I’ll never forget the look of pride and accomplishment on the faces of my 5th and 6th grade class when they saw the very first publication of the Tiger Times. The notion that their words were in a newspaper for the whole elementary school to read brightened their smiles, and my heart felt like it would burst from pride and joy.
Tiger Times is a program in which members of the Rampage staff teach journalism to a selected class of students in Longden and help them create newspapers. As Student Director for Tiger Times, I create lessons for the year through interactive games, worksheets and presentations for the children. We teach them the fundamentals of how to write articles, interview others, take photos and share stories.
Through Tiger Times, we are able to inspire the younger students and kindle their love for writing. If we can impact just one child’s life and spark a love for learning while instilling a belief that they can make a difference in the world through their writing, then all the work is worth it.
A shared love of learning and writing brings us together as we work together to publish articles others will enjoy reading. When we walk into the classroom, there’s a sense of belonging that keeps us connected: it’s a community. We support one another, form close friendships and share memorable experiences. As a community, we are brought together through a common love for learning and accomplish goals that we would not be able to do alone.