Compass Prep

Journalism 1 - Intro to Media Studies 

From breaking news to yearbook pages, every story matters! Step into the role of a real journalist with Journalism I.  This writing-intensive course is designed to develop students’ skills in news reporting, nonfiction writing, media analysis, graphic design, and photojournalism. By studying current international and national events, students learn to gather information, evaluate sources, and communicate news clearly and accurately. The instruction covers journalistic style, interviewing techniques, research methods, and ethical reporting. Students will practice the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence as a support tool for brainstorming, research, drafting, and revision while maintaining academic integrity and proper attribution. The course also emphasizes hands-on experience in local reporting within students’ communities and co-op, where they will conduct interviews and produce publishable news stories for newsletters, podcasts, and video newscasts. Students will also use graphic design and photography to create a memorable yearbook for Compass Prep. Journalism I may be counted as an elective or as the composition portion of the English credit. 

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $450. A $50 non-refundable course enrollment deposit will be billed immediately upon registration and applies toward your overall tuition.  The balance of $400 must be paid by July 1, or select a payment plan of $200 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted forms of payment: Preferred method - Zelle. Also accepted: Venmo, Cash App, Check, Cash. If you wish to pay with PayPal, please request an invoice, as a 3% fee will be applied. All payments are nonrefundable.

Class Size: Min 6/Max 15

Day: Tuesday, 12:00 pm -12:55 pm

Instructor: Ruthanna Marshall

Recommended credit: 1.0

Required materials: Students will need a laptop for class. Write With World II is the textbook that we will use for reference and assignments, along with teacher-created materials. The textbook is out of print, so students can rent one from Mrs. Marshall for $15 for the year (limited supply) or purchase a used copy from an online bookstore (make sure you get Volume 2).  The course cost includes copy fees and online subscriptions. 

All Payments are non-refundable