Welcome to the 8-18 Media Blog.

This is a page for Dennis to enter in up-to-date communication items for 8-18 Media Members. It is also open for any 8-18 Media member to post any note of interest to other members. Simply email your message to 8-18media@chartermi.net.

May 8, 2008––The two convention teams gathered Tuesday night with a number of parents to discuss any issues the families have with the convention trips and to answer as many questions as possible. There were, unfortunately, still several key questions that could not be answered. That obviously caused a little worry for some. We still are not certain of our main grant from the Arsalyn Project of the Ludwick Family Foundation. We have been bothering them for an answer, but it is slow in coming. We also have not determined where we will stay in Denver. We are in the “media pool” for housing through the Democratic National Convention Committee and we are hopeful they will assign us to a good location. The group decided to hold combined team meetings each Tuesday afternoon at 4:15. I hope that works for everyone. Give me a call if you have any questions and I’ll see the kids on the 13th.

April 29, 2008–– The teams have been selected for the Democratic National Convention in Denver in late August and the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in early September. The Denver team includes Emily Stulz, 15 (16 on May 6th), Erin Bozek-Jarvis, 14, Eric Wagner, 14, and Ben Harris, 13. Meanwhile, the St. Paul team includes Chelsea Parrish, 16, Hayley Maskus, 15, Connor Stulz, 13, and Maggie Guter, 10.
It was a very difficult process in selecting the teams since everyone, without exception, wanted to go to Denver. The two committees that selected the teams also had to take into consideration that the St. Paul team will miss the first week of school. Now that Recognition Night is over, we will quickly schedule an evening meeting for both teams, with parents encouraged to attend, in order to answer as many questions as possible that the families may have about the trips and trip preparation.
We have not heard yet about the most important funding piece of the convention puzzle—a possible grant from the Arsalyn Project of the Ludwick Family Foundation. Those wonderful folks have given 8-18 Media $5,000 toward past convention trips and we desperately hope they will do so again. They also gave Y-Press and 8-18 Media a combined $5,000 for the trip to Dearborn last summer. We are hopeful that will not work against us for additional funding for these trips. So far we have raised $450.00 from local donors and are hopeful for grants from the Marquette Community Foundation Youth Advisory Committee and the Kaufman Foundation. I guess we can consider that a pretty good start. We will be scheduling a “grocery bagging” at Econo Foods soon and any 8-18 Media members that would like to join the Convention Team members out of the goodness of their heart would be more than welcome and considered a hero.
We have housing set for St. Paul at Concordia University, however the housing situation in Denver is still up in the air. It seems the rest of the world also wants to go to Denver to see how the Democrats end their long nominating saga.
Next up, we need several Convention Team members to join together to edit the transcripts of the Representative Lindberg and Representative Casperson interviews so that they can be turned into a Marquette Monthly article.
The combined teams will start meeting on a regular schedule soon. Dennis will work with the members to set a meeting time every other week or so that the schedule works for everyone on the teams.
Stay tuned.

In other 8-18 news, the “Kids who volunteer” story is well underway. Joey, Jorden and Dennis went out to Gwinn to interview a wonderful young lady named Pamella Vincent and her Mom. She volunteers for senior citizen activities at the Gwinn Clubhouse. We then drove the back roads out to the Westwood High School to interview the Adopt-A-Highway crew as they were cleaning up the highway. The team was made up of the Westwood Student Council and National Honor Society members. Next we will interview Girl Scouts as they decorate the Kid’s Area at the Beacon House on May 10th. That should wrap up the interviews for that story. Meanwhile, the Guardasil story is moving forward. Chelsea and Ben Harris were able to get Dr, Randall Johnson of the Marquette County Health Department in for a quick interview and we are trying to connect with Dr. Raymond of Women’s Health Associates. We will also have to find some girls and their mothers to interview.

