Jan. 27, 2025
Our past three editions
Jan. 13, 2025 Wildfires • Inauguration • Fact checking
Dec. 16, 2024 TikTok • Financial literacy • Added sugar
Dec. 9, 2024 Coca-Cola • Gender-affirming care • Color of the Year
THE LEAD
TikTok not available on app stores despite executive order
Gather reactions to downtime, app changes
Social media app TikTok went dark for United States-based users briefly on Jan. 19, the day the TikTok ban went into effect. The ban comes from a law that requires TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell its United States assets to continue operating.
About 12 hours later, however, TikTok started working again, complete with a message crediting President Donald Trump for its return. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to delay the enforcement of the ban by 75 days.
The app is now working, but only for those who already had it downloaded. The app is not available on app stores, USA Today reported.
What you can do —
Many students likely were affected by the temporary shut down — talk to them about what that was like? What was their reaction to the messages the app displayed? Did they miss it for those 12 hours?
There have also been reports of some in-app differences after the shutdown. Some users reported that searches of anti-Trump hastags were being hidden and creators have reported videos getting taken down for indiscernible reasons, the Washington Post reported. Ask students if they have observed any of these changes.
The Pew Research Center conducted a number of surveys of TikTok use in 2024. The data they collected could be an interesting way into this story.
Noteworthy
Los Angeles still reeling from large wildfires
Highlight local donation efforts
Wildfires continue to ravage the area around Los Angeles, with more evacuations coming Jan. 22, NBC reported. More than 50,000 acres have burned and more than 16,000 structures have been destroyed over the last few weeks.
Los Angeles is still facing critical fire conditions and high wind speeds, which are contributing to the continued spread, CBS reported. President Donald Trump has also threatened to withhold federal disaster aid if the state doesn’t change its water management policies. Trump visited Southern California Jan. 24.
What you can do —
Those not directly affected by the fires may feel called to help in some way. There may be local businesses or organizations running fundraisers and drives to help support those who lost property in the fires. Covering those efforts is one local angle to the damage.
NBC compiled some tips for how to best support the community, as well as a list of vetted organizations that are taking donations. Your school’s Quill and Scroll chapter or student publication could organize a donation drive for one such organization.
What’s viral
Oscar nominations announced
It’s not too early to start planning awards coverage
After two delays due to wildfires, nominations for the 97th annual Academy Awards were announced Jan. 23. “Emilia Pérez” received the most nominations with 13. “Wicked” and “The Brutalist” come in next, each with 10 nominations.
What you can do —
The Oscars aren’t actually presented until March, but now is a good time to plan coverage and even start publishing, especially if you plan to cover a variety of nominees. For example, if there is a budding film critic on your staff that wants to review the 10 nominations for best picture, reviews need to be started soon.
There is also a fun opportunity for social media coverage ahead of the awards ceremony. Ask students and teachers what they would vote for — you could even tally votes and predict winners that way. You can also ask them what movies they think were snubbed in this year’s nominations.
IT’S AN HONOR
It’s always membership season
Don’t forget you can nominate members year-round
It’s time to 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.
If your initiation is the week of Feb. 17, now is the time to order!
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!
Members-only area lesson plan highlight
In this lesson, students will show how they applied what they learned after examining winners from one of Quill and Scroll’s Contests. Students will show the exemplar piece of award-winning student journalism and their SMART goal. They will show and annotate how they achieved the goal and annotate how they applied what they learned.
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.
NEW FOR 2025
The winning entries from our News Writer of the Year (category 16) will now be eligible to compete for a School of the New York Times scholarship to its Summer Academy. This scholarship (valued at $7,500) includes room and board but not transportation to New York City. Student entries will be evaluated by faculty from the New York Times.
Also new this year, finalists and winners in the category of Climate and Environmental Writing will have the opportunity for their work to be republished on a website dedicated to amplifying youth concerns about climate and environmental issues: Youth Environmental Press Team (YEPT). This youth-led organization will reach out to some newspaper advisers for permission to republish the stories; once republished, writers will receive $30 payment. Additionally, the organization offers numerous additional opportunities for increased participation as well as paid leadership positions. For more information, contact Jim Poyser: [email protected].
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 Feb. 17, 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
While reading Columbia Journalism Review’s article Moderating Content, I kept reflecting on the importance of media transparency — and the need for student media to do the same.
If you haven’t already done so, it might be a great time to start educating readers about why you do what you do. It might be good to have a running column or even announcement about the facts of student media. For example, who makes final content decisions? Why are interviews often recorded? Why does student media not need permission for the inclusion of a photo of a sports event? Or it could be that a staff editorial is written by the student staff and not the school staff.
Also, some might not understand media-specific issues. They may not realize that yearbooks are often submitted in chunks, which might mean that the baby ad placed in October cannot be changed in March.
The Quill and Scroll Student Advisory Board is working on a quiz for Scholastic Journalism Week that might help with this.
— Lori Keekley
