EJ recruits junior reporters from MCS

MCS students take to the newsroom 

A week-long trip November 28 to December 2 to the Edmonton Journal proved very educational for the grade 6 students of Millwoods Christian School.

The students spent their first day at The Edmonton Journal with Sandy VanRiper. They enjoyed learning and taking a tour of the building. They examined an old Linotype, a printing press that created one line of newspaper print at a time. Then they looked at a Microfiche reader. Microfiche are little tape roles of photo reel that contain small pictures of newspapers that go into a reader and can be read like a normal newspaper.

The Edmonton Journal was also the headquarters for the students to learn and do various activities. They covered subjects of journalism, writing, editing and cartooning.

The students of Millwoods Christian School benefited greatly from the experience and learned a lot about the history of Edmonton and the newspaper. The Edmonton Journal is a big piece of our city’s recorded history.

Millwoods Christian students visit City Hall

A grade 6 class prepares to sit in on Tuesday’s city council meeting
at Edmonton’s City Hall to learn more about democracy in action.

Tuesday morning, the Millwoods Christian School students went to City Hall to learn about the building’s history and take an educational tour around City Hall.

After watching a Council meeting, the students explored City Hall. They learned about how the fourth City Hall was designed by Gene Dub and how he made it a family friendly place.  The building is made from materials from past City Halls.  The main motto at City Hall is, “Look to the future, take pride in the past.”

Later the class decided to do a mock council.  Students debated the issue of Edmonton implementing a curfew for children under the age of 18.  It was strongly defeated.

If you want more information on City Hall go online to www.edmonton.ca or call 311.

Grade 6 students experience CKUA radio station

On Tuesday afternoon, the grade 6 class looks back at
all the memories made at CKUA building.

Grade 6 students toured around CKUA radio station to learn about the station, on Tuesday afternoon.

A highlight was meeting Marketing Mark who recorded a station ID with the students.

Later, during a press conference with Monica Miller, it was discovered she has been working at CKUA for 39 years. She started as a part-time record librarian, but was soon used to filling in for people at the radio station and learned on the job. She found out that being a broadcaster was exactly what she wanted to do! She has two shows called “Mixtape” and “How I hear it”. Her favorite things are food, friends, books, and walking her dog.

The students left with words of inspiration from Monica. “It doesn't matter what you think you can do; it’s finding out what you want to do and doing it.”

Students from Millwoods Christian watch the ice float by on the
North Saskatchewan River, as they travel downtown on Thursday.

Grade 6 class at the Marian Center

6B carefully sketches the doorway to
honour the homeless across the street
from City Hall Thursday morning.

Millwoods Christian students went to the Marian Centre, on Thursday, to learn about generosity. Twelve people devoted to God live together giving their lives to serve the poor in downtown Edmonton.  Many residents live by the motto, “Love, love, love, never counting the cost.”

 The students had a short tour and saw the chapel where the residents go to pray twice a day with others. Another room they saw was the donation room where Zoyla Grace, a resident, works.  Here people in need can come to get clothing and other items. 

The last room they saw was a music room.  It was here that Steve Héroux, another resident, demonstrated his hammered dulcimer.  His love of music and God was evident as he played his handmade instrument for the students.

Steve Héroux prepares to demonstrate
 his ability to play his hammered dulcimer
as part of a tour at the Marian Centre.

The Marian Centre is a very special place that more people should know about. 

“Unbelievable time at EJ School!” says Grade 5C from MWI

5C from Monsignor William Irwin take a group photo with the Pulitzer Prize on their first day of EJ School

“My pictures tell stories” Greg Southam told grade 5 students from Monsignor William Irwin School on their first day of Edmonton Journal (EJ) School. From November 2nd to November 6th we interviewed many people and went to amazing places like the Marian Center, Rogers Place, and CKUA radio station. Our time at EJ School was unique and an exciting opportunity to travel in downtown Edmonton.

Anthony King is a producer and announcer at CKUA radio station. We interviewed him in a press conference on Tuesday, November 3, 2015. Before he wanted to be a radio announcer he wanted to be a musician or an animal trainer in Hollywood! CKUA is special because the announcers get to choose their own music. We loved recording our station ids with Marketing Mark! He told us that our voices would not sound the same as they did talking to a friend and “it was pretty amazing how different they actually sounded!” commented Chayce and Noah. It was very interesting to see how radio stations work and see the library with over 65,000 CDs! Another place we visited was the Marian Center.

Janet and David tell stories at the Marian Centre.

When we walked through the Marian Center there was a delicious smell of stew. “Love makes it good” said Janet, one of two volunteers we met. Along with her was David, another generous volunteer who lives at the Marian Center. They work towards the mission of the center to help Christopher’s and follow God. A Christopher is someone who does not have a home and faces problems in their life. They come to the Marian Center for a healthy meal, clean clothes, and a safe place to spend time. Janet taught us that the biggest problem Christopher’s face is loneliness. When they visit the Marian Center they experience love and friendship. David hung up an Oilers’ hockey flag to create discussions because “it`s more fun than talking about the weather.” Janet told us that “Jesus hears you talk to them and will guide them to the right path.”

Interviewing Diego from EPL at the Stanley Milner Library.

Brasil, Robyn, Ethan, Paul, and Annika pose with crime reporter Jana Pruden during an interview.

Interviewing people for Fly on the Wall was really exciting. While being a fly on the wall we collected information about someone’s job and got the lay of the land. One of the most interesting people we interviewed was Margo Goodhand. When she was about ten years old she wanted to write about the war in Vietnam, and now she is the Editor in Chief at the Edmonton Journal! The editor in chief is responsible for the whole newspaper. Another exciting person we met was Tristan Hopper. He is a reporter for the National Post. He is a general researcher who rides his bike to work every day, even in winter! We also interviewed Chris Zdeb who works in the “Day in History” section of the Journal. Once she interviewed RCMP officers who were on a stakeout waiting for an expected robbery. Someone else who has experience with crime reporting is Jana Pruden. She is the Crime Bureau Chief. The most exciting she ever covered was when she went to interview someone involved in a big shooting. She got scared by a dog and slipped backwards and got her thumb caught in her SUV door. She continued with her interview, even though her thumb was broken and her notebook was covered in blood! It was an authentic reporting experience being flies on the wall of many amazing people!

5C takes a group photo with entrepreneurs.

At EJ School we learned about different types of media. We got to be reporters and ask many questions of entrepreneurs and journalists. At the Marian Centre we learned about the Christopher`s and heard fantastic stories from Janet and David. When we went to CKUA it was really cool to make our own station ID. It was a very educational and unforgettable week.

5C taking a photo with the giant downtown Edmonton  “E” in Churchill Square