Recognition Night is set for tomorrow night. We will honor the Seniors: Andrew LaCombe, Chelsea Parrish, Pryce Hadley, Anna Irish-Burnett and Danielle Thoune. It gets underway at 7 p.m. at the North Star Academy on Wright Street.

April 7, 2008––These are certainly busy days around 8-18 Media. The planning for Recognition Night coming up on the 30th and the Convention trips is occupying most of Dennis’ time. Dennis, however, is going to be out of town this Friday the 11th and Monday the 14th. The Convention Team members who wait until the last minute (Friday) to turn in their essay questions can do so by email, or by having someone in the UPCM office put them in His mailbox. They will be looked at first thing on Tuesday so they should be turned in and ready to go. These questions, along with your attendance and work for the conventions so far will be taken into consideration by two sets of “judges” for selecting the teams. We should have them named for the most part by the end of Wednesday the 16th. Good luck. Lane is working on writing the “Girls’/Women’s future opportunities in the military” story and Erin will be asked to finish it up this week hopefully. The “Espanolandia” team will be going to NMU Thursday morning for interviews. We have several stories that need interviews scheduled so we will be trying to schedule those as well. For example “Guardasil,” “Fundraisers,” and “Volunteer Kids.”

April 1, 2008––About half of the Convention Team (Spring Break) interviewed State Representative Tom Casperson and State Senator Wayne Kuipers yesterday and quizzed them on a wide range of topics affecting young people. Connor, Emily, Erin, Lane, Ben Brow, Ben Harris and Hayley Maskus were able to make it. We may use the interview, together with the Representative Lindberg interview, for a print and/or radio piece. Thanks to the three lawmakers for giving us their time. It was very informative. We will be working on the girl’s future opportunities in the military story and the Espanolandia story yet this week.

March 26 –– Eight of our Convention Team members undertook a long, informative interview with State Representative Steve Lindberg D-Marquette Monday afternoon. When asked what his most memorable moment has been in office he said he has a reoccurring moment when he looks out the window from his office high in a building in Lansing and wonders how a “farm boy from Carlsend” (a suburb of Skandia) made it to that office. Mary is transcribing the interview right now and it may turn into a print story coupled with the interview we will do this coming Monday with State Representative Tom Casperson R-Escanaba.

We turned in the radio story “U Take it Back” about a teen drinking prevention program in area schools this week. Chelsea and Maggie knocked that one out in fine style. Ben Harris, Jorden McCallister and Eric Wagner are currently working on a “Best of the Seniors” presentation for Recognition Night. It should be good with those three working on it.

I just realized that I never introduced our newest members on this blog. Jessica Goodwin and GlenEllen Lehmberg were trained in as new members on March 8th. Jessica, 12, is a 6th grader at the Bothwell Middle School and is a member of a writing club, so we like her already. GlenEllen, 10, is a 5th grader at the Graveraet Intermediate School who likes to laugh and is reporter for the Blazing Comet (new school newspaper) and is also into ballet and piano. She also takes lessons in the Chinese language. Hopefully everyone will get a chance to say hi to them soon.

March 14, 2008 –– The date of the Annual Reconition Night had been set for Wednesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. at North Star Academy. Joy Bender-Hadley (Pryce's Mom) generously asked the North Star Academy if we could use their Multi-purpose room for the evening. Should be a nice venue. They have a small stage, a P.A., a pull down screen for visuals and it's a good size. Thanks to NSA!

March 13, 2008 –– Highlights from the 3/12/08 Convention Team meeting.
–– Dennis had a heart-to-heart with the team explaining that he had fears about the entire team’s commitment. The team did a good job of relieving those fears and all is full steam ahead. Dennis will be developing the essay questions that will be used along with other “participation” criteria for the final section of the two teams. The essay questions MAY be due by the next Convention Team meeting on the 26th.
–– Dennis handed out folders for everyone that had “follow up” material for 2004 convention grant agencies inside. The material gives a very good overview of what the last two Convention Teams did on their trips. It also contains suggestions from the media partners from the 2004 trips.
–– Dennis outlined the need for questions to be developed for Representative Steven Lindberg who will visit us at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 24th and Representative Tom Casperson, who will visit us at 4:30 on Monday, March 31st. We need these questions NOW!!! Two of three team members should plan to get together and write them soon.
–– The entire team wrote short notes at the top of the first batch of fundraising letters that will be going out.
–– Dennis has submitted a draft copy of a grant proposal to Lynn at Y-Press for her review. She has, in turn, given suggestions back.

