Wayland Student Press Network (WSPN) is the online news medium of Wayland High School in Wayland, Massachusetts. It has received attention from media bloggers. Its mission is to help unite the school community by raising awareness of various student activities. WSPN serves the Wayland community as a student-run news medium. It goes beyond written articles, adding broadcasting, video clips, photo galleries, blogs, cartoons. Students can choose to participate a great deal or only once in a while. No experience in online publishing is necessary.
Contents
In less than a year, the Wayland Student Press Network (WSPN) grew from just an idea to winning the National Pacemaker Award, a prestigious student journalism award in the country.
Awards
Wayland Student Press has received awards from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia (University) Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), as well as The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (Webby Award).
Media Attention
Within weeks of first publication, WSPN was receiving accolades from outside sources. Mathew Ingram, a technology writer with The Globe and Mail in Toronto, praised the technological advancements of WSPN.
“A small-town high school – Wayland High in Wayland, Massachusetts – (is) doing things with their school newspaper’s Web site that more big-city papers should do, including a smart use of video, blog-style format and great design.”
He further added, “A bunch of 16-year-olds, and they are out-producing many larger newspapers put out by a giant staff. Pretty powerful stuff.”
Paul Conley, who held senior positions at CNN and Bloomberg News, brings up a question to other journalists through his blog.
“Take a look at the future: a news site run by high school kids. Not college kids. Not pros. Take a look and ask yourself honestly, ‘What are these kids doing on this site that I can’t do at my publication?’”
Howard Owens of GateHouse Media also wrote about WSPN on his website.
Wayland Town Crier also wrote an article about WSPN.
On April 19, Wayland Student Press, a student-run news medium of Wayland High School in Wayland, Mass., received a National Online Pacemaker Award, given by the National Scholastic Press Association, which was established on 1921.
Grant
WSPN obtained a grant from the Wayland Public Schools Foundation to purchase necessary computers, and video and digital cameras. Students write articles, opinion pieces, conduct interviews and create videos for the Web site. Students have tuned in to view the site and to send in online comments on a wide range of subjects, from praise for student productions to lively debate about the upcoming elections.
Readership
The site is the homepage at Wayland High School, but receives traffic from all over the world. As of August 2009 the site has been accessed from all 50 states, and over 130 countries. While two-thirds of traffic to the site from MA comes from Wayland, 33% of the traffic coming from inside Massachusetts comes from other towns and cities.
Facts
Access
Wayland Student Press Network can be accessed through waylandstudentpress.com. The old site (from Spring 2007 - Fall 2010) can be viewed at wspn.thinkrobin.com