Elisa Greenwood's blog

At the finish line

Last week, I was figuring out what I wanted to do with all the information that I had. Thankfully, now all of my articles are in their final drafting phases. Take a look at this article. A few experts, on the dropout prevention grants, discuss the future of the grants.

 

Almost at the finish line

I am worried! I have less than three weeks to get my final portfolio together. I am running into a few bumps along the way. Help me resolve these tragic issues. I am working on three stories:

1.       The North Carolina dropout prevention grant criteria for grant applicants

2.       Expert opinions on if the dropout prevention grants went to the right areas

3.       A comparison of the applicants' proposed budgets and the actual budgets used for 
the dropout prevention grants

The North Carolina dropout prevention grant criteria for grant applicants

Learning how to use what I have

I have taken two videos on the dropout issue. I have interviewed many people. However, those stories mean nothing if I fail to accurately format them on our Web site. My biggest challenge now is figuring out how to make all of my text stories and my video recordings available to online users. What is the best way to post video? Is it by linking the video to key text phrases? Is it by embedding the video itself? How do I make my text stories visually appealing for our users?

Sadly, the videos are not posted right now because I am unable to upload them to my blog. As soon as I figure out how to upload them, I will immediately. But for now, read these two quotes and tell me if they give insight to the dropout issue.

Did the grants go to the right place?

My second portion of the Web site focuses on if the grants went to the right place. Defining the right place is a challenge. Local experts and the North Carolina Committee on Dropout Prevention have different ideas of what "right" means. Take a look at two local experts and their definitions of right.

   Terry Stoops, an educational policy analyst for the John Locke Foundation, said that there is not enough independent research about the funded programs available to determine if they increase graduation rates

   Stoops said that graduation rates alone do not tell whether the grants had any affects on the programs' graduation rates.

Grant applicants speak

People are finally speaking! I finished a draft of my first story. I asked dropout prevention grant applicants about the application process for the grants. This section of the Web site includes information on the criteria for receiving dropout prevention grants. Check it out.

    Crossroads Charter High School in Mecklenburg County requested $100,000 in dropout prevention grants. But, the Committee on Dropout Prevention did not give them grant funds.

When sources do not talk

I am a frustrated journalist. My sources for the Web site's frequently asked questions page were always available. They all quickly returned my phone calls. But, this is the season for vacations and a few of my sources are out of their offices. I need advice on how to continue my reporting even when people are not talking. I brainstormed a few ideas. Check them out.

Creating good questions

Where do I go from here?

Finally, the frequently asked questions section of our Web site is up and running. But, I have an entirely different challenge facing me now. I have to figure out my next step. I want my final portfolio to amaze the world. But, my topic on dropout prevention and accountability is too broad. I do not know where to start. I take that back.  I have a pretty good idea of what I should be doing. But, I still need help.

 

Creating a plan

Can Journalists Change the World?

 

The frequently asked questions page is almost finished. But, I had a few challenges while I was trying to complete it.

 Asking the Right Questions

Just the Right Size

 

This week, I am working on my frequently asked questions page for our Web site on dropouts. I was the youngest person in our lab. So, Ryan Thornbrug, assistant professor of journalism and mass communication, told me I could pick my topic first. Undoubtedly, I picked the best topic on the list. The "what" of the dropout issue consists of North Carolina's dropout prevention efforts. Although Thornburg dismissed the lab early, I stayed after in order to uncover the mystery behind the dropout prevention issue.  Take a look at what I have found so far.

 

What is dropout prevention?

Watch this Transformation

I realized during the first week of classes that potential high school dropouts weren't the only students facing challenges inside the classroom. Thanks to this course, I realized I had some major challenges to face if I wanted to become a savvy, multimedia reporter that connects North Carolinians to the dropout issue.

 

What is AIM?

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