March 10 –– Any of you experienced editors wanna take a shot at answering Eric's question? We had a new member training this past Saturday and trained in Eric and Lane as editors and two new promising members as reporters. They are 12-year-old Jessica Goodwin of Skandia (goes to Bothwell) and 10-year-old GlenEllen Lehmberg of Marquette (goes to Graveraet). Learn a little more about them in April's newsletter.

March 9 –– I know Dennis will respond to this but I was hoping to get some other 8-18 people to respond. I was recently trained to be an editor and I was wondering something. How do editors write a story from a little research, a few interviews, and a debriefing? As a reporter, I always felt like we hadn't gotten enough information in the interview and was constantly amazed by how long the final product was. Maybe I just need to write a story to know what it's like, but it seems that every story is nothing then it's written and I wonder, "Where did that come from?" or just, "Wow."

Eric Wagner

March 7 –– Just a note to say hi and to compliment all of you on your recent stories. I’ve really been enjoying them! I especially enjoyed Ben Harris’ commentary about the possibility of an African American or woman president and the print story from Pryce, Joey, Carlie, Uvie and Afure about children whose dad’s are in Iraq. Keep up the great work!

I also want to commend you all on moving forward with convention plans. Covering the conventions is a huge undertaking and lots of work, but it’s also an experience you’ll never forget. For some kids, it’s been life-changing. I know that everyone involved will gain a lot from the experience.

Hey, this blog is cool. Why didn’t I think of it?!!

Linda Remsburg

March 6, 2008 –– Chelsea, Maggie and Dennis traveled up to the Westwood High School last night to cover the “Take It Back” teen alcohol use community presentation. A radio story will come out of the trip. As part of the presentation we were able to listen to the powerful, and powerfully sad but hopefully eventually positive, testimonials of two girls who are covering alcohol and drug users from the Great Lakes Recovery Center. It is so sad how strong of a hold addicting substances can have on our bodies and minds. Stay away from that stuff! Andrew and Megan are hard at work on the “Affording College” print story for April. Lane and Erin are set to work on the “Girl’s future opportunities in the military” print story today. We have been asked to do stories on a teen art exhibit in May at the Oasis Gallery and also on a special scholarship opportunity for any young “old time” musicians in the region. The Hiawatha Traditional Music Coop will send a young “old time” musician to a huge festival in Virginia…free of charge. We will put those stories before the senior team at its next meeting. The Senior Team needs any interested members to join them in planning the April 23rd or 30th Recognition Night. Call Dennis if interested.

February 26–– Emily Stulz, Eric Wagner and Dennis are headed up to Ishpeming tonight to do a story on the Athletes’ Parade for the National Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping Junior Olympics. The actual Olympic Torch from the Calgary Winter Olympics will be lit at the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame. Several teams have been in this week working on a variety of stories. Dennis has surveyed the Convention Team and it looks as if the next Convention Team meeting will take place after the next Senior Team meeting. The Senior Team is meeting tomorrow and will set the March dates during the meeting. Erin Bozek-Jarvis worked hard on a solicitation letter for convention donations. The letter has been sent to the Museum team as well as former member Julie Burtch in Lansing who is the development director for Habitat For Humanity––Lansing for hr opinion. We already need donation since Y-Press wants $250 for the reservation of our rooms at Concordia University in St. Paul.

