Long awaited by many students and teachers, Powell High School’s new online newspaper — The Prowl — has arrived. With the excitement, the question, “why is journalism important?” has been raised.

A newspaper at PHS gives students the ability to come to understand the importance of journalism and the writing aspects behind it.

As quoted in the study “Is it the Chicken or the Egg?” “I’m not sure why, but the types of students the field of journalism attracts tend to be a little bit more edgy,” said Esther King, editor of Chicagomag.com. “(They) have a critical way of viewing the world.”

Journalism students are not normal in a way because they are taught to write news stories that are free of opinion. They are taught reporting is different than gossip because gossip is based on hearsay while news always revolves around facts.  Journalism students learn to criticize and take apart the stories of the world to gain a better insight, the study also states.

Students prepare to take national tests, such as the ACT, each year. Journalism students score better in the fields of writing, reading, and overall composite. They also earn better scores in their college freshman English classes and compile a higher grade point average in their college freshman year.

According to the study, “(Journalism students) were more likely to engage in activities that required or encouraged leadership characteristics including: being appointed to or running for school office; organizing a school political group or campaign; participation in a student movement to change school rules, procedures or policies; taking part in a non-school political campaign; or receiving an award or recognition for leadership.”

High schools around the nation are teaching their students they are not going to be political in their newspaper, yet the students go out and find their own way of being involved in the political aspect of our nation. They reach for the highest potential they can reach because they know every day, the world is surrounded by problems and as journalists, they want to make a difference in the world.

Journalism is also a way for students to inform the world on what they have researched. The stories they publish are works that they can feel proud of. Each high school story is different, just like the students who report them.

The Prowl has many interesting stories to come, but in the meantime, feel free to stop one of our reporters in the hall or drop by Mr. Cappiello’s room (1106) if you have any ideas for us to cover.

We can’t wait to serve the student body. The Prowl is as much yours as it is ours