Sprague story ideas

Story idea #1: 

Student Squatters: students who do not have a place to live hop from empty house to empty house (In-depth)

Story mission and need: To bring awareness to a homeless problem in our school and to identify possible solutions to this issue

Why report It now?: We have numerous empty houses and rental properties in our community.

Essential questions: What’s at the heart of the problem? Is it a matter of housing prices, availability, etc.?

Sources to use, live and non-live (expert, authoritative, knowledgeable, bozo): Robin Collins, realtor; Damon Donnell, District Coordinator of Student Support Services; Ozark Guidance Center (our counselor), student squatter, teacher of student squatter, etc. Research provided by the district regarding homelessness/homeless students, resources available from the district/school/Springdale

Potential issues with sources and how to solve them?: Students may not want to talk without being anonymous. Finding students who have been in this situation, students who may currently be in this situation may be embarrassed-anonymous source?

Medium/media to best tell the story? Why this or these choices?: We would publish in the paper, possibly do a podcast/series on the issue, work with broadcast team to do video story?

Depending on the media used, what visuals would you suggest?: Photos of personal items piled up in a room of the house; a  cartoon/drawing illustrating the issue.

Range of story angles, supporting materials: We do not have a shelter in Springdale. Why not? How does this affect academic performance and attendance? How did the student get to this point: family issues, mental health issues, citizenship issue? What do our student organizations do to help with this issue? Not just homeless: no health care, dental care, wellness visits, etc. What services are otherwise available?

How will the various information pieces by visually, alternatively presented?: ASF-statistics of homelessness in NWA in a line chart showing growth or decline over the past 10-15 years. Q&A with Support Services coordinator; list of resources available to help families in need.

From infogathering to presentation, what legal, ethical and social responsibility questions might you face and what are some ways they might be handled?: Privacy issues, embarrassment to student/family who are homeless: why are we covering this? To generate possible solutions to this issue; work with support services coordinator to protect the individual(s) privacy.

Other questions, points, approaches or media: How can we find these kids? Could a reporter follow him/her around to report on the experience?

Story idea #2:

Students in the construction management classes who are apprentices for local industry leaders. (Institutional)

Story mission and need: A great need exists in our community for those trained in skilled positions. College is not the only way.

Why report It now?: Need for diesel mechanics, pilots, electricians: NWA is a growing community due to growth (Walmart, Tyson, JB Hunt). Our construction management program has outgrown our facilities. We have a teacher who is trying to promote/implement an aviation program.

Essential questions: How many jobs are available that require specialized training in the trade industry? What companies provide certification to students who are in high school? How does the company benefit from recruiting from high schools? How do students benefit from being part of these programs? Turnover? Time needed to complete program? Advantages/disadvantages to trades/industry?

Sources to use, live and non-live (expert, authoritative, knowledgeable, bozo): Kimbel Mechanical, PACE, JB Hunt, Jason McMullen (aviation), Walmart transportation/aviation, former students who are in the industry, current students in the construction management programs, Jesse Bishop (diesel mechanic/SnapOn Tools), CTE director for SPS and ADE.

Potential issues with sources and how to solve them?: I don’t foresee any problems with any of these sources, as they are all eager to promote their industry/career.

Medium/media to best tell the story? Why this or these choices?: Yearbook spread; newspaper story, video package: all media could focus on different aspects of this story.

Depending on the media used, what visuals would you suggest?: Video footage of kids working in labs and outdoors; video footage of former students working on-the-job; environmental photos/photo gallery for website/yearbook; podcast with sounds of the trade and audio of those in the industry.

Range of story angles, supporting materials: Process of getting certification/apprenticeship; feature story on former and current students in the industry; the increased need in those going into the industry; reasons for decline; effects on AP classes (decline in numbers) and the push to pursue college; stigma attached to students who do not go to college vs. the push in the district/school to pursue college.

How will the various information pieces by visually, alternatively presented?: Step-by-step process for apprenticeship; infographic on salaries of the industry; cost of trade school vs. college; Q&A with former/current students in program; map of best trade schools with cost breakdown.

From infogathering to presentation, what legal, ethical and social responsibility questions might you face and what are some ways they might be handled?: Safety of reporters who are shooting photos or interviewing in the labs or on location.

Other questions, points, approaches or media: The schedules of many of these students are shortened because they leave campus as part of the JAG program. They are sometimes hard to find when they are on campus.

Story idea #3:

School board member and former board president owns a photography business who profits off of taking photos of our schools’ athletic teams. (Story I want my kids to do)

Story mission and need: To make the public aware of this possible conflict of interest and to explore how the district is policing its own policies.

Why report It now?: Beginning of the year: athletics is about to kick off, summer Kiwanis program is next week; fall sports programs are scheduling team photos. Election year.

Essential questions: How much is he making off of the school district? What is the policy regarding board members and school employees benefiting from their access to the school community. How does the school district monitor this? What is the ADE policy regarding this issue?