February 20––Highlights from the February 19 Convention Team Meeting.
–– Those present included: Mary Burtch, Ben Harris, Ben Brow, Erin Bozek-Jarvis, Eric Wagner, Maggie Guter, Megan Maas, Emily Stulz, Charles Coccia. Pre-excused included: Hayley Maskus, Lane Whitley, Chelsea Parrish, Connor Stulz and Andrew LaCombe. Unexcused: None
––We need some questions developed for Representatives Steve Lindberg (D-Marquette) and Representative Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba), and perhaps State Senator Mike Prusi
(D-Ishpeming), who will be visiting us during the Legisative break in late March. Any members of the team can come in at any time to work on the list that will grow, then be culled out. The team developed tentative dates of Monday, March 24th and Monday, March 31st for the visits, of course, these will have to be okayed by the lawmakers.
––We watched an hour video from C-Span called Q and A: An interview with David Burstein. Burstein, 19, is the producer of the 35-minute documentary called “18 in ’08.” The documentary is all about the voting activities (or lack of activities) of young voters. About half of the Convention Team in attendance at the meeting had to leave fairly early in the interview to go downhill race at Marquette Mountain. I have the interview tape at the bureau and everyone should see it soon. We may try to work with the “18 in ‘08” organization, plus perhaps the NMU Young Republicans and NMU Young Democrats, to hold a screening here in Marquette.
––We need team members to write a funding request letter for potential donors for our trips. We already need $250 for a housing deposit for Concordia University in St Paul. Former member Julie Burtch (a professional fundraiser) has offered to work via email with our team to make the letter as convincing as possible.
––We need members to start on a major grant proposal for Arsalyn for trip funding. There are past, successful Arsalyn proposals from which to base this proposal on file at the bureau.

February 12, 2008 –– Chelsea Parrish is coming in today to continue work on the “Stopped Program” story for Marquette Monthly. Hayley Maskus and Danielle Jahnke finished up the “G is for Goats” radio story this week and it has been sent to the radio stations. Erin Bozek-Jarvis and Lane Whitley started the editing process for the “Girl’s future opportunities in the military” print story yesterday. Erin stayed after and worked for a while on the “youth issues” outlines for the Convention Team. We need a training team for the March 8th new member training and we need a recruitment team for school hours Wednesday the 20th or Wednesday the 27th. We may go to the Powell Township School and to the Negaunee or Ishpeming Middle Schools. Remember, the next Convention Team meeting is set for Tuesday, February 19th at 4:30 p.m.

February 7, 2008 –– We held another Convention Team meeting Tuesday afternoon and here are some of the highlights.
In attendance was Mary Burtch, who is likely going with us as a second adult to Denver. Also, Megan, Eric, Lane, Hayley, Ben Brow, Erin and Maggie. Andrew, plus Emily and Connor told me they could not make it because of prior commitments.
–– We had a discussion on Super Tuesday and covered some of the political happenings connected with that.
–– We discussed ways of surveying local youth in order to discover national issues of importance to youth. Still need more ideas. Several in attendance gave me their own personal “top five.”
–– I introduced a story idea on how politics is taught in area schools.
–– We discussed the need for alternative, larger, media outlets for our coverage. I invited anyone to help contact media outlets in Denver and elsewhere.
–– I gave a housing update. It appears we will be staying at Concordia University in St Paul. I am trying to make inroads in housing in Denver (our job) and Denver University is a possibility.
–– We discussed the budget for the trip, which we (educated) guess will be a combined $7,000. Time to fundraise and I mentioned that team member can start helping solicit funds for us in a number of ways.
–– A good question was asked on the selection process and I explained that the process has already started with each meeting attendance, display of interest and commitment and work counting toward the final team of four for Denver and four for St Paul. Since just about everyone wants to go to Denver, we will pick that team first (in about April) and then will pick the St Paul Team from those still interested.
–– The next Convention Team meeting is tentatively set for Tuesday, February 19th. The time is likely 4:30 again.

