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Welcome to the SNN Assignment
Desk
The SNN Assignment Desk helps our reporters across the country
keep up with what the rest of the team is doing. The story list
helps reporters find ideas for stories and it helps us make sure
that two reporters aren't doing the same story!
If you have an idea for a story, send it to us via e-mail
at: snn@stemnet.nf.ca
. We'll post your idea here to let other reporters know you are
working on that story.
If you're looking for a story to do for the next issue of
SNN, check out the list of ideas below. You might find an idea
you would like to research or these ideas may help you think
of something completely new! Then, you can let the SNN editors
know that you're interested in doing a particular story and we'll
add your story to the list. |
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Publishing Schedule
for SNN -- 1999-2000
- September 27
- October 22
- November 19
- December 17
- January 28
- February 25
- March 24
- April 24
- May 19
- June 21
Reporters should send stories
to SNN at least one day prior to publication. |
The June issue of SNN
The end of the school year fast approaching and it is time
for SNN's June issue. Here are some story ideas you might be
interested in:
- Leaving school: Many of you are preparing for your future
careers. If you are not leaving high school this year, then
probably a year from now. What are the challenges you face
as you enter university/college? What are your concerns for
the future? What efforts did you have to put into determining
the right 'next step' : going to university, college, etc.
How did you decide? How do you feel about leaving your school.
What advice can you give to those still in high school. Talk
with your friends, classmates. Use video/audio to tell students
across Canada what you and your friends are doing about your
futures.
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- A tribute to school/teacher. How do you really feel about
your school and your school years? Tell us what you feel about
your school and how it has affected your life. Is there a particular
teacher that has helped you, affected your future career choices
or how you view the world. Do you feel your school is doing
an adequate job of preparing you for the future..... schools
and technology. Interview that special teacher and send us the
video.
- Your Grad. ..... Tell us about it in pictures, video.....
share your experience with the world.
- Your school's, your involvement or other teens you know involvement
in extracurricular/interactive activities ie: Junior Achievement,
Katimavik, SHAD, Science Fairs, Teen Speak Offs, etc. How does
this kind of involvement help teens? What skills does it provide
youth? How does it help with future career goals. Tell us about
your or other teens you know, experience with these types of
groups. Interview teens about their experiences with such groups
as Junior Achievement, or even your own school council.
- Students/Teens involvement in the solution to school/teen
violence or Student involvement in the Community. Focus in depth
on what Teens are doing to help their school, their peers and
their community deal with issues such as bullying, making their
school more open to people who are (or feel) they are different.
OR What a special teen/teens is doing to change things in your
community/province whether it is related to school, charitable
organizations fundraising or the community in general. Is there
someone you think is doing something extra in the community to
try to make a difference? Interview them ....
If you know a student who would like to publish an article
on SNN, please let us know.
Be sure to check out your own school newspapers and see if there
are stories that might be of interest to students at other schools
or in other parts of Canada. We'll be sure to let readers know
that they came from your paper -- and if your newspaper is online,
we'll link the story back to the original publication. |
The May issue of SNN
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What's new at your school? In your Province? Is there something
happening that you'd like to share with other students across
Canada through SNN?
There are so many issues of concern to students - studying
for finals, leaving high school, school violence. Are these issues
of concern at your school? |
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What about writing an opinion piece, a sports piece, or an
entertainment review? Those work well for SNN because they are
usually relevant to students everywhere -- not just those at
your school.
Check out previous story ideas listed below for the April
Issue as well as those listed here:
- Life after high school: Is university for everyone? Where
can you go with a high school diploma these days? Are colleges
and technical schools offering something that universities can't?
What are the best careers for the class of 2000?
- Across Canada, archeologists have unearthed the secrets to
our country's history -- and
pre-history. In Newfoundland, scientists have discovered fossils
in a riverbed in Manuels, just outside St. John's, and they've
found a historic settlement that dates back to the 1700's in
nearby Ferryland. In Alberta and Saskatchewan, archeologists
have discovered the trail of dinosaurs that stomped over the
Prairies millions of years before. What has been dug up in your
part of Canada? OR Tell us about a historical site in your area.
Visit a site, take a video camera (home movie camera is okay)
and bring SNN an eye-witness account.
- Classroom Discussion: Students are continually involved in
discussions in the classroom (or with friends) on issues that
affect them and the world around them such as teen suicide, bullying,
what to do after high school, school grades, as well as current
issues in the news such as conservation, whats happening in their
community, politics, etc. Use these discussions as a tool for
your articles. These types of discussions work well for video
articles on SNN.
Story Collaboration
You'll see it every day in your local newspaper and in magazines
like Macleans, Time, Rolling Stone and People. One journalist
writes a story — with help from other journalists in different
cities or towns. That system can work well for SNN too.
A reporter in Alberta, for example, may want to write a story
on violence among teenagers. She
talks to people in her community — young people, teachers,
police officers. Meanwhile, a reporter in Nova Scotia interviews
some students at his school and another reporter — this
one in Ontario — checks with a specialist on youth gangs
in Toronto. The Alberta reporter writes a story with information
from three provinces — and all three reporters put their
names on the story.
