Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Coverage of Medieval Day

 To cover the “Medieval Day” we will be using a “team reporting” concept much like we used at The Washington Post to cover events like the big marches on Washington to protest the Vietnam War, and the method used at The Wall Street Journal to write what were called “trend stories.” ("Trends" means, more or less, tendencias.)
     All of you will go out and observe the events of the day, and then write up a report of what you observed running roughly 500 words. Most of you will also be assigned some specific aspect of the event to cover. All of the reports will then be collected and Lucia will write a story based on them (plus, of course, her own observations). Send the memos to me at boldt27@gmail.com.
     You will get a mark based on the quality of your report, or memo, but your real goal will be the same as that of the reporters on these teams at the Post and Journal – to get the material you reported into the final article that appears in the paper. Reporters, of course, didn’t get grades on their memos. This was the way they got their reward.
     How do you get your stuff into the main article? Well, of course, the most important thing was to have a good eye for telling details, a good feeling for the best little stories (anecdotes), and a good ear for the great quotes that told the story best.
    But also important was the way you presented the material. You wanted to put the different pieces you assembled into ready-made “chunks” that the main writer could lift directly out of your memo and put into the main story.
     These memos do not have to be written in a way that they could stand on their own. They do not have to be connected by a narrative thread. In fact each little piece could be separated by a blank line or a centered “bullet” like this:
*
        The memo does NOT have to have a “5Ws and an H” lead, or any other kind of lead. You can just plunge right in to telling what you saw and heard. You do want to have the best things at the top where they will be easy to find. By the same token you don’t have to explain the whole event in your memo.
      Think of it this way: You are just providing the bricks. Someone else will make them into a wall.
      Therefore you should be able to write these up fairly quickly and I hope that you can get them at least partially done and sent in on the day of the event, before you forget the nice little touches that can “brighten” the story. Those of you who cannot do that need to be especially careful to take good notes that you can read. If you get your memos done before next Tuesday (our next class) you will get free time during that class period, as is our custom.
      There will be two versions of our story. One, for the website, will be relatively short, 1200-1500 words. Then there will also be a long version (of indeterminate length) that will be shown to the committee that comes to accredit the school next year and to other official visitors to the school.
      Here are your individual reporting assignments:
      Manuel Saavedra – Interview Hudson Thurston, probably after you get out of chemistry. He is one of the two main people putting this event together (along with Alvaro Ludueña). The main thing we want to know from him is how this event came about, and what its goals are. Who thought it up? Is it supposed to teach history or be a way to build cohesion and school spirit? (Probably both.) But let him tell you the story in his own way. Be ready to follow up on anything interesting he says.
       Andrea Gutierrez – Interview Alvaro Ludueña, who is the other principal person running this show. Same instructions as for .Manuel (above).
       Sebastian Vedia – Pay special attention to describing the event – the buildings, the costumes, whatever.  Make sure that from your memo we can give a good picture of what the event looked like.  
       Ximena Fagan – Take pictures and talk to kids. When you take their pictures that gives you a perfect opening to start a conversation with them (when you ask for their names and class). Asked them what they liked about the event, and if they learned anything. Is it fun?
      Nicolas Aguirre and Nicolas Handal – Pay particular attention to the various contests they will have. It’s not that important to get who won and lost. In fact I´m not sure we’ll even use that. It’s more important to describe what happens: There will be funny things, sad things, interesting things said.
      Lucia Landivar – Try to get a sense of the whole event. Be thinking of what you will need to explain and describe this event. Observe and talk to people to get an overall impression.
      Everyone should be watching and listening and talking with students, teachers, and any parents who show up. (They have been invited.)
     As I understand it, you will be available as follows: (I will be there all day. Please check in and out with me as you come and go)
     E Block and break (8-9:40) -- Everybody
     F Block (9:45-11:15) – Manuel Saavedra, Nicolas Aguirre (after chemistry quiz)
                                           Lucia Landivar, Andrea Gutierrez, Ximena Fagan (after pre-
                                               calc test)    
     G Block (11:15-12:40) – Manuel, Nicolas Aguirre (after first 30 minutes)
                                              Lucia, Andrea, Ximena (after chemistry quiz)         
     Flex Block (12:40-13:10) – Medieval Day participants are at lunch
     Lunch (13:10-13:45) Everyone (after eating lunch)
     H Block (13:50-1510) – Lucia, Andrea, and Ximena (right?)
The schedule of Medieval Day (which was passed out Monday) is as follows:   
MIDDLE AGE KINGDOMS
Student`s Day Schedule September 21, 2011
The MS Middle Ages program, is a group of activities and games, in which the students represent “Kingdoms”. The program includes dancing, medieval games, knights jousting, sand castles, a costume contest, and “The Holy Grail hunt”; all presented in a Medieval theme atmosphere. Through these activities, the students not only have the chance to express themselves and explore creativity, but also step back into history and get information about life for people who lived in the medieval times.
Schedule:
8:00 FLEX
8:10 Kingdoms set up
9:20 Recess
9:45 Kingdoms Presentation: Coat of Arms, Dancing, Customs, and Mascot
10:30 Middle Ages Fair Games
·         Catapults: Taylor Barton
·         Crowns: Nancy Moya
·         Crossbows: Seth Gibson
·         Darts: Patrick St. Amand
·         Horseshoes: Alejandro Adachi
·         Towers: Rebecca Battistoni
·         Joust Relay: Alvaro Luduena
·         Catch a Mouse: Hudson Thurston
·         Axes: Nicolaas Mostert & Ken Davis
11:40 Save the Damsel in Distress
12:35 Lunch
13:15 Games (Soccer Field)
·         Sand Castles: Nancy Moya
·         Damsels Jousting: Patrick St. Amand
·         Holy Grail Hunt: Alvaro Luduena
13:50 Games (Soccer Field)
·         Knights Jousting: Hudson Thurston & Seth Gibson
·         Knights Battle: Taylor Barton & Alejandro Adachi
·         The Lost Symbol: Rebecca Battistoni
14:40 Closing Ceremony in the Coliseum
·         Certificates for the best costumes
·         Final Results and Awards