While most Northern Sentry stories come from your local Northern Sentry reporters, some will be surprised to hear that this paper also has a program that is just for youths age 7-17. The Jr. Journalism Program is an opportunity for students to develop their writing skills, learn about the craft of journalism, and share stories that matter to them with the greater base community. Begun in the summer of 2022, the program is ready for submissions from Minot kids who are eager and ready to learn more about the craft of writing!
The Jr. Journalism program is open to all MAFB affiliated youths age 7-17. It’s for anyone with a story to tell, from the personal such as their favorite playground, how they spent a snow day, or where they went on a family trip, to the practical such as kid to kid PCS advice. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started, but fortunately some former Jr. Journalists have lots of advice to get aspiring writers started.
Leon Rivera, age 8, chose to write about the Hostfest. When asked why he chose that topic he noted, “I thought it would be a great festival, and I wanted to learn stuff about Norse history, so that I could learn more about Minot itself.” When asked for his advice to aspiring journalists, Leon shared, “Go for the thing you like the sound of! Choose whatever [topic] you like best.”
Molly and Julie Sullivan, ages 13 and 11, shared, “We wrote about our visit to Assiniboine park zoo. Our mom assigned us to write an article as part of our homeschool. We had just gotten back from a trip to Canada [and] thought the zoo was a lot of fun. We also liked the animals there and so we decided to write about it.” They added, “We learned that it actually wasn’t that hard writing an article once you got started and it was a lot of fun.” They mentioned that it was a fun surprise to receive a framed copy of their published article after the fact.
The prevailing advice from Jr Journalists: read what others have written for inspiration, and then go for it! In some cases, particularly for older writers, the Sentry will work with them on an opportunity to write a more in-depth piece. This may involve a bit of research or even the opportunity to do an interview.
Tristan Noel still remembers getting the opportunity to write about comedian Terry Fator. He shared, “I chose Terry Fator because I like comedy and talking to him was one of two interview options I was offered. I had to research about his life and watch some older videos of his to get my questions ready. The best part was that a few weeks later I got to see his show.” When asked about the writing process itself, Tristan noted that, “If you write about something you are interested in or already know something about, then it’s a lot easier to get words down on paper. It’s okay if your first draft is terrible. Just take a break and come back to it later.”
Being published in the paper and receiving a framed memento, as well as the opportunity to practice an important skill are reason enough to give writing for the Northern Sentry a try. However, it’s also a unique and fun way to share more about what matters to kids with the community. Waylon Cooper, age 8, already enjoys many aspects of the paper from the Wintery Photo Contest to the hunt for the Golden Ticket. “I really want to find one,” he confided, but said his absolute favorite is seeing his friends inside the paper. “You can be like, hey! I know them… Can we cut that out, and put it on the fridge?” He also noted that he would love to see more content by kids for kids since their interests are different from adults. By bringing more attention to the Jr. Journalism Program the Northern Sentry hopes to offer just that. In the meantime, this reporter is extremely hopeful that Waylon finds his Golden Ticket. Maybe he’ll even write about it.
To check out previously written Jr. Journalism articles and submit a story of your own, head over to the Northern Sentry’s web site at https://northernsentry.com/jr-journalism/ .
