Sept. 18, 2023
UAW strike could impact consumers
Teens also may feel the squeeze
There’s no question the UAW strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis could impact consumers. While students may not feel the impact immediately, if the strike continues this may not be the case if families are interested in ordering vehicles with exactly what they want. If the strikes linger further, an already squeezed market will have a picked over inventory.
What you can do —
Talk to your local dealerships about what they are experiencing. What do they anticipate — especially with their lower priced new cars. Additionally, some families and teens opt to buy a much older car because of affordability. What will the impact be of the strike on the used market? Could it increase costs?
An additional note, if the strike lingers too long, it could affect parts as well.
For those in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio with plants close to home, how does the strike impact the families of your students and the students themselves?
One spicy food challenge may be squashed
For journalist, examine the impact of these foods on susceptible consumers
The “One Chip Challenge” may have just ended its run according to an article in U.S. News and World Report.
The death of a Massachusetts teen has increased scrutiny on these types of spicy food challenges, which have been popular for years.
What you can do —
An obvious question is are teens doing these challenges on social media at your school?
Contact a local pediatrician about the dangers of these types of challenges — especially those that don’t allow food and drinks that alleviate the effect of the spicy food. Also, how might these types of challenges affect those with food allergies?
The article highlights how social media has glamorized these challenges. A social media expert, psychologist or sociologist might be a great source on how these types of challenges are encouraged and how they might perpetuate the issue.
Beyonce influences teen spending
Cover how teens turned trends such as this into businesses
Beyonce has asked her fans to dress in silver for her tour as a birthday wish. While her ask ends this week, it does again shine a light on what some call post pandemic “revenge spending,” which involves a decrease in the consumer spending that spiked early and then slowed this past August.
What you can do —
Have your students started their own stores on social media or places such as Etsy? How have these types of business models helped student entrepreneurs?
What are their favorite platforms to use? What are some best selling and buying practices for those on these platforms?
If spending does decrease in the teen population as well, how are they tightening their spending. What are the first items to go? A great source might be a local economist about what they foresee.
Also, are teens now returning to the job force? What do your local business owners see?
IT’S AN HONOR
Student Advisory Board applications extended
Do you want to serve your fellow student journalists and Quill and Scroll members? Join the Student Advisory Board for 2023-24. Applications close Sept. 22.
SAB members will work on projects including establishing a regular communications channel for editors and other student journalists to discuss problems, successes, and coverage; and working on projects and activities that can aid Quill and Scroll chapters.
Please encourage your students to be part of this group! As always, please send them to me if they have additional questions ([email protected]).
It’s always membership season
Don’t forget you can nominate members year round
Do you have a senior who just met the GPA requirement or a student who now wants to join Quill and Scroll? Want to avoid the spring rush? Nominate students for membership order pins, cords and other Quill and Scroll materials and memorabilia.
We haven’t changed the ordering process from last year. For those wanting to ditch the paper version, you just need to select the form based on how you would like to pay. We have one version for credit card and another version for check or purchase order. (We’ve added buttons for ease of finding these.) As usual, credit card payments are charged $4.49 per order for processing.
Submit your YEC entries today
Only one week until contest closes
The 2023 Yearbook Excellence Contest is open for entries. The cost for each entry in all 33 categories is $7, and schools will be divided by size — Class A for 1,000 or more students, and Class B for 999 or fewer students,
Entry deadline is Oct. 2, and here is a link to complete descriptions of those 33 categories and how to pay for the entries.
Judges will award first, second and third places in each category for each class, and they’ll award honorable mentions so that between 10 and 15 percent of all entries are recognized in every category. All students named as award recipients will be eligible to apply for Quill and Scroll student scholarships in May of their senior year.
Quill and Scroll administrators will then tally points (5 for first place, 4 for second, 3 for third and 1 for HM) to determine a Blue and Gold Award winner for each class. Last year’s winners were Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (Class A) and Christ Presbyterian Academy of Nashville, Tennessee (Class B).
Here’s a complete list of last year’s winners.
News Media Evaluation results were released last week
The Quill and Scroll News Media Evaluation results were announced through Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.
The News Media Evaluations provides news media staffs a one-of-a-kind assessment of your publication(s) with constructive comments and suggestions for improvement from qualified evaluators. Judges will provide a thorough analysis and rating to schools, and the evaluation exercise and feedback are instructive and developmental.
We have this service open for 2024, but you have until June 14 to enter, pay and submit your news media.
Chapter activity/discussion point idea/curriculum idea
Revisiting or learning about seven court key cases about student free press
As part of its Constitution Day release, the Student Press Law Center identified seven foundational Supreme Court cases instrumental in today’s landscape.
Each of these cases have a small summary and key takeaway. One easy way to use this as a chapter activity (or classroom activity) would be to create seven groups and give the students 10 minutes to prep a quick informal discussion with the class that would include the summary and takeaway. (I’d encourage you to have the students put the information in their own words to make sure they understand.)
As an extension, after each group informally presents, you could ask the entire class or rest of the groups to come up with the questions they have about the case. The students could then look at the case and other information on a site such as Oyez, FindLaw, SPLC or other credible site about the case.
Just a thought
If you’re looking for another selling point for your students or administration about Quill and Scroll, CollegeVine just named Quill and Scroll as one of the top 20 clubs to build a resume.
When I advised and sponsored our chapter, students often asked me if being part of Quill and Scroll would appeal to colleges.
I enthusiastically said yes.
Just being inducted shows the student has not only qualified for membership through our GPA requirement, they also have done meritorious work in journalism. The vast majority of my students who qualified for membership, did so not on my recommendation, but on the encouragement of the students involved.
When I advised, the chapter met monthly and we had a project (sometimes small, sometimes a bit grander) for the fall and spring semesters. We planned these and talked about some topic related to journalism during our meetings. We have sample activities on our website. (And yes, Constitution Day is one of them!)
We also had officers who were not top editors of our student media. This allowed those who wanted a smaller leadership role to shine, and allowed them to add a leadership position to their college resume.
My students also used eligibility for membership into Quill and Scroll during their recruitment drive.
All of this is why I didn’t hesitate for my own son to join and to pay the $25 (I asked the students who were able to pay this). And yes, it was on his college resume.
If you have any questions about membership, please reach out. I’m always happy to help!
— Lori Keekley