Inside The Current: ORCA’s Student-Led Newspaper
Extracurricular activities are a huge part of the Oregon Charter Academy’s (ORCA) culture. Each year, our students have opportunities to go on field trips, attend dances, participate in student government, and join one or more of our many student-led clubs. These activities enable students to connect with their peers outside of live classes, pursue their passions, and engage in new learning experiences.
One of our most distinctive extracurricular activities is The Current, ORCA’s student news publication. Founded in 2021, The Current is a space where students can put journalism into practice by covering events in the ORCA community, all while building valuable skills for college and careers.
What is The Current?
The Current originated as a new club proposal submitted by former ORCA students. The publication releases new content on its website on the first Monday of each month, from October through June. Student reporters, working under the guidance of an ORCA staff member, write, edit, and publish stories on various topics, including school events, classroom activities, teacher and student profiles, creative essays, opinion pieces, and even movie reviews.
Each edition of The Current can include as many as 30 original pieces. Since its inception, the publication has produced hundreds of student articles. The club’s publication process embodies ORCA’s mission of creating independent learners who thrive in an asynchronous environment.
Bringing The Current to Life
Bringing each edition to life is a collaborative effort between student writers and editors, and faculty advisors. The staff reviews coverage plans and develops story assignments at the beginning of every month. Students discuss these ideas in messages or during weekly synchronous meetings. Students can also pitch their own story ideas that move through a similar discussion and feedback process. Once story assignments are set, student reporters begin scheduling interviews and writing their pieces.
After a piece is drafted, it goes through an editing process. Student copy editors—appointed by the faculty advisor—and the editor-in-chief take an initial pass. Then the piece moves to group editing. During this stage, the entire staff contributes to the evolution of a piece through asynchronous feedback and discussion. After group editing concludes, the layout editor posts the finished piece to the website.
Journalism Education at ORCA
While The Current is an extracurricular club, there is some connection with ORCA’s formal journalism education. Many of the publication’s staff members also take ORCA’s Journalism class every fall, where they learn about newsgathering techniques, ethics, and how news writing differs from other forms of writing. Journalism students also have the opportunity to write pieces on a broader range of subjects that wouldn’t necessarily fit into a hyper-local school publication.
ORCA currently offers only one journalism class. However, last year, a few of The Current’s student editors participated in an experimental Exploring Leadership in Newspapers class aligned with their expanded roles in producing the student news publication.
Skills Developed Through Student Journalism
As with anything at ORCA, journalism efforts at The Current ultimately support our central goals of preparing students for college or a career.
Our student reporters develop critical thinking skills as they prepare for interviews and hone their professional writing skills while drafting their articles. During editing, they also learn how to give and receive feedback in supportive and productive ways. Student journalists also learn about being accountable for the things they say, which requires them to be very careful about the facts they gather.
Ultimately, The Current is a very different type of extracurricular activity because the students work collaboratively to produce a product under strict monthly deadlines. There may be no greater preparation for college and careers than working with peers to achieve a shared goal.
Journalism in Action: Recent Highlights from The Current
Every month, ORCA students put the skills they learn on full display by producing a wide range of quality journalism. Here are a few highlights from the April edition:
Lily Dixon shared the success of ORCA’s Esports teams in recent competitions.
Taylor Byrne recapped a recent Q&A between ORCA students and Don Pettit, a veteran NASA astronaut who joined a live video session from the International Space Station.
Lily Dixon and Annalaina Yip shared their conversation with former editor-in-chief of The Current Hannah Ma in which she talked about her transition from ORCA to Portland Community College.
Avery Khoury previewed April’s upcoming events, which included 5th Grade Outdoor School, a Japanese internment camp speaker, and the ORCA prom.
Wilder Kersey brought the humor with a piece asking whether bad insults are more insulting than good ones.
These examples demonstrate the range of topics covered by The Current and how ORCA students apply critical thinking, professional communication, and collaborative skills in service of their school community.
The Value of Student Journalism at ORCA
At ORCA, we believe that strong writing skills are essential for success in both college and career paths. By producing The Current each month, students develop these skills in a real-world context that requires accuracy, accountability, and collaboration.
These skills also become particularly valuable in an era when misinformation often spreads faster than the truth. ORCA student journalists learn that facts matter, and they understand how to communicate effectively.
Beyond communication skills, students learn to work within a structured team environment, meet regular deadlines, give and receive constructive feedback, and produce work they can be proud to share. These experiences will help to build confidence and competence that will carry them to success long after graduation.
Join Us for a Virtual Information Session
If you’d like to learn more about ORCA’s student news publication or our slate of extracurricular opportunities, join us for a virtual information session where you can connect with ORCA staff and preview our learning platform.