‘Bulldog’ edition hits the hallways at Eastside

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

Editor-in-chief Chrishelen Rodriguez and assistant editor Taylor Nokes work on the layout of the Bulldog Times, the official newspaper for Eastside Elementary. (Charles W. Johnson photo)

Eighth-grade students at Eastside Elementary are getting some hands-on experience putting together a newspaper, thanks to teacher Rex Crabtree, who felt the ins and outs of publishing, even on a small scale, would provide some unique educational opportunities.

“It gives them a chance to do some writing,” Crabtree said. “We have some really great writers. Some of these kids say journalism is something they want to do later on, so it kind of gives them some experience. It also teaches them responsibility because we have deadlines. It teaches them how to look for important information.”

Crabtree said he had been thinking about a school newspaper for some time, and felt the group of students he had were up to the task. After talking to Eastside principal Doug Reed and getting his OK, Crabtree moved forward.

Dubbed the Bulldog Times, the publication comes out once a month and sells for 25 cents. The cover price mainly takes care of the publication costs. There have been two issues so far, with another in the works.

“Our first issue came out Oct. 12,” Crabtree said, “but we started it around the third week of September. We were kind of getting our feet wet and learning at the same time.”

For the most part Crabtree acts as advisor, letting the students do the work. He says the goal for the newspaper is to include and involve the whole school.

“We want to try to incorporate everything that’s going on in the school,” Crabtree said. “Like what’s the kindergarten doing this week, what’s first grade doing. After the first of the year we’re wanting to have some writing contests, maybe a short story contest. We want to try and recognize people, get them published.”

The Bulldog Times, like most papers, will also emphasize sports. The school is past the mimeograph stage and actually uses computers for production.

“We use Microsoft Publisher to lay out all our stuff,” Crabtree said.

Crabtree says the students take on a variety of roles.

“We have an editor-in-chief, photographers, sports, world and local news, pretty much like any paper,” Crabtree said.

Current editor-in-chief Chrishelen Rodriguez says she enjoys the work.

“I like to write,” Rodriguez said. “I like putting everything together. Going around and getting information from all the students. Then we type it up and we get to sell it. That’s one of the fun parts, selling it and getting money for it.”

Assistant editor Taylor Nokes also likes the challenge of getting a paper out.

“I like the writing too,” Nokes said. “I thought it was pretty cool how they were coming out with a newspaper and I decided I wanted to be in on it. I like working with my friends and doing the layout of the paper on the computer too.”