Birney Informer 2008
According to Birney Elementary School Assistant Principal Mr. Webb, the publication of our school’s newsletter in The Washington Informer has helped our students in too many ways to mention.
The students who have personally worked on The Birney Informer have grown tremendously. Their academic skills have developed from writing articles. It’s great to see them with the superintendent or the mayoral candidates, showing them where to stand for a photograph, or interviewing them. This has allowed them to really mature. Many of these were the shy students, and now they have become celebrities in the school. Some students have been positively recognized on the street from their photographs in the paper.
The Birney Informer has allowed the overall community to become more enlightened about activities at Birney and about the learning process.
Many parents have told me that they read the principal’s column to their smaller children in preparation for the beginning of school. The Birney Informer has given the entire student body a new sense of pride about their school, their community, and their personal achievements. It has helped to reinforce to the students that learning is fun and that being smart is cool.
Ms. Veasley, parent of Birney Informer staff writer Takiah Veasley, said, “It was a great idea for the school and the community–something good out of poor Barry Farms in Ward 8.” She also added that parents enjoy and get a kick out of it. Regarding her daughter Takiah, Ms. Veasley said, “Her shyness is gone. She feels good about herself, and pays more attention to the news especially the mayoral elections because she has met them.”
From a teacher’s point of view, it has been a wonderful experience taking the kids to a higher level. The exposure alone has had a tremendous affect on the students in general. Teachers take the newsletters to D.C. Public Schools trainings and events to show off their school. We, the teachers, have used The Birney Informer to motivate, reward, encourage, and set higher expectations for not only participating students but the ‘hopefuls’ too.
We can only hope that The Washington Informer and Turner Construction will want to continue the project so that everybody can reap the rewards.
Sincerely,
Ms. Teyibo
Birney Informer Staff Advisor
