Visiting the Greenwich Newspaper Club
And Upcoming Greenwich Library Events
By Darren Johnson
Journal & Press
Thanks to the Greenwich Grades 3-5 Newspaper Club for inviting me to speak to the group yesterday. They were a much larger group that I expected (most school newspaper clubs — even in colleges — are much smaller!) and they had lots of great questions and interest in all aspects of making newspapers!
And it’s good to have a career younger students can wrap their heads around. A lot of these students want to go into the fields needed to make newspapers, like writing, photography and art, and they have an interest in the various niches that make up newspaper sections, like news, sports and interviewing people.
Their inaugural issue “What’s Up Witches” hit in March, and they think they can pull together one more issue before the semester ends.
I just got my issue of the paper yesterday and have been perusing it. I may have a larger review before we go to print with The Greenwich Journal, but it’s very impressive.
Club advisors are Mrs. Keyes, Mrs. Shambo, Mrs. Sitterley and Mrs. Williams. According to the photo above, they have at least 30 eager student members.
From what I’ve seen so far, this is a great read.
Here’s a nice drawing by Finley MacDonald:
Some sports, too, this piece by Charlotte Celani (other students write sports as well):
And this interview of the school superintendent by Julz Baker:
I like the lead on this story especially. In this age of AI, us newspaper writers try to build trust with the reader by starting off with an quick human observation that AI wouldn’t be able to figure out — in this case, that Superintendent Steimle has a secret gumball machine in her office. I guess the secret is out.
They even have a food column and student polls!
I agree on dogs being No. 1, but was surprised parrots did so well!
Journalism is one of those nice disciplines that can be AI-free, and What’s Up Witches definitely is!
This program is a great start to build a solid journalism program at the school, and these students definitely have the energy and interest to pull this off.
(Making the news seems to be important at Greenwich CSD. In 2022, I sat in on a TV-style show with even younger students the Elementary School titled “Good Morning Greenwich.” Perhaps some of those students are now in this newspaper program? I’m not good at deciphering the passage of time. But, overall, these kids are bright and creative — let’s keep that spirit alive!)
Upcoming Greenwich Free Library Events
Yard sale
Support Greenwich Free Library during the Greenwich town-wide yard sale! On Saturday, May 16, from 10am to 2pm, residents can shop sliding scale and donation-based offerings on the Town Commons behind the library. Community members can also make a small donation to the library of either $25 or a percentage of sales and set up a table behind the library, or donate their saleable items to the library to be sold during the sale. Send an email to smurphy@sals.edu to arrange for donations or to reserve space for your own table(s).
SoulCollage workshop
Community members are invited to the Greenwich Free Library on Saturday, May 16, at 1:00 pm for the return of the popular SoulCollage workshop, led by Judith Prest. During this intentional collage card making workshop, participants will create 8” x 5” card stock cards using provided magazine images or their own personal collection of images.
A sliding scale donation/materials fee of $10 to $20 will be collected by cash or check at the event. Reservations required by calling the library at 518-692-7157 or visiting greenwichfreelibrary.org.
Escaping Nazi Germany
On Tuesday, May 19, at 6:30pm, author Suzanne Cohen of Greenwich will visit the Greenwich Free Library to discuss the 2026 addendum to her book, “My Father’s Family.”
Suzanne D. Cohen’s father escaped Nazi Germany along with his parents and three older brothers. Decades later, Cohen conducted interviews with her family members, and their first-hand accounts comprise the basis for her book. She says, “There is sadness in these stories of hardship and cruelty, of course, but they are also stories of strength and survival.”
No registration is required and all are welcome to attend.
And Now for the Comics … ‘9 to 5’ by Harley Schwadron
More tomorrow!
Maybe newspapers and journalism aren’t quite as much on life support as some might say!