[media-credit name=”newsengagement.org” align=”alignright” width=”380″][/media-credit]Although our generation has gained the label as the ‘communications era’ through social media, many of today’s students are growing less and less aware of current events in today’s society.

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC) has created News Engagement Day (NNED) and is sponsored by Journalism Education Association (JEA) in order to increase student involvement in news media.

The Feather staffers have spent time spreading awareness for News Engagement Day and it’s purpose throughout the halls of their school.

The Feather editors hosted a press conference after chapel on the steps of Building 6 to show support for National News Engagement Day. With seniors John Dooman and Trevor Beal providing opening comments on the reason for the day, Editor-in-chief Sara Peterson and senior editor Ryan King continued by encouraging those in attendance to know why engaging with the news is important, namely to be empowered and to protect our civil liberties.

Finally, The Feather is a source of local news for campus students. Those in attendance heard five reasons why the editors hoped their peers would engage. Without a school population and sharing their voices, there would be no Feather. The Feather is one way students can connect with campus news and events.

The Feather would like to encourage students to submit their opinions on National News Engagement Day and it’s effects on students. Any responses are appreciated in the comment section. The Fresno Bee covered #NewsEngagementDay and featured the campus students later in the day at Fresno Christian celebrates National News Engagement Day by reporter Hannah Furfaro.

No harm, no foul
Gaby Siqueiros, ’15
Oct. 7, 2014

NNED means that we are raising awareness of the importance of news and no matter what age you are, news will always pertain to you. Involvement with the news is important to highs school students because, there is no harm in not knowing what is going on. We, as young people need to start developing opinions and diving in to the real world.

Establishing beliefs
Tyler Villines, ’18
Oct. 7, 2014

When I’m in world history we always have to research the news and I usually go to BBC. I like to look at the sports section on The Feather because thats what I’m in too. Students should definitely get involved in news media because they need to establish their own beliefs and not just follow their parents.

Informing the future
Devin Pitts, ’18
Oct. 7, 2014

I think News Engagement Day is important because it is a day to recognize the hard work of people who bring you news and articles about what’s going around in your community and what’s going on around the world. Its very important for high school students to be informed about the news because we are the future of the world and its our job to know what’s happening around the world and inform our generation about the good and bad things that we are experiencing in today’s world

True understanding of the world
Michael Fu, ’16
Oct. 7, 2014

The National News Engagement Day means we could go back to the old age and start to care about the world around us once again. In Mrs. Friesen world history class, students check on the world news every Tuesday, and that’s how we get involved in news media. As we raised the awareness of the news, we will truly understand what it is happening in this world. The world that we are live in might seems peaceful on the surface, but once we to dig into the news. We realize the war in Syria and Ukraine and the Ebola in Africa. The world that we live in is not as save as it seems like.

Sports galore
Dillon Owens, ’15
Oct. 7, 2014

My favorite news station is ABC 30 because I can just go on at anytime and see what is happening in my community. My favorite section on The Feather is the sports section because I like how I can go and see how the teams are doing. High school students should be informed on local news along with current campus news.

Survival in the real world
Sydney Belmont, ’17
Oct. 7, 2014

I think it is important to raise awareness of the news because the news is being ignored partly because it has always been there. If people do not know what is going on in the world or the news they might repeat what has occurred in the past. I do think it is important for high school students to be informed of the news. If high school students go out into the world outside of school and do not know what is going on in the world, we will look like we don’t care and are uneducated.

Technology based
Knowing your surroundings
Matthew Garza, ’17
Oct. 7, 2014

I think News Engagement Day is a time where we as people focus our time in whats going on locally, politically (even though its so confusing), in our country, in the world, etc. I think it’s a good time to see what we do and why we do it. I think high school students need to know at a young age what’s going on so when they are older, they know what’s going on and they are aware of their surroundings.

News brings school spirit
Olivia Quebe, ’16
Oct. 7, 2014

Well this is my first year being a part of The Feather and my main job is writing the volleyball sport shorts. I do my best to make people more excited to come out to the games and increase school spirit. I think it is always better to be more aware of what is going on at school and around the nation. Personally, I feel like I am more a part of the school and I am a better citizen.

Get news via mobile
Jenny King, ’17
Oct. 7, 2014

I like to use my cell phone to look up news because it is a faster way to retrieve news. In my history class, we go online to news websites and read articles and then talk about them in class. In doing this, we are able to get a better perceptive of world news. NNED pushes students to read about news around them, including their online school newspapers. Instead of students looking at their phones for news, they can look at their own school newspaper.

A picture is worth a thousand words
Alyssa Oakley, ’15
Oct. 7, 2014

Me and my dad listen to KMJ on the way to school with my dad because he wants to know whats going on in the world. My favorite section of The Feather is the photo section because a picture is worth a thousand words.

Journalism expands involvement
Katie Jacobson, ’17
Oct. 7, 2014

I think National News Engagement Day is important because not a lot of people watch or pay attention to the news, so some don’t know much about what’s going on in the world. It also can show how important it is to be informed about current events. Now that I’m in journalism, getting involved will be a good way to see how the news uses social media to spread stories quickly.

Uniting a community
Skyler Lee, ’16
Oct. 7, 2014

I think that news serves to unite us as a community. There is something about understanding the issues that are at hand, the people who serve us and those who have been under looked for so many years that draws people together. For high school students, news not only applies to the overall community but to the school itself and to each individual. The purpose of a school paper is to highlight every person and give a sense of belonging to even the most socially removed. This is why engaging in news is so important.

Teens improve sources
Jared Coppala, ’18
Oct. 7, 2014

I think that NEE is important for those who only refer to non-news media to get news. Too many people rely on Twitter and Instagram for today’s news, leading to bad rumors, and incorrect beliefs. An awareness day like this is necessary for those many teenage students to refer to better sources.

Current events
Marisa Jonigan, ’16
Oct. 7, 2014

I like to look at the news on Twitter because I follow the BBC and CNN. My favorite section on The Feather is pictures because I enjoy photography. It’s important for students to be up to date in current events.

Understanding a purpose
Nathan Mount, ’18
Oct. 7, 2014

I think news Engagement Day is important to me because it is something that doesn’t get noticed that much and it shows a better understanding of a journalist’s purpose. I think it is important because it can show people how the news is actually important and how it can better peoples lives.

Check back later for the upcoming video and slideshow

The AEJMC and NNED can be reached via Twitter: @AEJMC and @newsengagement. The official hashtag is #newsengagementday.

These writers can be reached via Twitter: @_sarapeterson and @_chloemueller. Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather.

For more features, read the Oct. 6 article, Annual event provides grandparents with campus experience.