Every once in a while, I am tasked with the need to approve an initiative or project presented by a student or a teacher. This duty is an exhilarating part of my job. In particular, I enjoy seeing individuals who, while following their passions, engage and excite others, leading to a contribution to the greater community. Yesterday was such an opportunity.
Waiting in my office was a newspaper created by Samantha and Evyatar, two fourth graders. The paper, The Untold Myth, is to come out once a week. I was asked to approve it. Of course, I did. Look for the first issue in your child’s Backpack Mail. Here is an excerpt from the paper:
“Help needed!
Although it may seem us newspaper staff have everything under control; we need your help to help to fill up the pages! If you have a story, picture, illustration, article, comic strip, or any surprising news, write it down and five it to either Samantha or Evyatar and your news will have a high chance to make it into our paper. There are some limitations on what may be published, and for all of you in consideration, here they are:
- Your news must be true, unless it is a fictional comic or story
- Your news must not be hurtful to anyone
- If inappropriate words are written in your news, the editor in chief will not publish it
For everyone in consideration, news may be submitted during your free time or during after-school activities such as Kidzone and Klezkids.” (The Untold Myth, Issue 1)
Eager to share my approval for the project with the editors-in-chief, I was proud, yet again, to witness the thoughtfulness with which they made their plans. The students checked in at various points as they were making decisions. They referred to the classroom teacher as the governor as if their class was a state, and to me as the president if the school was a country. The students already started thinking about a timeline that will allow for selection and editing of articles and submissions, including a day for my final approval and time to print the copies.
Finally, the editors-in-chief left the readers with the following statement:
“The newspaper’s motto has also been chosen: truth and mercy, taken out of the book The Landry News. The motto we’ve chosen means to be truthful, but also not to be mean or rude.”
“The newspaper’s motto has also been chosen: truth and mercy, taken out of the book The Landry News. The motto we’ve chosen means to be truthful, but also not to be mean or rude.”
Words to live by.
