The first semester of Renwick Review is coming to an end, and it has been a success. Renwick Review started off as an idea; an attempt to unify the district’s schools and highlight its achievements, interests, and activities. However, it’s more than just an idea; it’s a way for students to gain real world experiences, learn new things, and connect with other people.
Renwick Review evolved out of Andale College and Career Advocate, Kaylie Lagasse’s sports and entertainment marketing class. Her students were covering Andale High School news in their online show and social media platforms called, The Tribe. Lagasse had seen the Fusion by OneMaize Media website, and envisioned a district-wide news source to promote Renwick. She contacted Maize’s instructor, Spencer Daniel. Daniel guided Lagasse and shared his classroom structure and information. Like Renwick Review, Fusion covers two high schools in their district, Maize and Maize South.
Lagasse shared, “The great thing about the success of Renwick Review is that the students have built it from the ground up. Once we paid for the website, and then got the Garden Plain kids on board, the kids took it and ran with it. They have produced the content, created the videos, conducted the interviews, and made it what it is today. We haven’t ever had anything like this in our district, a place where we can learn more about what is going on district wide, so it keeps us more informed and allows us to see the outstanding things our students, teachers, and staff are doing.”
At first, the website only had a few pages and stories scattered about. There wasn’t much content, and the site’s infrastructure was messy and all over the place. Eventually, with collaboration and effort, the site streamed into life as gaps were filled and multiple stories highlighted everything that the Renwick district has to offer.
Gina Clark, advisor of Renwick Review for Garden Plain High School, believes that Renwick Review is essential for students. In her words, “I like the Renwick Review because it gives our students a chance to publish their work for the world to see and read. Our students get to decide what is important to write about or cover for our website content. They have a hand in not only showcasing the great things going on in our district, but it’s also a marketing tool for the district. I’m proud of the 7 GPHS students who took a leap of faith to join the class. They’ve done some really outstanding work. It’s tough to put your work out there for people to criticize, but for the most part we’ve received really good feedback about the website. The fact that we’ve had 12,000+ page views in a short time, is a big accomplishment.”
Not only is Renwick Review about writing stories, it’s also about understanding principles, work ethics, and engagement. It allows students to try new things and get out of their comfort zone; habits that will help them thrive in the long run. Website design, interviewing, and video production are just some of the few things that students can dip their toes into to expand their skills.
This is not the end, but a beginning to something more. As the next year starts, Renwick Review will continue to adapt, improve, and help many students. The district has never been more unified.
