Jan. 13, 2025
Our past three editions
Dec. 16, 2024 TikTok • Financial literacy • Added sugar
Dec. 9, 2024 Coca-Cola • Gender-affirming care • Color of the Year
Nov. 25, 2024 NYC student journalism • Standardized tests • “Wicked”
THE LEAD
Wildfires ravage Los Angeles county
Look into widespread effects, causes of wildfires
Four wildfires around Los Angeles are contributing to widespread, serious damage and have forced evacuation orders affecting at least 180,000 in the last week. The largest fire, the Palisades fire, is the most destructive fire to ever hit Los Angeles County, CNN reported. As of Jan. 9, that fire has destroyed at least 300 structures and threatened another 13,000 in the area.
The fires spread due to the lack of precipitation and strong winds in the area, Time reported. The intensity of the fires is partly due to climate change, according to experts. A combination of the dryness of vegetation and gusty winds allow wildfires to spread faster, Time reported.
What you can do —
The impacts of fires of this scale are widespread — from the direct damage, to air quality, to water quality, to insurance rates and everything in between. All of these are potential angles for coverage, even if you are not in the area directly affected by wildfires.
For schools in or near areas affected by wildfires it could be good to cover what students can do to prepare and protect themselves in case a fire does break out. It also could be interesting to look at your school’s policies for school cancellation due to fire or air quality alerts.
There is also the climate change angle to wildfires (and other natural disasters). It is widely acknowledged that climate change is worsening fires like these — they are burning faster and hotter and contributing to more damage than before. Talk to a local expert about this ongoing change and how it might affect your area specifically. Even if you don’t live in a wildfire prone area, your community might be at risk of other natural disasters.
If covering an ongoing natural disaster, it is important to prioritize the safety of the reporters too. Special attention should be paid to responsible coverage that doesn’t put staff at risk.
Noteworthy
Trump’s inauguration day approaches
Cover local opportunities to watch
President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in for his second term Jan. 20 in the U.S. Capitol building. The day includes a number of events, including JD Vance being sworn in as vice president, the review of the troops and the inaugural address. The ceremony will kick off at noon ET and will be aired on major news networks including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, CSPAN and Fox News.
What you can do —
Ahead of the inauguration look into what local opportunities to watch there are. Some communities may host watch parties at community centers.
The inauguration falls on Martin Luther King Day, so some schools may have the day off. Civics classes may still choose to discuss the inauguration later in the week, so check with teachers to see if there are any activities to cover.
What’s viral
Meta shutters third-party fact-checking operation
Discuss risks of misinformation, disinformation
Independent fact-checking will soon be a thing of the past on Instagram and Facebook. The social media platforms will instead rely on users to correct posts, much like the system in place on X.
In the announcement of the change, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that more “bad stuff” would stay on the platform as a result of this change, but said it would reduce the number of posts and accounts taken down erroneously, the New York Times reported.
This change comes weeks before president-elect Donald Trump takes office. Meta donated $1 million to support the inauguration, according to the Times. Meta also recently added UFC executive and Trump ally Dana White to its board.
What you can do —
Whether its coverage in your paper or a staff discussion about the importance of fact checking, this change in policy by major social media platforms is relevant to journalism students everywhere.
Possible coverage could include a rundown on some easy ways to fact check information found online for yourself — talk to fact checking experts about what the change will mean for everyday consumers, and how they can take proactive steps. It also could be the entry point for a larger story about misinformation and disinformation.
If you are looking for a class activity based around this idea, check out our chapter activity on the importance of journalism. It walks through recent changes to local journalism, the impacts of misinformation and disinformation and identifies action items your staff can take.
IT’S AN HONOR
Don’t forget you can nominate members year round
We know your New Year’s resolution was to send in your members — and there’s no time like the present. Nominate students for membership order pins, cords and other Quill and Scroll materials and memorabilia.
We haven’t changed the ordering process from last year. For those wanting to ditch the paper version, you just need to select the form based on how you would like to pay. We have one version for credit card and another version for check or purchase order. (We’ve added buttons for ease of finding these.) As usual, credit card payments are charged $4.49 per order for processing.
While you’re ordering, don’t forget to include any cords and other Quill and Scroll materials and memorabilia.
Members-only area reminder
If you haven’t accessed our members-only area, we encourage you to do so. While we hope to expand this feature, you can find bell ringers, lesson plans and a gallery of our News Media Evaluation Gallup Award winners.
To access, please visit our new member login page. Your credentials are in an email from [email protected]. Please check your spam folder and if you still don’t see it, reach out to us at [email protected] and we will help you troubleshoot!
When you log in, please accept cookies via the popup on the bottom of the page. This will limit the number of times you have to login!
