Editor's Note - Regarding the Process
By the time MVM Lennox students began researching their social justice stories, they were familiar with the MVM method. The previous seven months each student had gone through the process of identifying their own interests, researching those interests, interviewing an expert, writing, editing, presenting their work and ultimately publishing online. The second time around, students worked together in teams of four: While all would contribute to research and interviews, the team would divide with two students focusing on writing and two on creating their class presentation. Unrelated, for a Cesar Chavez Day Extra Credit Assignment, students created posters addressing social justice issues. Based on the topics students identified, MVM Lennox proposed eight topics for their social justice stories: Gun Control, School Safety, Women’s Rights, LGBTQ Rights, Homelessness, Immigration, Racism and Discrimination. After self-selecting their topics, students were grouped together based on their interests. As they began to research their topics, MVM Educators reached out to experts for student interviews. Those included long-time homeless advocates, tenured university professors, artists, musicians and a founder of Black Lives Matters Los Angeles. These stories were researched, written and edited within ten weeks – two and a half months; approximately a third the time of the previous story. Lennox Middle School students represented their school and Journalistic Learning Initiative with integrity and dignity. Visiting experts all remarked at the student poise and ability. MVM Lennox concluded its second semester one week before the end of the school year. MVM Lennox will continue in the fall and will expand from four classes to eight. This expansion will allow MVM Lennox to reach almost all middle school students in Lennox School District. |
The Lennox Student Reporters
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