February 4, 2008 –– Hey Eric, the first to post on the 8-18 Blog. Good skiing this weekend Eric.
I will call the Peter White Public Library and discuss this requirement that the book reviews come from the “new” section only. This is a long, long tradition in publishing circles that only new works get reviewed. I have heard similar comments from a number of you that you cannot find anything you like in the “new” section. I suppose we could allow the occasional “8-18 Media Favorites” for a book review allowing members to review one of their all-time prized finds that others may not know about. Also, I will ask about leaving books as “new” for a longer period.
Books cost money (even for a library) and as with the Children’s Museum, the PWPL does not have a lot of it hanging around. They, of course, need to spread out their book buying to all sections of the library. What I am saying is I would not expect the “new” section of the library’s young adult section to expand anytime soon.
There are plenty of writing book review guides around the bureau but I will post one up next to the calendar. Probably the best guide is just to stop in and read a few of the past 8-18 book reviews. We have all of them conveniently available in a black notebook on the shelf above the story folders (by the award plaques).
I am not too hopeful about an 8-18 Media library card since cards are issued to residents (taxpayers) not entities. Eric, see me for more about this.
Most of all, thanks for voicing your concerns and posting on this Blog. I hope we can make you a happy book reviewer in the future.

Erin, Lane and I will be heading up to Ishpeming tomorrow to talk with a high school girl there who is thinking about enlisting in the military. Her sister is already in the National Guard and may also be at the interview. Erin and Lane do not know about this trip yet. I hope they are available. We have a busy day at the Bureau Wednesday afternoon as Andrew and Megan are interviewing a financial advisor, and NMU Financial Aid Department rep, and a roundtable of kids for the affording college story. At the same time, Chelsea, Eric and Charles are interviewing a Sheriff’s Department rep and some kids for the “Stopped Program” story. All beginning at 3 p.m. Whew!

February 4, 2008 –– I have always been interested in doing book reviews but so far I have only done one. I know that we have gone about 2 months without a book review so I thought that I would share some of the reasons I haven't done a review for a while. For me the reasons are, and I think these are reasons for a lot of members, that:
1) I can't go to the library very often.
2) I don't read fast enough or often enough to finish the book reasonably quickly in order to do a review.
3) I don't like the books that are new.
4) I don't know how to start (how to write it).

I've thought about it and have come up with some things that may help.
1) Could we have some sort of library card that is in the bureau always has so that people without library card can use that one?
2) Could we have an outline for book reviews that is clearly displayed? (next to the calendar in the bureau?)
3) Could we ask the library for a larger selection of new books?
4) Could we ask the library to keep their books new for longer?

Just a few suggestions to try to help us stay active.
-Eric Wagner

January 31, 2008 –– The interviews that were scheduled for Wednesday were cancelled because of the day off from school because of the weather. The “Stopped Program” interviews and the “How will kids afford college” interviews are now scheduled for the same time 3:00 on Wednesday the 6th at the bureau. Should be a pretty busy place. The February newsletters went in the mail today so members should get them tomorrow. We need at put our heads together and think what a team can do to put together a “Random Acts of kindness” radio story. Should we do some random acts…ask people about random acts they have witnessed? We need help thinking. Let Dennis know if you have any ideas.

January 29, 2008 –– Erin and Lane interviewed some military recruiters yesterday for the “girls’/women’s future opportunities in the military” story. Chelsea, Eric and Charles will interview Capt. LeMere from the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department and a couple of Big Bay area kids on the Michigan Sheriff’s Association “Stopped” Program tomorrow for a story.
The next meeting of the Convention Team is set for Tuesday, February 5th from 4:30 until 5:30 at the bureau. Team members should be prepared to talk about ways to raise funds, ways to survey youth about the issues important to them in this election year and ways to solicit new and bigger media outlets for our convention stories.

