Ever looked at the Oakdale Post and wondered how so many new articles are being added? Well, wonder no more, because journalism is the class that has all the answers.

Journalism is an English-based elective class that allows writers to pick topics that interest them, find people willing to be interviewed, and go through the editing process. The class helps individuals develop leadership skills while allowing them to grow as writers and readers.

Alexia Isacco, an English 9 and 12 teacher at Oakdale High School, runs the class. Unlike other classes, Journalism has different levels in the same room. Levels start from Journalism 1 (J1) and increase in numbers and responsibilities from there.

This year, the class made some changes. Senior McKenzie Mollica, the Editor-in-Chief of The Oakdale Post, mentioned: “It’s now a two-semester class and a weighted class.” For the first time, Journalism 3+ became a class that gets counted towards a weighted GPA.

Additionally, the class welcomes a new set of J1 students every year. These students are interested in writing and staying up-to-date with school and current events. A senior J1 student, Kylie Summers, said she joined this class because she “just wanted to try something new.” 

Summers enjoys the class and highly recommends it to people who “really enjoy writing and talking to others.” Being new to the program, Summers was shocked to see that there is so much that goes into the process of writing an article.

Mollica, who has been a part of this program for the past four years, also claims, “This class has allowed me to test my skills in a real-life application, because when you are managing the class, you are testing your management skills.” Being at such a high level in the class, Mollica has undergone different development stages as a writer, editor, and publisher.

Journalism is a class that should be taken into consideration when choosing new classes because It’s a very interactive and collaborative course that helps build social skills, improves writing, and allows leadership qualities to be displayed. If anyone is looking to take an English elective or just for a fun class, Journalism is an excellent fit.