Unfortunately the amount of newspapers in Alabama has decreased exponentially over the past 100 years. Moreover, the newspaper project recognizes that publishing brings together the school and the community to mutually strengthen both. Moreover, teachers, students, and community members work together to ensure the best quality publication for their towns. When students publish their local community newspaper, learning that had taken place solely in the classroom becomes a truly public exercise. The community becomes the evaluator.
Students gain skills in language arts, computers, graphic design, and business.
The improvement in academic performance of students who work on the community newspapers is measurable in the quality of their writing and in standardized test scores. Through the newspaper, students are actively involved in improving their community, learning about politics and government, and understanding entrepreneurship and local economics. Site maintained by The Program for Rural Services and Research at The University of Alabama.