Every day at Solon High School, stories unfold in the hallways, achievements are made and unique student perspectives are shared —these are moments to be recorded and remembered. Inside the Media Communications classroom, a team of student journalists, including myself, write about the happenings in our community to make sure those stories don’t disappear.
“This course has actually been around way back– you can find articles in The Courier from the 60s,” said Media Communications teacher Maggie Locke, who currently advises the program.
She explains that while she didn’t start the class, she transformed it from a year-long print newspaper course into a semester-long experience to bring in more student writers into the renovated newsroom.
Locke believes journalism is more than writing. It’s the act of preserving the life of the school. She emphasizes the importance of students documenting their achievements and the issues affecting their own community.
“If we aren’t writing that the Speech and Debate Team went to nationals, no one else is going to,” she said. “We must keep records of what goes on here, and these students do so at a high journalistic level.”
Students learn by jumping directly into the work: interviewing, researching, publishing articles and navigating pressure throughout the digital world–that challenge is exactly what helped former student Elle Esser grow.
“It helped me get better at communication– talking to people and not being scared to ask questions,” Esser said when reflecting on how the course pushed her beyond her usual comfort zone.
Locke witnesses that transformation happening quite frequently. She said the class builds confidence because students must interact with people they would never talk to otherwise, and while the writing workload is sometimes overwhelming for the students, Locke’s biggest struggle isn’t the students’ effort, but keeping up with grading, due to the high volume of articles going through multiple drafts and sending back feedback multiple times.
“It can be a lot to keep up with,” she admits. “But I think interpersonal skills are really developed in this class. You have to have courage to do this class.”
One student who found her voice through the course is editor-in-chief Sam Patton. She signed up, inspired by a former student from her freshman year, and discovered her passion for journalism in the process.
“I really loved it,” Patton says. “We had so many amazing seniors, and I really found my passion for writing in general, specifically journalistic writing.”
Patton describes the class as supportive and collaborative. Even though students are trusted with independent work, she said, everyone has a shared mission: to publish stories that matter. For her, that mission has become a future.
“Yes, 100%. I definitely want to go into journalism,” she said. “That’s my life goal, to get a master’s degree in journalism.”
Locke hopes more students see the value of media literacy, especially in a world where misinformation spreads quickly online. She sees the course evolving to meet the digital demands of its audience.
“The media moves really fast, faster every year,” she said. “It’s important to know how to evaluate news, so you won’t fall for misinformation.”
The class is working to expand its social media platforms while still focusing on The Courier website, where full stories can shine. What remains constant is the purpose of telling the stories that shape Solon.
“Just have fun with the class,” Esser said, offering advice to future journalists. “It’s an opportunity to see and learn more about our school and other people in general.”
For some, media communications is a creative outlet. For others, it’s a career path. But for everyone involved, it’s a chance to tell a story of Solon, so if that’s something that interests you, consider Media Communications during your upcoming scheduling with your counselor.