January 28 –– Lane Whitley and Erin Bozek-Jarvis are going out to the local Army recruiter office to interview for the “Future Opportunities for Women in the Military” story. The “Kids Who Ice Fish” story was played on our radio stations this past weekend. We used our new digital recorders out on the ice of Teal Lake and they performed well in temps hovering around zero. New member Anna Massaro took part in her first interview and did a good job asking the young anglers about their interests.
Dennis needs the help of any Convention Team member to continue researching available housing in the Denver area. Emily and Connor Stulz gave about two hours to the task the other day, but we need to expand the search.

January 18 –– We had a good editors and reporters meeting yesterday. Thanks to all who came: Connor Stulz, Hayley Maskus, Megan Maas, Uvie Adah, Afure Adah, Mitchell Frye, Ben Harris and Jorden McCallister. I played three old radio commentaries for the group and explained that these commentaries cut to the core of our mission, that is, giving kids a significant voice in the world. There have not been enough commentaries produced by us in recent months. Chelsea did one on the Rochester trip, but other than that you have to go back to last summer to Lane’s on Kid Nation for our last one. I know there are some suitable topics in your world for you all to comment on. We are headed out onto the ice of Teal lake tomorrow (Hayley Maskus, Lane Whitley and Anna Massaro, to talk to kids fishing in the Heikki Lunta Winterfest Ice Fishing Derby about ice fishing. I hope we do not freeze out there. We may also slide over to the Al Quaal Recreation Area to see about covering the new tow rope tube run there. Wish us luck. This past week we made significant progress on the “Girls’/Womens’ Future Opportunities in the Military” story and the “Stopped Program” story. Keep up the good work 8-18ers!

January 16 –– Initial political convention interest meeting notes:

Here: Ben Harris, Erin, Megan, Ben Brow, Hayley Maskus, Emily Stulz, Lane Whitley, Eric Wagner
Excused: Maggie, Charles, Connor, Chelsea
Ran over which members have voiced an interest.
Pop quiz on various political questions. Some knew a lot, some nothing.
Went over dates of both conventions—mentioned one is held after school starts.
Only Lane voiced a preference for the Republican Nation Convention.
Outlined selection process—members who show interest and commitment, as well as a written application.
Mentioned Republican National Convention is in St. Paul, Minn. Would be less expensive for 8-18 and/or families since we will drive.
We will fly to Denver for the Democratic National Convention.
Outlined past coverage by convention teams.
Press credentials have been applied for, for both conventions—On Paper, April is the notification time (we may know earlier—will try to learn more).
Held a quick discussion of possible story topics.
A general consensus of future meeting times; Resulted in a suggestion of 4:15 or 4:30.

January 11 –– A date and time has been set for our initial convention coverage interest meeting. It will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 15 at the bureau. Those attending do not need to bring anything except their good ideas. So far fourteen members have voiced an interest in being considered for the teams that, hopefully, will go to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in late August and early September. The list includes Andrew LaCombe (if he is going to Lawrence University which starts in mid-September), Danielle Thoune (although she may be starting college right then) Ben Harris, Ben Brow, Hayley Maskus, Erin Bozek-Jarvis, Lane Whitley, Eric Wagner, Maggie Guter, Megan Maas, Chelsea Parrish, Emily Stulz, Connor Stulz and possibly Charles Coccia. It would be nearly impossible to schedule a meeting at a time that works for everyone so we just scheduled it and hopefully the vast majority will make it. Also, don't forget that the next Editors' and Reporters' Meeting is set for 4:30 until 5:30 on Thursday, January 17. Hope to see you all there.

January 8, 2008 –– The Senior Team will meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss a number of important items including some new story ideas. So there will likely be additional changes to get involved in a couple of storied after tomorrow. Also up for discussion by the Senior Team will be when our February new member training will be held. The interest meeting for those ten people who have voiced an interest in our political convention coverage should be scheduled within the next week. I will be making individual calls to the people on the list to see when is a good day and time (likely in the evening) to hold the meeting. Story action this week includes Beth and Lane and maybe Erin for a briefing on the “Girls Considering the Military” story, Eric and Maggie editing the Project P.A.N.D.A. story.