobacco Products
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/business/cvs-plans-to-end-sales-of-tobacco-products-by-october.html
 
Taking Tobacco Off the Shelves (Editorial)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/opinion/taking-tobacco-off-the-shelves.html
 
It’s Time for the N.F.L. to Welcome a Gay Player
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/sports/its-time-for-the-nfl-to-welcome-a-gay-player.html
 
Anne Heyman, Rwanda Rescuer, Is Dead at 52
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/world/africa/anne-heyman-rwanda-rescuer-is-dead-at-52.html
 
Bill Keller, Former Editor of The Times, Is Leaving for News Nonprofit
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/business/media/bill-keller-former-editor-of-the-times-is-leaving-for-news-nonprofit.html

CVS Plans to End Sales of Tobacco Products by Oct. 1
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/business/cvs-plans-to-end-sales-of-tobacco-products-by-october.html

Retailers Ask: Where Did Teenagers Go? 
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/01/business/retailers-ask-where-did-teenagers-go.html
 
In Texting Era, Crisis Hotlines Put Help at Youths’ Fingertips
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/us/in-texting-era-crisis-hotlines-put-help-at-youths-fingertips.html
 
CVS Plans to End Sales of Tobacco Products by Oct. 1
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/business/cvs-plans-to-end-sales-of-tobacco-products-by-october.html
 
Dalton School Apologizes for Screening Slavery Satire
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/nyregion/dalton-school-apologizes-for-screening-slavery-satire.html
 
The Road Back: Frost’s Letters Could Soften a Battered Image
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/books/volume-of-robert-frosts-letters-renews-debate-about-his-character.html
 
As Peanut Allergies Rise, Trying to Determine a Cause
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/03/as-peanut-allergies-rise-trying-to-determine-a-cause
 
Firearms’ Toll Among the Young (NYT Editorial)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/opinion/firearms-toll-among-the-young.html
 
The Gun Report, 1 Year Later
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/opinion/nocera-the-gun-report-1-year-later.html

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

FEATURES
Explore how MA students are paying for college in light of Michelle Obama’s recent financial aid initiative (interview Jennifers, Kevin, students)


A&E
Explore the similarities, differences, and boundaries that exist between visual arts and performing arts at MA (interview Anne, Jenny, David, Randee, arts students)

NEWS
Explore the role of tobacco in teen culture in light of CVS’ landmark decision to stop selling cigarettes (interview Charis, Sanjai, students)

SPORTS
Utilize March Madness to explore the role of spectator sports at MA: basketball vs. baseball vs. football (interview Sanjai, relevant teachers, students)

OPINIONS
My problem with political correctness: why the respected paradigm is detrimental to dialogue and diversity at MA

Adriana Weiss said...

News:

-Computers being stolen around campus- how students feel about leaving their bags and computers around campus, staff’s trust in students (do they think an MA student is taking the computers?) impact on ability to do homework/productivity. Interview: (student’s with stolen computers, student’s who leave computers around campus, class deans, Lynne Hansen)

A&E:

Art Students not having to earn tech credits. Interview: (Kelly, Annie,David, Bob, Art students, Music/Theater/Dance Students, Anne, Randee, art teachers)

sports:

J.V or Varsity- determining where a student athlete should be placed (Kacie, Josh, other sport coaches, student athletes)

-Based on grade- age- technique?

Features:
-Is MA preparing its students for college adequately ? (teachers, senior students, alumni)

-How do seniors feel about leaving- do they feel ready?

-From the perspective of new students- Freshmen, do they feel that their teachers are beginning to prepare them?

-Prospective students view on how MA prepares its students for college

Opinion:

-What kind of reputation does Marin Academy have- difference of perspective from students, staff and prospective students

-Has it changed over time?
-Are we molding our school so it “looks a certain way”?

Anonymous said...

FEATURES:
- explore students motivations and expectations in going to MA, and reasons for attending this school, if it lived up to their expectations, what MA offers pertaining to the future of students. Interview: Students, Travis,

A&E:
-how skills learned when participating in visual/performing arts are used in students everyday life, and how students experience with the arts affected/changed their life. Interviews: Students a part of the arts program at MA, maybe alumni who actively participated/participate in the arts, arts teachers.

