Learning to speak their minds

Jun. 24—While journalism requires investigation on the part of reporters to produce stories with a balanced perspective, a group of bilingual students from North Medford High School are learning how to become investigators of a different sort — ones who can conduct research and use that knowledge to produce thoughtful opinion pieces on issues pertinent to the community and themselves.

English language arts teacher Tonya Noon-Toledo said her expectations are high for the six students enrolled in her Civic Engagement Writing Camp, part of the Medford School District's Summer Experience program.

"By the end of the day on Tuesday (June 28), I want them to have at least two or three ideas that they want to learn more about in order to propose a solution," Noon-Toledo said.

After a visit to the Medford library and time to consult examples of op-eds ranging from the Mail Tribune to The New York Times, the writing will begin.

"Whether or not all of these pieces are going to be submitted, I wanted them to have a purpose for their writing, for people to hear their concerns," Noon-Toledo said. "For our society, we need critical thinkers; we need researchers ... who can gather information and then act upon that in a meaningful way."

By writing editorials, Noon-Toledo said, she hopes her students will gain a sense that their voice matters.

"I want our youth to stay empowered to make change by examining an issue, forming an opinion and then writing about it," Noon-Toledo said. "I think it is a step toward empowerment."

That empowerment is proving essential for these Hispanic students — a group that the ELA teacher "had no idea" would turn out to be entirely bilingual when summer sign-ups began.

"It's been a really pleasant surprise," Noon-Toledo said.

The district's Summer Experience is now in its second year, and so is the writing camp — adapted from the National Writing Project Curriculum.

"I modified it to fit the times and the needs of this particular community," Noon-Toledo said.

That meant limiting the course to 11 days while dealing with some "big concepts," including the definition of "civic engagement" and figuring out the needs of the community.

"The field trip portion of this was really an add-on to the classroom curriculum," Noon-Toledo said. "The best way for our students to learn how to engage in the community was to actually see our community."

She noted how, even though some of the students have been in Medford for only a few months, they are starting to pick up on some of the community's challenges — such as homelessness. But at the same time, they're also noticing places that are unique to the community, such as the Kid Time Children's Museum on West Main Street.

North Medford High School students Bryan Peréz and Perla Gutierrez joined in the camp's downtown tour Thursday, which included a trip to the Mail Tribune newsroom and printing press.

"I want to be able to form an essay (and) write better," said Gutierrez, a senior.

Peréz, a sophomore, said he wants to learn how to tell stories and improve his vocabulary. Thursday was a definite learning experience for him.

"This is helping me to understand how the community has different resources and how they can help me," Peréz said. "Also, you learn (about) the different departments and how they help the community."

Gutierrez added that learning about community resources not only teaches her about where she lives, but what careers she might want to pursue.

Peréz said he hopes the camp will improve both his writing and his "creativity."

Asked what she likes about writing, Gutierrez said it is a craft that gives her a "voice," and with that she can motivate others to write about what they believe.

Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or kopsahl@rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.