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As The Feather has been headlining student events, featuring stories about Homecoming, issues of social equality and the sport season beginnings, this week the tables are reversed. To promote the importance of school publications, the Journalism Education Association (JEA) has sponsored the annual Scholastic Journalism Week, Feb. 22-28.

The organization encourages student journalists to raise awareness, promoting its significance to the community. Along with a student created poster template, the JEA has listed several ideas for student and publication adviser participants.

While the event is geared towards those apart of a educational journalism program, community members, including readers and students can get involved. Throughout the week, The Feather will be watching social media including Twitter and Instagram, by creating a hashtag: #FCJW as well as #SJW2015 which will appear in a Storify collection.

National Scholastic Journalism Week was created for the support of the First Amendment which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Responses from staff writers, editors and advisers, were documented in order to highlight the significance of journalism education not just nationwide, but locally.

The Feather wants to encourage students and readers to submit their opinions in the comment section on the effects of journalism and why seeking out and reporting the news is important. Please consider adding to or joining Scholastic Journalism Week 2015: Join the discussion.

Relevance of the world
Emily Ladd, ’16
Feb. 27, 2015

“What’s going on in the world is extremely relevant, especially seeing as everyone lives in it. Journalists and people alike should seek news, but journalists make what’s important known and more accessible to everyone, finding all facts they can. Journalism raises awareness for the events around us.”

Freedom of speech: A beautiful gift
Rees Roggenstein, ’16
Feb. 27, 2015

“Scholastic Journalism Week is incredibly important, and not just to journalists and those involved with media. It exemplifies the right to freedom of speech that we as Americans have been afforded, which is a gift that is not freely given. It is a time to express one’s opinion in complete and brutal honesty. It is a time to truly express one’s freedom of speech. This is a week that all who practice freedom of speech can celebrate such a beautiful gift.”

Epitome of student journalism
Kathryn Damschen, ’15
Feb. 27, 2015

“Scholastic Journalism Week is the epitome of student journalism. It is a week solely dedicated to the media, news, and information that we gather each and every day. I personally believe it is a great endeavor to be a part of, as it brings awareness to what we do as a whole (being a part of a journalism staff). It is critical to be knowledgable of the work you do and why you’re apart of such a ting, if anything. My thoughts are, what good is doing something if you don’t know what it is or why you’re doing it?”

News 24/7
Michael Fu, ’16
Feb. 27, 2015

“The importance of journalist went out to seek the new and report it is because without the motivation to seek the news or to report them. The society has no way other than having the eye witness the even that happened in front of them to discovered the things happen in school, town or the whole nation. The journalist who seek the news allow the people to connect each other and form a bobble where everyone know what is going on in this very moment. Without the journalist, the people have to look for the news 24/7 by themselves in order to keep up with the world. As a conclusion, we as a journalist who seek the news and report them allows others to be aware of things happened around them and bring the community closer than it was before.”

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Face and fix society
Toby Pan, ’15
Feb. 27, 2015

“America is not the only country that have the freedom of speech stated in the Constitution, but it is one of the few countries that have this important right widely applied to their people on a daily basis. Unlike some of the countries whose media industries are controlled by the government, the journalists here are endowed with considerable freedom to express their own opinions. On top of that, the journalists’ good work ensured that the public are informed of what’s happening domestically and globally; so that Americans, although have made a lot of mistakes, can always face and fix their society on time.”

Spreading the Word
Chloe Mueller, Editor-in-Chief
Feb. 26, 2015

“On campus, I don’t think journalism is viewed as relative to the lives of students unless they are directly involved with the class. This week gives us – as journalists – a chance to spread the word and importance of journalism to our classmates who don’t prioritize it.”

Exposing the Truth
Justin Houts, Writer
Feb. 26, 2015

“It’s important for journalists to seek the news and report it; by doing so we can insure that our rights and enforce rules and laws. It’s news reporting that exposed Watergate, the Clinton scandal, and many other historical events that wouldn’t have otherwise been made known had they not been exposed by journalists. The U.S. is one of the few countries that allows it’s citizens to speak freely about their beliefs and ideas, and if we don’t use this opportunity to the fullest potential its being wasted and not taken as the privilege it truly is.”

Week of opportunities
Olivia Quebe, ’16
Feb. 23, 2015

“I see Scholastic Journalism Week as an opportunity to make people aware of the importance of journalism. It is a way to get the students involved and informed not only during this week, but for the rest of the year. I’m excited to see the responses of the students and special events to come.”

Educate ourselves
Trevor Beal, News Editor
Feb. 23, 2015

“In my opinion it is important for journalists of all ages to seek out the real news because without that key characteristic we risk becoming mindless believers of mass media. Our job is to educate ourselves and others in current affairs and how we are affected by them.”

Its a big deal
Sydney Belmont, ’17
Feb. 23, 2015

“Scholastic Journalism Week is a huge deal. Students are encouraged to promote journalism. It is a way to get the student body involved and informed about what is going on during the week. I am looking forward to all the excitement involved in this week.”

Journalism happenings
Natalia Torres, ’16
Feb. 23, 2015

“Scholastic Journalism week is the week to promote journalism. Students who are already in journalism should be informing others about what journalism is about and about joining journalism. This way the student body can be updated on what events are happening as they are happening.”

A journalist’s perspective
John Dooman, Reviews Editor
Feb. 23, 2015

“Every journalists needs to report on certain stories to provide their own take on it. Two journalists would report a story in their own way from their own, unique point of view. This allows readers and/or viewers to come to their own conclusions on how news is covered.”

Club recognition
Jenny King, ’17
Feb. 23, 2015

“Scholastic Journalism Week is really exciting; as a club on the campus, this week is a recognition of the hard work that the staff puts in. It’s a fun way for students and staffers to be involved in their school newspaper.”

Effective reporting
Sara Peterson, Editor-in-Chief
Feb. 23, 2015

“Journalists need to report because it gives themselves and people around them insight into what is happening locally or in the world. Our job as journalist is to effectively report and share these stories with our fellow man.”

Think, Engage, Teach
Greg Stobbe, Publications Adviser
Feb. 23, 2015

“Journalists, and I’m being inclusive of Feather reporters, have an obligation to seek out and report the news, profiles, stories and issues that are important to their constituencies {peers} and community. This is an obligation, not whether they ‘feel like it.’ The Feather staff in particular is charged to present to the greater Fresno community who Fresno Christian citizens are and represent them. The journalists on this campus need to bear witness and independently write and comment on the news and the controversies, its peoples’ failures and success, struggles and the stories of overcoming, calling into question when peers are not morally or ethically responsible and report the accomplishments and/or consequences. The Feather staff must give fair, accurate perspective to the goings on, in and around the Fresno Christian community. They are not just to watch but to stimulate conversation so as to engage fellow students to listen, dialogue and act on truth so that the community not only knows it but also uses it in relationship. Think responsible. Be engaged. Teach the tools of citizenship.”

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @rynnking_.

For more features, read the Feb. 20 article, Fresno hosts horror movie, to be released nationally.