St. Bernard’s School brings back newspaper
SARANAC LAKE — St. Bernard’s School students are resurrecting their newspaper — The Clarion — and will be publishing their first issue after spring break in April.
The newspaper club, with student writers and photographers from grades 2 through 5, is expected to publish issues in spring and early summer before the school year closes, according to Rebecca Eagle, a third-grade teacher who is co-advising the newspaper club with fourth-grade teacher Lauren Lazarus.
“At this time,” Eagle wrote in an email, “students are engaged with stories and interviews, comics and illustrations in the following departments: St. Bernard’s Special Events, Teacher Interviews, Sports, Animals, Weather, Catholic Religious News, Poetry, Science, Seasonal and Regional Special Events, Comics, Photography, and Illustrations.”
The Clarion was first established in 1930, according to Eagle.
“Between 1938 and 1947, the publication won first place at an annual convention in New York City nine times,” she wrote. “It was published well into the 1960s with a hiatus until 2013, when it was published for one year as an after school newspaper group of fourth and fifth graders. The word clarion means ‘loud and clear,’ the way St. Bernard’s wished to share the news then and continues to strive to now.”
The current newspaper club is an after-school group of 19 students. Aside from the senior editors — Mrs. Eagle and Mrs. Lazarus — the management of the newspaper consists of Junior Editor Elliott McCormick (grade 4). The lead photographer is Amelia Shaheen (grade 5) with nine junior photographers under her wing.
“The first edition will hit the press on April 17 and distribute on Friday, April 19,” Eagle wrote.
Through their Next Generation Newsroom program, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and Lake Placid News are offering advice and support to these young journalists.
“This past Tuesday (Feb. 27), Mr. (Andy) Flynn visited and educated The Clarion staff on what it takes to be a prepared reporter, photographer and editor,” Eagle wrote. “His presentation included all aspects of proactively planning and running a newspaper, from who to speak with for reliable interviews to writing for an interested audience to timing an article with your team to meet a deadline.”
Eagle said the “good news” crew is looking forward to sharing copies of The Clarion with the St. Bernard’s School community, St. Bernard’s Church community and Bishop Terry LaValley in Ogdensburg, as well as distributing newspapers to the Tri-Lakes Humane Society where students volunteer, the community lunchbox location they serve and the students’ friends and family.