Patch Editor Laura Silvius Visits Work-Family Connection at Milton!

Each year, the children enrolled in the Work-Family Connection Before and After School Enrichment programs at the Milton Avenue School create a newspaper.

This year's paper is called "The Work-Family News On Paper." The children voted on the title and are assigned different stories and news events. Their newspaper has sections including Movie/Restaurant reviews, poetry, life stories, jokes, games, riddles, puzzles, and a themed section. This year's front page will carry 2012 presidential election events and the visit in October by Senator Thomas Keane, Jr. The children usually begin learning about the newspaper in January and begin writing the news articles as they occur.

To kick off this year's newspaper club, Chatham Patch Editor Laura Silvius visited the children on Thursday, March 14. Keeping with the tradition that all program guests follow, Laura began her visit by reading one of her favorite books to the children. She chose "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. The children then gave Laura a copy of last year's paper.

A lengthy discussion of newspapers and news followed. The Work-Family children asked many questions including:

• How do you pick a story for the Patch?
• What is the hardest story you had to write?
• Do you like your job?
• What kind of stories do you write about?
• Do you ever get "Writer's Block?"

Laura answered the children’s' questions and included some of her own experiences. She told the children that even when her job is hard, she loves it. She advised them to find something that they love to do when they are older. The Patch editor's visit sparked enthusiasm for this year's paper almost immediately. When she left, article assignments were finalized and several children began writing their stories!