“Breaking news: Journalism isn’t just the best class at Sunnyslope — it’s a full-blown experience.”
From the moment you walk into class, there’s a buzz in the air — a mix of creativity, collaboration, and chaos (in the best way). Welcome to James King’s Journalism class, where learning feels less like a lecture and more like being part of something real.
In Journalism, we don’t just study writing; we create it. We learn how to add visuals to stories, use various tools, and take our writing to the next level, which sets us up for success in higher-level journalism classes. Whether working together to create a website or learning to replicate a magazine page, this class is hands-on and future-focused.
Think of Journalism as a well-run newsroom crossed with a group chat. You’re always bouncing ideas off your friends, asking for help, brainstorming, and laughing. A Journalism 1-2 student, Freshman, Ava Meraz, says, “This class feels like a break from stress, but we still get stuff done.” She also mentioned how getting stuff done while having fun makes it one of the “best” classes she has experienced in her first year of high school. Another Freshman classmate, Serenity Dale, said, “Before this class, I didn’t feel as confident with the way my visuals came out, but now I feel like I could have better luck creating graphics for my work in the future.” Meraz summed it up perfectly: “Mr. King makes it feel like our ideas matter.”
And that brings me to the teacher. Mr. King doesn’t just hand us assignments and call it a wrap. He gives us room to be creative, encourages us to take risks, and listens. He helps us improve our writing without making us feel bad about mistakes. That kind of support is the best support and makes a huge difference.
If I had to compare this class to anything, I’d say Journalism is like a group project you want to be in. Where everyone’s ideas matter, and the final product turns out dynamic. It’s creative, collaborative, and surprisingly fun.
To anyone wondering what elective to take next year, run, don’t walk, to your counselor and make sure Journalism is number one on your request course list. You won’t just learn how to write news, you’ll learn how to tell your story in the future.