Design & Write
Be creative.
HOW IT WORKS: Every year, several Lorain County teachers work with their students on The Chronicle’s “Design and Write” tab. Some classrooms will work on designing ads, others will write editorials and many classrooms will do both. Many teachers and businesses return to this project every year, giving students firsthand experience working with a client on a real published and printed advertising project and writing on topics for publication.
DESIGNING ADS: Every teacher is paired with a local business where a representative presents information about the business and industry. Many businesses will come into the classrooms to meet the students working on their ads, and others will share information electronically. After the presentations and independent research are done, the students are tasked with creating advertisements to best represent the business they learned about.
HOW ADS ARE SELECTED: When the students complete their ad designs, their work goes back to the businesses so the advertisements could be chosen for publication. Although only a handful of created advertisements are chosen for publication, the takeaways from the project extend beyond the printed pages.
WRITING EDITORIALS: Many classrooms have students writing editorials on the same topic, others have students independently selecting topics. After students research and independently ponder their topics, they are tasked with writing an editorial for possible publication.
HOW EDITORIALS ARE SELECTED: The managing editor of The Chronicle-Telegram reads every student-submitted editorial and presents the top editorials for publication. Of those selected, the winners are voted on by The Chronicle’s staff.
Here’s what the teachers and students had to say.
“I enjoy seeing the students' creativity when given this assignment. ‘Design an Ad’ gives the students’ creativity exposure in a different way than just hanging on our school’s walls. All the pictures that were submitted were awesome, and the students enjoy taking part in this endeavor.”
John Yagoda, teacher, Avon Middle School
“I have been working with NIE having students design ads and write editorials for more than 10 years. I began coaching fifth grade students through the project, and I enjoyed “Design and Write” so much that when I moved to the high school to teach technology courses, I brought the project with me.”
Stephanie Boggs, teacher, Marion L. Steele High School (Amherst)
“I did like this project because I was able to use my imagination. I guess my inspiration for this design just came from the internet and my own imagination. I used Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop to create my design.”
Alexzander Lakner, student, Marion L. Steele High School (Amherst)
“I enjoyed doing this project and being able to use what we were doing in school on this design. I wanted to make Graffiti letters and use primary and secondary colors. I used colored pencils and sharpies for added contrast.”
Gabby Cromer, student, Avon Middle School
