Budding action news reporters

For a couple of months now the Year 11 pupils have been participating in a media project known as BBC School Report, and they are hoping that their video report on the recession and pet ownership has made the grade.

According to Dorothy Farrell, Head of English at Lisneal, School Report is a broadcast event that enables Year 11 pupils to contribute to today’s media and participate in making their own news stories. Through it the world of multi-platform media journalism has been opened up to them, offering them experience both in front of and behind the cameras, and this has had a positive impact on their English skills, while at the same time offering them a fun, creative way to use technology to explore how the news is made.

Among the project the Year 11 pupils have been working on are their school formal, the Peace Bridge in Londonderry, the College itself, and the problems of looking after a pet during the harsh economic times, as well as the Peace One Concert which is on the horizon.

Tomorrow, March 15, will see their hard work culminate with a special broadcast event on the Beeb during the prime-time evening news programme.

“We got involved when the BBC sent us the information and asked if we wanted to be involved. This is the first year we have taken part and I have to say it has been very successful. The pupils have been doing reports, compiling them and we have two online articles. The pupils have also been out interviewing people like Caoimhin Corrigan from ILEX, whom them spoke to about the Peace Bridge. As prat of that report the pupils have been finding out how the Peace bridge has been used eight months after it has opened,” said Ms Farrell.

“There is a group doing a report on the school formal and whether it is a waste of money, and a report on what happened to the old schools Faughanvale and Clondermott, and speaking to past pupils, a ‘where are they now’ type of article. They have interviewed past pupils about what has happened to them and what they are doing now, so it is a feature article on past pupils who have gone on to become teachers and technicians who now work in the school and their memories of being at the former High Schools.

“The last report, which has taken off really well, is about how the recession is effecting people looking after their pets, and it is this report that BBC Newsline hope they may use tomorrow, Thursday which is the School Report Day.”

The pupils have received expert help and guidance from BBC reporter Elaine McGee, from Radio Foyle, who has acted as the pupils’ mentor, and in addition to reporting for the Beeb, the videos are being uploaded to the school website too.

The project ties in well with the curriculum too, as there is an intense media focus in part of the English syllabus, one of the exams solely on multi-modal text.

Pupils at Lisneal College have been working on their projects for two months, but there is nothing to stop them from doing project work year round, but one thing it has done is fired their imaginations, and a couple of them are now looking at video journalism as possible careers, or even a career behind the scenes as producers.

“One thing it has certainly done for the Year 11 group is give them more confidence, especially those fronting the news items,” said Ms Farrell.