The Weekly Scroll for March 23, 2018

News, tips and advice from the Quill and Scroll International Honor Society
Compiled and written by Quill and Scroll journalist Caitlyn Martin

The Lede:

Trump policies obscure climate change data

The policies of the Trump administration have stifled climate change data access, potentially limiting public awareness of this key global issue. Read here how “guerilla archivists” are taking notice of these changes, and how tracking programs have evidenced the hiding of documents, burial of web pages, alteration of language, and the silencing of science.

For the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Waking up, walking out. Check out the continuing student coverage of local walkouts from charter schools.

Mercer Island High School, Mercer Island, Washington

Walnut Hills High School, Cincinnati, Ohio

Convent of the Sacred Heart High School, San Francisco, California

• Multimedia Coverage

Shalhevet High School , Los Angeles, California

Hastings High School, Hastings, Nebraska

Gresham High School, Gresham, Oregon

Mountain View High School, Mountain View, California

Huntley High School, Huntley, Illinois

Lawrence High School, Lawrence, Kansas

University of Chicago Laboratory School , Chicago, Illinois

Grand Haven High School, Grand Haven, Michigan shares walkout coverage from Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ home county.

Fishers High School, Fishers, Indiana

Francis Howell North High School

Walkout Repercussions

Like countless other schools across the country, students at Downers Grove North High School participated in the #walkoutforlife in honor of the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting. DGN Omega (student publication) covers the story here. Over 1,000 students involved received a one-hour detention from the administration, but with a twist. Students could spend their detention at a legislative session hosted by one of several senators and representatives at the school to ask questions and learn about making policy change. The measures, while appearing punitive, are meant to be a constructive alternative to time missed in class. Read here how a Rocklin High School teacher was placed on leave for opening discussion on what types of agendas should or are allowed to be protested in schools nationwide.

Secretary of Education DeVos on school safety

As member of the Federal Commission on School Safety, DeVos outlined her plan to support the STOP School Violence Act, arm teachers, harden school security, strengthen screening processes for gun purchases, and reexamine Obama-era student discipline guidance. Read more here.

It’s an Honor:

Student Advisory Board sets meeting

The Quill and Scroll Student Advisory Board is in place and getting ready for an in-person meeting at the JEA/NSPA convention April 13 in San Francisco. Here’s the web page where you can meet at least a few of the SAB members, who will be planning a national Quill and Scroll activity for fall 2018.

Writing Contest, News Media Evaluation

Stay tuned. We’re still about a week away from releasing the full results of the 2018 Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest results. We’re also just 10 days away from having all the forms available for the News Media Evaluation service. Quill and Scroll has re-evaluated its News Media Evaluation over the past two years, and with the help of its Board of Directors and members of the Journalism Education Association, has re-vamped its evaluation forms. Keep watching this page for updates. Forms will be available April 1.

Adviser scholarship applications open.

Advisers in active Quill and Scroll chapters have until April 15 to apply for the Lester G. Benz Memorial Scholarship for College Journalism Study. All high school journalism teachers, and newspaper and yearbook advisers who have had at least six semester hours of journalism courses; a minimum of four years teaching experience and advising school publications; currently teaching a journalistic writing class; and a definite commitment to return to the high school classroom and publication advising next year to apply the information gained in the coursework taken as a result of this scholarship. The scholarship program’s objective is to identify and reward experienced journalism teachers and publication advisers (as defined above) who seek the opportunity to upgrade their journalism skills, teaching methodologies and advising techniques.

Get it delivered.

You know you can have the Weekly Scroll emailed to you every week, right? Do it, and save yourself a click or two. You’ll also get an email to every news story posted on our site.

What’s Viral?:

Fake News fanaticism breeds new generation of journalists

With the advent of the “fake news” phenomenon, news consumption is rising. Subscriptions to newspapers and online journals have spiked, along with applications to journalism programs throughout the country. The growing next generation of journalists is inspired by the current political climate to hold government officials accountable for their actions. Read more here.

ISU students weeding out First Amendment infringements

(Image contributed by ThaPlug)

Iowa State student members of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws are celebrating a recent victory for their first amendment rights. The US 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the organization in a suit against the administration for blocking production of a t-shirt design that incorporated a cannabis leaf and the Iowa State logo. The suit will cost Iowa taxpayers nearly $1 million in damages and legal fees.

Is this the end of Facebook?

#DeleteFacebook is trending after reports of Cambridge Analytica using Facebook’s personal user information to influence the 2016 presidential election surfaced this month. “We all moved on from MySpace. We can move on from Facebook too.”  Is data collection on social media sites ethical? Is this the end of Facebook? Read more here.

Just a Thought:

Skeptic, not cynic

In the context of the current political climate, amid the fake news phenomenon and shooting tragedies, Poynter icon Roy Peter Clark offers advice to aspiring journalists and youth. Participate, not spectate. Be analytical, not passive. Be a skeptic, not a cynic.

High School Journalism Summer Programs

High school summer journalism program opportunities abound across the U.S. and international community alike. These programs are dedicated to furthering students writing, photography, social media curation, design, and interview skills, and ethics. Here is a list of noteworthy programs to get students started.