The HS Beat: How a high school newspaper can maximize engagement

*This article was originally posted on the Nutgraf. Read HERE:

As a small school with only 25 kids per class and limited local readership due to language barriers, the Jets Flyover has had to devise multiple strategies to maximize audience engagement.

Every Friday, all students in middle and high school flock into advisory — a 20-minute block in between first and second period used for social emotional learning — and read the Jets Flyover. We negotiated with the administration to weave our media program into the school schedule.

Since then, student editors have led this period. They introduce each article published for the week and motivate students to read each article and leave comments. Teachers also pitch in to ensure students read.

Our strong relationship with the administration makes this possible.

We build this relationship with our photography, which is used on the school’s social media, marketing and our student-made yearbook.

Some schools may not have a dedicated block of time for a media program.

In such cases, it helps to cover what your readers want. As Damaso Reyes of New York Amsterdam News said in “The Journalism Salute,” writers should ask themselves, “What do you and your friends want to know?”

Two components make up an attention-grabbing article that tailors to the audience: Uniqueness and relatability.

Student journalism should not simply repeat news that can be found on TikTok or Instagram. If it does, why would students bother reading articles when they can get the same information on dopamine-heavy platforms?

The best strategy is to uncover hidden gems that mainstream publications often overlook due to a lack of “clickbait value.”

For example, one of our writers covered Korean elders who pick up trash in a more in-depth manner than other news outlets, spotlighting them in detail.

Even if articles cover topics that have been covered, they should include unique perspectives — especially from those directly impacted by the issue.

In an article about military conscription in Korea, one of our writers interviewed a soldier currently serving. These strategies bring a touch of uniqueness to each article.

A publication should also cover ample on-campus news. Follow trends within the school closely and make sure to report on popular events, such as basketball games.

A student journalist’s greatest strength is that they are the audience — write about what you and your friends care about most.

Lastly, leverage multimedia content and fun features. Photos and visual elements draw readers into an article. After all, teenagers love examining photos of their friends in action, whether at a sports game or a performance. This often entices them to click on the article.

Lighthearted page items also bring laughter to what could otherwise be an austere environment, where kids are sitting through yet another 20 minutes of reading. Crosswords, Mad-libs, comic strips, and satire often spark discussions at the lunch table.

Top it off with other tactics to ensure students read your content. The key is to increase exposure to your media.

You can email every student and study hall teacher the articles for the week, run a social media page or post snapshots of your articles on bulletin boards around the school.

Hopefully, these strategies will help you achieve better audience engagement outside the newsroom.

📧 Contact Leanne Yoon at hspresscentral@gmail.com. For more information, please refer to hspresscentral.com.

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