SRL Connected Educator of the Month: May
After 4 years with the SRL program, educator Mary Dunn at Pleasure Ridge Park High School in Louisville, Kentucky has been selected for the second time as the SRL Connected Educator of the Month. Her tireless work is centered around preparing her students for the professional journalism field, and how to examine all the aspects of a story in order to create a journalistic masterpiece.
What is your teaching philosophy when it comes to storytelling?
Storytelling is about asking questions, digging deeper and always keeping an ear and eye out for the “other side” of the story. It’s about providing a “safe” place for students to explore the tough issues their generation is faced with.
How can student journalism help promote a greater understanding of the world?
Student journalism provides a platform for students to understand that the world is full of stories and issues to explore. Teaching student journalists that their voice matters and giving them the platform to explore the world through the lens of a camera and the written word, inevitably promotes a greater understanding of the world.
How can we get youth more interested in the news?
I believe the more you talk about the news the more students will listen. Fostering an environment where the news is sought after creates the platform for kids to engage in conversations that surround the news. I firmly believe that the more they see the news, the more they hear the news, the more they will seek it out.
What would life look like without public media?
Without public media, life would be even more confusing in a world where we are being forced to question everything. Simply, it would leave a huge void where truth should exist.
What do you hope to accomplish with SRL?
I hope to develop youth who have a passion for asking Why? and How? and When? I want to create a learning space where youth put their heads together and chase a story worth chasing and then come back and create a powerful story that answers all those questions.