AOL’s journalists search for the story behind the story

by Kim Roberts

By Kim Roberts
Clarion Herald

The newspaper class of Academy of Our Lady in Marrero spent the morning of Nov. 6 exploring the heart of journalism during a field trip to the Clarion Herald. Five seniors and their moderator and teacher, Salesian Sister Boram Lee, were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the world of journalism from a Catholic perspective.

“We learned a great deal about covering the news from the Catholic perspective and the power of telling stories. Particularly fascinating was the Clarion Herald’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina,” Sister Boram said. “Our students enjoyed hearing about the staff’s career journeys into the journalism field and practical tips on covering stories.”

A brief tour

Clarion Herald editor Peter Finney Jr. introduced the students to the newspaper staff, showed them around the offices and explained the editorial process.

“It’s always great to have high school students who are excited about the prospect of becoming journalists and writing stories that are truthful and touch people’s lives,” Finney said. “They really asked a lot of great questions, and I think they learned a lot about our industry.”

Staff members sat in the meeting and discussed their career and what led them to the Clarion Herald as well as what they liked most about working for a Catholic newspaper.

“I enjoyed learning how they connect the news to our Catholic values and beliefs,” said AOL senior Kailey Cadiere.

Finney showed the students the original Clarion Herald archives in addition to the new digital archives, explaining how they could use the archives as a research tool to look up any story ever written by the newspaper.

A family memento

Sister Boram said one of her students, Remi Hughes, was able to look up a Clarion Herald story about her mother’s graduation from Xavier Prep.

“She didn’t fully realize how the Clarion Herald stories become historical records for our communities,” Sister Boram said.

“I never expected to get such a rich history of newspapers,” Hughes said. “It was incredible to see my mother’s name in a newspaper article dating back to 1997. I found it truly amazing to experience that connection.”

Sophie Croy said her trip to the Clarion Herald was joyful and enlightening.

“I enjoyed seeing how much work truly goes into a newspaper,” she said. “I learned that the newspaper doesn’t have a set outline, and the journalists can express themselves in their own way through their writing.”

Sister Boram said the students enjoyed the presentation by Finney and the other senior journalists explaining the mission of Clarion Herald, the role of faith-based journalism and how news is covered in support of the Catholic faith.

The session concluded with the students posing questions they had prepared for the Clarion Herald staff on topics such as the journalism profession, the writing process and each writer’s favorite or most memorable story.

“I learned that being a journalist makes them feel as if they’re having an impact on the readers and touching their hearts.,” said Gabrielle Tuyet Nhi Nguyen. “Everyone was so welcoming and kind to share their experiences with us.”

Senior Piper Leonard enjoyed getting a first-hand taste of “the fast-paced environment of a professional newsroom.”

“I’ve never been so intrigued and impressed on a school field trip,” she said. “I was most impressed by the collection of old newspapers. Seeing the newspapers up close helped me understand how journalism has evolved over the years and how much work goes into creating each edition. The teamwork I observed was incredible; everyone had a role, and they worked together to bring stories to life. I have a new appreciation for the field of journalism, knowing how impactful and dynamic the industry is.”

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