Young Journalists Launch "The SMS Times" at Sanford Middle School!

A new wave of young journalists is making their mark at Sanford Middle School with the launch of the school’s student newspaper! Started in early February, “The SMS Times” is giving students a platform to report on school events, sports, and issues that matter to them.

Inspired by the high school’s “Spartan Times,” the newspaper project began when Sanford Middle School Gifted & Talented Coordinator Chambree Kumka introduced the idea to her ELA groups.

“I thought this would be something that would really get them feeling connected to the school,” Kumka explains.

The newspaper has already made an impact within the school community. Fifth-grader Henry Defrance wrote a popular article about a malfunctioning water fountain that got results. “It hadn’t been working, but the day after I wrote the article it got fixed,” he said. Henry is preparing a follow-up piece for the next issue.

Sports coverage has emerged as a central feature, with fifth-graders Ivy Peters and Tanner Provencher forming a dedicated reporting team. "I thought it would be fun to write about school sports and stuff," Ivy explains. Though her article wasn't in the debut issue, she's excited to see her work in the next edition.

Tanner appreciates the opportunity to learn about sports she doesn't personally play. "I like to learn about the experiences," she says. Both reporters are looking forward to covering spring sports, particularly softball and baseball.

Fellow fifth-grader Luke Levesque, who also contributes to sports coverage, says his favorite part is simply "seeing all the sports." The young reporters have even conducted interviews with coaches and players, gathering quotes and perspectives to enrich their articles.

Students are gaining valuable experience in writing, editing, and meeting deadlines. They're also learning to conduct interviews and research topics independently.

"I want to teach them about making sure they've checked their facts," Kumka notes. "If we do make a mistake, we correct it in the next issue."

Students receive guidance when needed but are encouraged to develop their own story ideas. "If they're stuck on something, I'll guide them toward something that might be needed," Kumka says, "but I definitely try to let them choose."

The newspaper has received positive feedback from teachers and students alike. The first edition featured a diverse range of content including Henry's investigative water fountain report, sports coverage by Luke and Eamon McGuckin-Welsch, a feature on Officer Jourdain receiving the Wayne Drown Award, a spotlight on eighth-grader Paityn Ricker's SnackDash program, a guide to school clubs written by Lia Tullo, Alana Repolt, and Gabe Donovan, a student poll on allied arts classes, historical photos of Sanford, and even a joke section. It also promoted upcoming events like the school's production of "Beauty and the Beast" scheduled for May 2025.

While fifth-graders form the core of the reporting staff, Kumka hopes to increase involvement from older students in the future.

The young journalists are already thinking about future coverage. Some are preparing to report on the school talent show, while others are developing ideas for feature stories about student concerns, such as lunch table seating arrangements.

As for the design and production, Kumka currently handles these aspects but plans to gradually pass these responsibilities to the students as well. "Eventually I'd like for them to be doing pretty much all of it," she says.