TJ's Newspaper staff gets the inside scoop on the Denver Post with editors Linda Shapley and Lee Ann Colacioppo. photo by Denver Post staffer
TJ’s Newspaper staff had the opportunity to tour the Denver Post newsroom in Downtown Denver for a Career X trip.
On Friday, March 3rd, Thomas Jefferson High School’s newspaper staff ventured to the Denver Post on a field trip for the second year in a row. The staff was invited to go on a tour of the Denver Post with the managing editor, Linda Shapley, and TJ alumnus and Denver Post editor Lee Ann Colacioppo to get the inside scoop on how a professional newspaper runs.
Shapley showed the TJ staff the Post newsroom in addition to welcoming them to their staff’s daily morning meeting. The Post staff discussed their daily news projects and what their goals were for that day regarding interviews, publishing, editing, photography, etc. “It was amazing to see how a professional newspaper staff operates, and witnessing the morning meeting was a really unique experience. They did a great job of including the TJ Journal staff and making sure that we felt encouraged and involved in the field of journalism,” said TJ newspaper editor-in-chief Jordan Prochnow.
The students were able to see how a professional newspaper staff runs through an up-close, personal experience. The TJ staff was introduced to several Denver Post staff members who gave them insights on their current writings and projects, including a popular article about the new baby giraffe, Dobby, at the Denver Zoo. Colacioppo was thrilled to have the TJ staff at the Denver Post, being a former Spartan herself, and encouraged the students to continue on the path of journalism. Colacioppo stated, “There will always be news. There will always be a need for people to dig in and tell other people about it, and to find out what the truth is.”
Many students on the TJ newspaper staff are planning on pursuing careers in journalism and the trip gave them an inside opportunity to get insight from current journalists. Sophomore Reagan Tucker stated, “The field trip opened my eyes to the wonders of mass media communications by allowing me to see what the field consists of and inspired me to continue to pursue journalism.”
The staff rode TJ’s CTE Activity Bus downtown to the Denver Post along with CTE Partnership Coordinator Danny Showers. The CTE program received the activity bus through a program called Career X. The purpose of this program is to take students out of the classroom and show them up close how certain fields of work could function. Other Center for Communication and Technology Magnet (CCTM) classes, such as Photojournalism, have had similar opportunities to take the CTE bus to various locations around Denver in order to get an inside look on various career paths.
After the trip, Showers brought the group to the Denver Athletic Club for a private lunch before returning back to TJ. As this is the second year this tradition has taken place, Newspaper teacher Eileen Adair has high hopes to continue it for years to come. “I love watching my staff absorb what’s going on in the newsroom and morning meeting; it makes things relevant and helps to explain why we do what we do in all stages of the writing process. It’s a fun outing – one that I think really helps students picture themselves in a related career,” said Adair. TJ’s Newspaper staff enjoyed the Career X field trip and the students are looking forward to go back next spring.