If you are interested in writing a story and would like to
collaborate with a reporter in another province, call the SNN
Coordinator (709 737 2611). She can help you link up with another
student.
REMEMBER if you need help with an article or story idea, email
the SNN Coordinator. She
will help you and/or put you in contact with one of our SNN
Mentors.
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The April issue of SNN
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What's new at your school? In your Province? Is there something
happening that you'd like to share with other students across
Canada through SNN?
There are so many issues of concern to students - studying
for finals, leaving high school, school violence. Are these issues
of concern at your school?
What about writing an opinion piece, a sports piece, or an
entertainment review? Those work well for SNN because they are
usually relevant to students everywhere -- not just those at
your school. |
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- Graduation Day is drawing near - How is your school celebrating?
Will it be a 'dry' or 'wet' celebration? How do you and your
friends feel about it? Are these affairs becoming too expensive
- renting dresses and tuxedos, buying gowns, etc?
- Relationships/Friendships: How important are family/friends
in a teenager's life? How important are good friends? Is it difficult
to make friends in schools? Do some kids feel like ‘outsiders'-
that they just don't ‘fit in'? Loyalty and trust - are they
essential to a strong, healthy friendship? Relationships between
parents and kids - do teenagers have problems interacting with
their parents and other family members? Why? Do teenagers feel
more comfortable talking with other teens than their parents?
- Teen and School Violence continues to make the news across
the country? Many tragic stories have made the headlines during
the past months - from every province in Canada. Teen games and
bullying can take a violent turn, sometimes with tragic consequences.
How do you feel about what's happening? Is teen violence, bullying
affecting your school? Or, someone you know? I*LEARN-Canada has
set up an internet site specifically dealing with the issue of
‘bullying' - check it out: www.bullying.org
for further information.
- The Race is on for the NHL Stanley Cup. Has the recent controversy
regarding too much violence in hockey damped fans enthusiasm
for the Playoffs? What are your thoughts on violence in hockey,
and in other sports? Are you a hockey fan? Tell us what team
you think will win each division and the Stanley Cup.
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The March issue of SNN
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What's happening at your school? Is there something going
on that you'd like to share with a national audience through
SNN?
What about writing opinion pieces and entertainment reviews?
Those work well for SNN because they are usually relevant to
students everywhere -- not just those at your school.
In terms of timely issues, take a look at these story ideas! |
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- International Women's Day was marked this week by women everywhere.
What do your peers think about the status of women? How do you
feel about your futures? What roles do women play in the arts,
business, science, politics? What signs of inequality do you
see in your everyday life?
- The violence continues in school yards and classrooms. What
should we take away from the tragic shooting of a six-year-old
girl at her school in the United States? How do young people
feel about guns and gun control?
- New numbers from Statistics Canada say young Canadians under
25 are finding it a little easier to get jobs. Youths have seen
their job numbers rise by 3.8 per cent in the past year - about
82,000 jobs. Does that reflect what you see in your part of the
country? Are young people finding jobs? What kind of jobs? Do
you feel optimistic about getting a good summer job?
- When Canadian hockey player Marty McSorley slashed another
player with his stick during a game, some people called it assault.
But others insist violence is just part of the game. Does this
happen at the school level too? What do you think of violence
in hockey? Should hockey players be held accountable for what
they do on the ice?
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SNN's first edition in
2000
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Be one of the first student journalists
to publish online in the new millenium-- write a story for SNN!
The next issue will be published online on January 28 so you
have lots of time to come up with an idea and get your story
together.
If you're looking for an idea,
here are some suggestions: |
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- Do you believe that Canadian
teens are becoming more violent? The numbers released recently
by Statistics Canada seem to be saying "Yes". Violent
crime by teenagers was down slightly from 1997 to 1998 but it's
still 77 per cent higher than it was a decade before. The rate
of violent crime among 12-17 year olds has increased dramatically,
especially when compared to the adult population. Are you surprised
by these figures? Are you seeing a lot of violence among teens
in your community?
- The fireworks are over and the
parties have ended. So what's your review of New Year's Eve 1999?
Did the major special events live up to people's expectations?
Did you tune in for the extensive television coverage of New
Year's celebrations on all of the Canadian and American tv networks?
How did Canadian events compare to those held around the world?
What happened in your area of the country?
- The federal government may force
tobacco companies to put strongly-worded health warnings on their
cigarette packages -- warnings that would include photos of cancerous
lungs. A government study done earlier this year concluded that
smokers felt the photos would persuade people to quit their smoking
habit. Would it work for you or your friends who smoke? What
would make young people quit smoking?
- Students and parents in Halifax
has launched a 24-hour hotline to deal with the problem of school
bullies. Since October, students of all ages have been calling
to report school violence and threats or to offer information
on on-going cases. Police come to the school and try to resolve
the problems before the bullying turns to violence. The goal
is the stop bullies from getting out of hand -- one study has
found that 60 per cent of child bullies ended up with a criminal
record as adults. Is bullying a serious problem at your school?
Has your school taken action to stop bullies? Do you believe
bullying contributes to violence among young people?
Previous Story Ideas:
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