Featured: LEARNING EXPERIENCE: ODYSSEY Media Group staffers, Journalism I students and members of the iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editorial Board pose at the Georgia Scholastic Press Association Spring Conference at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education on March 24. OMG Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez has attended several conferences with the program. “Conferences like GSPA show us more of journalism, and what it’s like outside of Clarke Central High School. It’s a good experience because we get to learn from other schools and how other programs do things,” Martinez said. Photo by Grady Dunston
LAYOUT AND PACKAGING BY LIZA LARSON
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR BY LIZA LARSON Print Editor-in-Chief BY LEA D’ANGELO Digital Editor-in-Chief
H
ello! My name is Liza Larson and I am the upcoming Print Editor-in-Chief, and my name is Lea D’Angelo and I’m the upcoming Digital Editor-in-Chief for the ODYSSEY Media Group. This will be our third year on staff and our first year serving as Co-
Editor-in-Chief. As an introduction to what the program is, ODYSSEY is a student-run news organization that operates on a convergence model, with students producing content for our newsmagazine, website and social media. Our purpose is to inform, entertain and give voice to the Clarke Central High School community. The program provides students with the skills necessary to become journalists with rigorous, hands-on training. What does that mean? Students will interview CCHS and Athens community members, write stories ranging from reviews on new products to breaking news, create multimedia and quality designs for all platforms and explore other journalistic forms, such as broadcasts, podcasts and photography. Throughout, they will develop skills in teamwork and professionalism with the support of the Production staff and its faculty adviser, Mr. David Ragsdale. Being a part of the OMG requires a solid foundation, which begins with Journalism I. As a part of the JI class, students are introduced to many facets of journalism. In the fall term, they receive lessons on professional communication, marketing and branding and writing. In the spring, students engage in other forms of storytelling like photography, videography, podcasting and multimedia. By the end of the year, students will master AP and ODYSSEY style, how to create quality content across platforms, how to follow ethical journalism practices and much more.
Whereas the Production class has defined roles, JI acts as a sampler for all possibilities within the ODYSSEY to see what you are most passionate about. JI requires students to keep up with all assignments, as completion is necessary to success in the class. This hard work does pay off however and will leave students with important lessons and lifelong skills. To support their work, like Production students, JI students are expected to attend after-school sessions until 5:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, attend quarterly weekend workdays and create time outside of class to complete assignments. JI is not only facilitated by Mr. Ragsdale but also by veteran members of the ODYSSEY program who will provide guidance and mentorship. After completing JI, students who choose to stay in the program will join the Production staff, where they will work with other members of their section to create content for all of the publication‘s platforms including the newsmagazine, website and social media. Throughout the year, JI students and Production staff members will be invited to attend state, regional and national journalistic conferences. These field trips are opportunities for students to learn from experts in the field and form connections with other student journalists. At the conferences, students attend a wide variety of sessions, with topics ranging from photography to tips about journalistic ethics. They will also take part in on-site competitions to put their learned skills to the test and bond with fellow staff members. We are so excited to meet all of the incoming JI students and to begin working with this year’s Production staff. We can’t wait to see how you will create your own individual path within the program, and we are looking forward to a great year!
Being a part of the OMG requires a solid foundation, which begins with Journalism I.
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