Cassandra Garcia 2069 San Bernardino Ave, Apt 1120 Colton, Ca 92324 (909)-332-9472 May 28, 2020 Dear Dr. Sweeney, Our Journalism course should not be cut from the school’s class roster. Here are some reasons why the Journalism class of Rialto High School is beneficial to students and why it should be kept: ● Students who want to become future journalists (like myself) get a taste for what the world of journalism is like. I was supposed to be the first student who had the amazing opportunity of taking Journalism II. Besides myself, students learn the required material and get the much-needed experience of becoming a journalist. This prepares students for the journalism courses they will be exposed to in college. Isn’t preparing students for college a primary goal at RHS? ● Without the Journalism course, useful information about the school would not spread amongst the students. The Journalism course makes many students of Rialto High School aware of the changes that occur throughout the school. It also spreads school spirit when students find out who scored the winning goal, new clubs that students can join, or simply what is going on within the school. ● It lets students express themselves. Though the newspaper is mainly written by the students of the Journalism course, students from throughout the school are interviewed and included in articles and they are also encouraged to write submissions that will be featured in the newspaper or on our new online website. It gives students a voice to be reckoned with. Students feel included in some way which can be hard in high school with teenagers still trying to find their clique. ● This course teaches students to get out of their comfort zone. Because of mandatory tasks like interviewing classmates and teachers, it makes students talk to different people that they would have never talked to before. This leads to these students becoming well rounded young adults. ● Students learn valuable lessons about writing. They are able to strengthen their writing with the different styles of articles that are written for the newspaper. Students learn how to write persuasively without using slander or being libelous. It also keeps students on their toes, since they have to know what is going on twenty-four seven at the school. ● The newspaper the journalism class writes represents everyone at Rialto High School. It shows the opinions of not only students, but also teachers, staff, and parents of Rialto High School. ● The course creates a community within the student journalists. It creates a family that these students can trust. Students are able to bond with each other and find out similarities within themselves. Without this course, these students who appear completely different may never meet in their high school career and never know how similar they really are. Hopefully these reasons are something you can consider before making your final decision. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Cassandra Garcia Student Journalist