NEWS:
-maybe students’ involvement in giving back to the community and how it influences them and others, interview: crossroad leaders, Lauren Toker and Lisa, students involved in some sort of community service

SPORTS:
-sport injuries and how they affect students both physically and emotionally, and fear of getting injured and its effects. Interview: Student athletes with or without injuries, Aaron, coaches

OPINIONS:
-The overall MA environment pressuring and stimulating at the same time to excel in school

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kimberly Moreno said...

Sports:
No football or cheerleading: 2 of the things that most high schools have, why not MA?

Features:
Winter formal, Spirit dance and Prom. Which one do students prefer? Is it all just hype about being part of the stereotypical "high school experience?" Important?

A&E:
" Importance" of social media: How often are students opening their Instagram, Facebook, twitter etc? How does it affect their self esteem? Why does it feel so important to keep up with everything and every one?

News:
1. Senior Retreat and the experience. What do the seniors think about it? Does it bring the students even closer together? Should it be continued?

Opinions:
Social ranks or divisions: MA is known for having kind and open community, but is that just a generalization? Do we have cliques and groups? Are we ignoring it?

Anonymous said...

Features

- The place of high school education in the information age: how can MA adapt its teaching paradigm to provide opportunities that internet courses cannot? (Interview: Scott Young, Laura Webber, students who have taken Khan Academy courses)

- What do students feel they are not being taught? What important skills aren’t being learned at MA? Personal finance? Cooking? Economics? Negotiation? (Interview upperclassmen about what they don’t feel prepared for at college and the outside world. Possibly interview MA alums to see what, if anything, they wish they had been taught in high school. Interview any teachers who are lobbying for new classes to be created.)

A&E

- How are attention spans and taste in media changing over time in the MA community? Are new forms of online entertainment (Vine, Twitter, Reddit) altering what we seek and expect, or even what we can tolerate in a medium? (Interview students at random, teachers involved in media production: theater, music, maybe newspaper?)

- Are the materials in the art room entirely safe? Visual arts involves use of numerous exotic chemicals and compounds, but students are never told what these materials are, or their possible dangers. Do these dangers exist? (Interview Anne Maurice, Barry Beach, chemistry teachers)

News

- Bitcoin: has it reached MA? Has a Marin Academy student or teacher ever completed a transaction with Bitcoin? Made any money from investment in it? Has all of MA heard of it, and, if so, how many understand it?

- The Chinese moon rover: how does MA feel about China's advancement out into space? Congratulatory and hopeful, or subtly fearful? How does this compare to the average American opinion on the topic (or at least opinions from outside Marin)? Role of patriotism? Do we feel (and want to feel) more pride in our species, or our nation?

Opinions

- Lack of applications leads to lack of motivation: how MA teaches everything about math except why it’s useful. (Interview anyone from math department)

- Finals anxiety: an unnecessary evil. Why MA should allow retakes on all final exams.

Anonymous said...

Sports: How March Madness effects MA, what students do to prepare for it. Interview students who enjoy basketball and maybe teachers as well.

News: What MA thinks about gun violence. Try and interview students whose families own guns, students whose families don't, and teachers from both sides as well.

A&E: Happiness assemblies, project for the year. Are students really being helped by these? Interview students, people responsible for putting together the assemblies, and teachers.

Feature: MA's view on presidential election starting so early compared to other countries. Interview teachers and students (general)

Opinion: Religion at MA, how it is important it is here compared to other places.


Anonymous said...

A&E
Trends in YA literature - Why are do many popular books now have such dark themes/plots? Why have Dystopian books especially become so popular? Interview Derek and Trevor, English teachers, students who read.

News
What happens to all the excess food in local restaurants at the end of each day? If some products are "made fresh each day", what happens to the unsold products? What happens to the food in the MA cafeteria? Interview kitchen staff, outside restaurant owners

Sports
How do club sports differ from school sports teams? What are the pros and cons of each? What makes a student choose to play for one team over another? Interview coaches, student athletes (ones who play sports both for MA and on club teams)

Feature
What are students spending their money on now? Are they spending more than they used to? How are they earning money? Has new technology and constant better models causing them to spend too much?

Opinion
How do prospective students and parents view MA? What makes some parents want their kids to attend? What appeals to the students themselves? Does the reality live up to the expectations?