Suggested chapter activity
What is the status of the free press in your school and state? Are you one of the 18 states with laws that protect student journalists? What are the policies and guidelines at your school? What is the role of the student press? This could be a great activity in preparation for or following Student Press Freedom Day, which is Feb. 27.
Please see our site for the step-by-step plan.
Writing, Visual, Multimedia contest open
Due date is Feb. 5
The entry form is live and we are accepting submissions. Be aware, we have added a few categories and changed a few items and descriptions. The cost is $8 for all entry types and you may submit live links. If you would rather make a PDF of the submission, you may still do this as well. Please make sure to allow anyone with the link to view. Remember, we don’t accept a Google document as an entry. We only accept published work.
Please make a note — all entries and payments will be due Feb. 5.
Make sure to include either your credit card payments or check or purchase order when you enter. The link provided on the site will take you directly to the credit card or check/purchase order page for the order. The WVM category payment option is at the bottom of the page.
Please reach out if you have any questions.
PSJA Journalism Contest open
Q&S and Private School Journalism Association set up portfolio contest
The PSJA Journalism Contest, co-sponsored by Quill and Scroll, seeks to honor the best journalism produced by private and independent school students. It is a “portfolio” contest, one that seeks not to reward single stories, but a pattern of excellence over the course of a year.
Other than Editorial Leadership, work produced for the contest should have been published in a news publication — in print or online — or a yearbook between March 1, 2024 and March 6, 2025. Deadline for entries will be Friday, March 7. An awards ceremony will occur after judging is finalized.
For PSJA members, the cost for your school is $20 per entry. Non-members pay $25 per entry. To become a member of PSJA, email PSJA Director David Cutler ([email protected]) and sign up for the PSJA newsletter.
Make sure to include either your credit card payments or check or purchase order when you enter. The link provided on the site will take you directly to the credit card or check/purchase order page for the order. The PSJA category payment option is at the bottom of the page.
If you are interested in entering the contest, please see our website.
Deadline approaches for 2025 Vanessa Shelton Chapter of the Year
Has your chapter been active in Quill and Scroll this year? If so, it’s time to apply for the Chapter of the Year.
Chapters must have initiated members in each of the past three years.
Applications are free and winners will receive a plaque, $250 for the classroom, four free memberships and honor cords and one member spot on our Student Advisory Board.
The deadline is April 18 and the winner will be announced mid-May. The application form is on our website.
Spring convention registration opens Jan. 28
Join us in Kansas City for the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention. This year’s convention will be in Seattle. Registration opens Jan. 28 and the hotel link is available to all registrants Feb. 11. Join us for “SEA it to believe it” at the JEA/NSPA spring convention April 24-26.
Upcoming Weekly Scroll pause dates
We will pause the Weekly Scroll during the weeks of Jan. 20 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), March 10, March 24, April 21 and April 28 since we will be at conventions when we normally would amass the Scroll.
Some advisers and students have found linking to our Weekly Scroll page beneficial.
Thank you for understanding.
Chapter Shoutout needs your help
Make sure to share what you’re doing (or have done) with us! We would love to feature your chapter here.
Please use this Google form or email us at [email protected]. Please include a small description and photo of the event.
Opportunity from the Freedom Forum
The 2025 Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference June 22-27, 2025 provides 51 students (one high school junior from each state plus the District of Columbia) with an all-expenses-paid program that includes panel conversations with journalists, newsroom visits, a chance to meet students and industry leaders who share a passion for news, and a unique Washington, D.C. experience.
Participants also receive a $1,000 college scholarship and ongoing support from a community of more than 1,500 alumni. Students build their skills, grow their network and get a head start on their future.
Apply by March 23 at FreeSpiritJournalism.org.
Just a thought
Welcome back from break!
I hope you return well rested and ready for the rest of your school year.
We will continue to offer our Weekly Scroll until early May and Monthly Scrolls until mid April.
As you may know, the Quill and Scroll individual contest deadlines are soon approaching. We will again honor the individual award winners for the Writing, Visual, Multimedia and Private Journalism Association Awards at the spring JEA/NSPA National Convention in Seattle. Those who place in our contests, and will major in journalism, qualify for two of the three Quill and Scroll Scholarships we offer. (The third is exclusively for members only.)
We will again offer our News Media Evaluation and those will be due to us by June 13. You may enter your news as a stand alone or hybrid (web and print) in this service. We will again offer a Gallup Award Gallery in our members-only area.
All of these contests and critiques are open currently. Don’t wait. Start the process of entering today. As always, please let me know if you have any questions. I’m happy to help.
We look forward to serving you in 2025.
Happy New Year!
— Lori Keekley
