This is the first year that Bethany’s official student publication has been moved to an online medium and it has been a great success.
Having Sightline online gives writers many options to supplement their writing. Writers can easily embed a picture or video to go along with their article and hyperlink to outside sources.
It has become easier for editors as well. Editors no longer have to worry about page space or printing except the couple of times we put out paper issues. Also, since Sightline has become a class rather than a CAM activity, each of the staff members is more adept at writing, giving the editors less issues to deal with.
With five out of the eight Sightline staff members graduating this year, we are in need of sophomores who would be interested in learning more about journalism.
All staff members get to experience a broad range of writing assignments from editorials and opinion pieces to interviews and movie reviews. However, staff members are encouraged to come up with article ideas on their own, which gives staff members plenty of creative space to write articles.
This year, Sightline met during fourth period. Beginners go through a six week instructional period where they learn how to write in the journalistic style and the niceties of online publication. They are then quickly integrated into the production staff.
We have learned a lot from this year’s experience and I trust that Sightline will be even better next year. If you’d like to give it a try, or have further questions, feel free to talk to Michael Yeakey, Benji Hurst, Jesse Bontreger (‘13), or me.
~Caleb Morris