Aesha A Mwasvipa
ON May 23, learners at St John’s High School Chikwaka eagerly awaited the arrival of the Zimpapers team to officially launch the rebranded junior media club.
The learners had long prepared for the special occasion and anxiety grew with each passing moment from daybreak.
They were very happy about the positive development, which some doubted would ever become a reality.
The launch kicked off with opening remarks from the school headmaster, Mr Brian Mandikutse, who spoke about the Zimpapers Junior Media Club and how it would shape the future of learners.
Zimpapers public relations and communications manager (Digital and Publishing Division) Mrs Pauline Matanda introduced her team, which included ZTN head of output Mr Ishmael Ndlovu and The Sunday Mail gender and community editor Mrs Fatima Bulla-Musakwa.
Mrs Matanda said their mission was to inspire young learners to take up journalism.
The team also took the opportunity to explain the group’s “Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)” campaign.
The main aim of the Zimpapers Junior Media Club is to give back to the community through equipping young people with media skills.
Mr Ndlovu, who preferred to be called “Uncle Ish”, focused on the broadcasting side of the media.
He asked learners a series of media-related questions that they gladly responded to.
He further shared some of the key aspects of being a good broadcaster, which include having a good voice and being confident.
“Poorly written scripts result in poor broadcasting,” he said.
He also talked about the five Ws and an H, and how they are important in constructing a story. The next topic to be addressed was print journalism and how social media had impacted it.
Gone are the days when people only depended on the newspaper for news.
Social media is now disseminating information, though, in most cases, it is unverified and inaccurate.
Nokutenda Chiponda, the director of photography for the school’s media club, gave a vote of thanks and explained how the visit had enlightened them.
After a photoshoot with the media club members, the delegation visited the school’s poultry project and planted some trees as part of the SDG campaign. In short, this was a fruitful event and the school’s junior media club team is ready to reciprocate the love.
Aesha Mwasvipa is a Form Four learner at St John’s Chikwaka.
