Students Voices Matter

Students Voices Matter

In Mrs. Hoskins-Garramone classroom at RFA, students are learning that their voices matter and so does local news. The Knightly news crew, along with RFA students interested in civic engagement and journalism will be reflecting on newsworthy things happening in their community in an effort to brainstorm a topic or story to work on together.

Through the People’s Perception Project (P3), students will learn to analyze their local news, identify gaps in their local news coverage, and collaboratively tell a news story with a local journalist.

Sierra Sangetti-Daniels, co-founder of the People's Perception Project and Joleen Ferris from WKTV News Channel 2 are teaming up with the students. “This program, Student-Centered Journalism, is all about elevating students' voices and letting them know that their perspective matters,” said Sangetti-Daniels. When she worked as assignment editor in local news she saw a lot of disparities in who’s voices got to be heard and who’s voices didn’t get to be heard. Through the 3-week process they hope that students will find their voice and gain self-confidence.

The three-part project ended on January 30 with News Channel 2 covering a story the students chose, interviewing who they suggest. This is a great collaboration with the next generation of news gatherers. The story that the students chose for WKTV to cover is standout RFA student athletes and aired on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.

Imani Pugh- RFA Junior, Track Standout:

https://www.wktv.com/video/peoples-perception-project/video_5f396bf0-80c6-5674-8254-fac1d4ab9523.html

Marlo Townsend – RFA Senior, Track Standout:

https://www.wktv.com/video/rfa-student-athletes/video_9d2660f8-4f16-5bea-942d-5977dcaa3a39.html    (5:38 minutes into the news)


Kaila Hoskins-Garramone is an English Teacher at RFA and the Knight Times/Knightly News Advisor.

Student-Centered Journalism, in partnership with Rome NAACP and WKTV.