Grosselfinger teaches journalism at the World Journalism Preparatory School, a new public school located on the third floor of I.S. 25 on Francis Lewis Boulevard at 35th Avenue. The school opened its doors this September to 169 seventh and ninth graders from across the city with 98 percent from the local District 25.
Admission is the same here as for any high school, with journalism at the heart of the curriculum. School founder and Principal Cynthia Schneider, a former television journalist, believes students learn better when they’re able to publish their work and share it with others.
To that end, students are encouraged to join one of several student publications, write articles in almost every class, and participate in media oriented internships and shadow opportunities. “‘Inquiry’ is a word you hear around here often,” Grosselfinger said. “We encourage kids to ask questions and look at things through different perspectives.”
The World Journalism School is one of 200 new schools created under Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s new school initiative, a program started in 2004 that aims to give families more options. It is also one of 18 overseen by the College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers the SATs.
Next year, World Journalism plans to enroll students in sixth through 10th grade. The ninth graders starting this year will be the school’s first graduating class. When the school is completely staffed—only 10 teachers have been hired so far—Schneider plans to integrate journalism into every classroom. Now only seventh graders take journalism courses, but next semester, administrators hope it will be extended to ninth graders.
Because I.S. 25 is considered underutilized, it shares space with the new school and P.S. 233, a special education facility. When the World Journalism School increases its enrollment, it will expand to the entire third floor and that will become its permanent home.
In social studies, language arts and science classes, students are encouraged to write articles and publish their work. The regular day extends until 4 p.m. to facilitate work on a newspaper, yearbook or Web site. The faculty believes publishing gives students a greater incentive to show off what they’ve learned.
At the end of the semester, students are graded on their class portfolios, which are collections of their best work. They are encouraged to rewrite articles and submit their work for peer review. For some aspiring writers, the school’s focus is a dream come true.
But for others, the writing emphasis is overwhelming. Most seventh graders had chosen to come to the school, Grosselfinger said. But under the city’s school selection policies, it was not the first choice for some ninth graders.
“I think it’s a nice place,” said Richard Williams, a 14 year old ninth grader. “But I just don’t like writing—it’s not my thing. When I’m done my hand just hurts and I’m bored.”
Assistant Principal Nancy Poulos recognizes that not all her students want to be writers. But the school’s curriculum is typical in many ways, she said, and provides children gifted in math, science or other subjects with opportunities to excel. She believes emphasizing the importance of writing in every class will only benefit students down the road.
“When parents say, ‘My kid wants to be a doctor or a lawyer,’ that’s fine,” Poulos said. “But every job needs communication skills, and everybody wants to have options.”
At the Flushing school, like all College Board schools, the college preparation process begins in sixth grade. Using My Road, the College Board’s major college and career exploration program, students are encouraged to think about their future. Mike Tessler, a social studies teacher, said he might even take his sixth grade students on college visits.
Students seem to be handling the demands quite well. “It’s kind of hard sometimes,” said 12 year old Haidy Villanueva, an aspiring photojournalist. “But it’s really not that bad.”
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