Journalism network gives Cy-Fair students professional experience

With more than 100 students going in to the program’s third year, Weckerly is establishing a more structured protocol and assigning ambassadors at each school to manage students and assignments.

HSJN gives students real-world deadlines, monthly press conferences, experience pitching story ideas, and practice writing and rewriting based on edits.

Damaris De Leon, a senior at Jersey Village High School, has been involved in HSJN since the program began. She has had numerous stories published in the local publications and on CFISD’s website.

“What I most enjoy writing about is individual people and just showcasing their talents and letting people know what they do,” she said.

Yearbook and newspaper classes are highly interactive, emphasizing writing and photography skills, she said.

As co-editor of the school’s yearbook, De Leon said she hopes to double major in journalism and Spanish at Texas State University next year.

“[HSJN] gives students who plan to pursue the field hands-on experience, and I think it prepares them for what it’s actually going to be like,” De Leon said. “Even for students that don’t want to pursue that field, it gives them connections.”