Sources to use, live and non-live (expert, authoritative, knowledgeable, bozo): ADE policy, school board policy, Dr. Jim Rollins (superintendent), Randy Hutchison (school board member), ADE representative.

Potential issues with sources and how to solve them?: How to determine potential profit gained from photo sales, group photos, etc.? Do we request copies of taxes? RH will absolutely lose his mind if we were to do a story about this because he hates me (threatened to sue me); Dr. Rollins rarely responds to students’ questions, so student reporters would have to schedule a face-to-face interview with him.

Medium/media to best tell the story? Why this or these choices?: Video package; newspaper story: this is a more in-depth issue than a short segment.

Depending on the media used, what visuals would you suggest?: ASFs would need to be used in addition to the newspaper story.

Range of story angles, supporting materials: Voting record of board members over the past 15 years (since our school has been opened/split from other school); businesses owned by school board members; explore the contract with our licensed school photographer (Lifetouch); need to get copies of board meeting minutes to determine voting; list of businesses/owners in Northwest Arkansas; copy of contract with Lifetouch; process of running for school board positions (copy of voting districts) and length of terms.

How will the various information pieces by visually, alternatively presented?: Charts of voting record of board members; length of terms for each board member (when does their term expire); A list of requirements to serve on the board; pro/con of serving on the board; pay scale/stipend of board members

From infogathering to presentation, what legal, ethical and social responsibility questions might you face and what are some ways they might be handled?:

Carolyn helped me with this:

1. Are we doing the right thing?
2. Are we doing it the right way?
3. Are we doing it at the right time?
4. Are we doing it for the right reason?

Am I going to alienate myself by allowing the students to pursue this story? Would we make things worse in the community? While I think this is a good story, I don’t like this guy at all, so it may not be in our best interest to pursue a story like this.

Other questions, points, approaches or media: Can we cover this story without including him at all and just report on board members/conflict of interest policy and how the district monitors this? Don’t single him out, but highlight voting records and terms/pay/requirements, etc.

Story idea #4:

Mariana’s dad developed lung cancer this past school year and has moved back to Mexico for more affordable care. He was in the US on a work visa, which he will not be able to use again. His wife joined him to assist in his care, and they left their children in the care of family. Because they are undocumented, it’s likely that Mariana will never see her father alive again. (In-depth)

Story mission and need: To explore the challenges undocumented students face when parents’ work visas expire or when students are left in the US by parents; to personalize immigration/asylum issues.

Why report It now?: Immigrants/asylum seekers and policy regarding these groups of people are currently in the news. With it being an election (school) year, immigration is a hot-button topic. Our school has a large Hispanic population, and this issue affects many of them.

Essential questions: What is the cost of health care for the treatment of lung cancer versus the cost of care in Mexico? What is preventing her father from returning to the U.S.? What are the effects on families whose family members are forced to leave the country to seek affordable health care? What health care options are available for undocuments students and their families?

Sources to use, live and non-live (expert, authoritative, knowledgeable, bozo): Mariana; her father and mother; family members who have taken her and her siblings in; student support services coordinator for the district; research the cost of cancer treatment; research the life-span of individuals with lung cancer; immigration lawyer in Springdale

Potential issues with sources and how to solve them?: We do not want to endanger Mariana or her family. We could keep them anonymous.

Medium/media to best tell the story? Why this or these choices?: Since I advise the newspaper (print/online) and the yearbook, we would most likely use this story in those publications. We would avoid photos of her or her family due to the legal issues they may face if they are exposed. We could do a podcast but not identify Mariana or her family.

Depending on the media used, what visuals would you suggest?: I would not want the kids to use any photos of the family; however, we could maybe include coverage of individuals protesting anti-immigration policy outside Senator Tom Cotton’s office. My friend Megan is a member of the House of Representatives (D) who serves District 87, which is where many Hispanic families in our school district live. Photographers could take photos of her and her constituents at an event. Cartoon/drawing illustrating issue.

Range of story angles, supporting materials: Students response to immigration policy and border issues (survey would provide information/data); How do teachers provide support to students who are dealing with these types of issues? The stress of undocumented students living with the threat of discovery or deportation. Pathway to citizenship-story of student who became a citizen.

How will the various information pieces by visually, alternatively presented?:

Map of the path that her family took to get to the U.S.

Statistics showing number of documented and undocumented students in the school (anonymous survey).

Show cost of care in U.S. vs. cost of care in Mexico.

From infogathering to presentation, what legal, ethical and social responsibility questions might you face and what are some ways they might be handled?:

We do not want to put Mariana and/or her family in any danger by telling her story. How do we protect our source? When looking at the results of surveys, student journalists must be sensitive to the varying student responses who they may or may not agree with. We’ve had an issue in the past where student journalists were appalled at responses received from a political survey, and they did not handle it well. Survey results will need to be handled with care and viewing of results (that show responders’ names) may be limited to avoid this.

Other questions, points, approaches or media: This is such a sensitive issue for Mariana and for opponents of immigration in our school. How do we approach this issue in a manner that is sensitive to both sides?