JRN 200: Welcome To JRN 200!

Seriously, welcome. I'm glad to have you here. Let's talk about this class in greater detail.

First, a little about me. You can just call me Omar, since (as you can see from the syllabus) my last name is a mess. I've been at MSU for the past 10 years, during which time I advised The State News for a total of eight years, and taught JRN 200 for the past nine. Before that, I was a professional journalist for 17 years, most recently in Las Vegas, and I've covered everything from car crashes to Hurricane Katrina.

And in those 17 years I learned a lot, namely this: in journalism we learn by doing. That is, we report and write, then we review what we did well and what we could have done better, then we put those lessons in practice the next time around. Each day in those 17 years I got better; some days more than others. You don't learn journalism passively.

To that end, during this semester we will have many writing assignments called practice stories. In these assignments, we will work on a particular area of news writing (which will always be preceded by a text reading assignment and a lecture and lecture summary) by giving you a set of facts, and then asking you to write a story based on those facts (using the techniques mentioned in our readings and lectures).

Then, we will learn from those practice stories in two ways: first, you will get a personal evaluation of your individual work, where I will go over key points, both good and bad. Second, we will look at prime examples of each others' work via the blog (with names stripped out to protect the innocent), where you will benefit two ways: first, by seeing how your peers handled the exact same assignment; and second, by the blog highlighting good techniques and common mistakes and ways to avoid such errors.

Because we do learn by doing, practice stories will be weighed relatively minimally as to your final course grade. And that's by design. We want you to have the opportunity to make mistakes without seeing a serious dent to your final grade. So if you feel you didn't do well in a few practice stories, don't fret.

What we're building up to will be out-of-class stories, which will be a big part of your final grade. But the goal is to use the practice stories to build good habits and identify and weed out bad ones, so that by the time we get to out-of-class stories you are in a position to kick ass.

With all these writing assignments, we are going to be strict in two particular ways. First, ANY factual error -- even just one misspelled name or incorrect number! -- will automatically result in an assignment grade of 1.0, no matter how well you otherwise did the work.

That's not an arbitrary thing because I'm a jerk. Rather, it's to emphasize an important point: journalism isn't about writing, it's about getting it right. We write in journalism not for personal expression, but to share information that is relevant, interesting and/or useful to your audience. And if the purpose is to share information, it must be accurate. Wrong info is hardly interesting, relevant or useful to anyone.

Also, errors can be dangerous to your career. When I was working in Vegas, my paper had a five-error-per-year rule. After the first error, you'd get a verbal reprimand. The second one got you a letter in your file. After the third, you had to outline a corrective plan of action. The fourth got you an unpaid suspension. And the fifth got you fired. And this was while I was writing over 200 stories a year! Gulp.

I'm not saying this to scare you; rather, it is to motivate you to have good fact-checking habits in place so it never gets that drastic. (I was never fired during my professional career and I'm not a genius, so I know it can be done, and done easily), and to impress upon you that truth is the cornerstone of what we do.

Odds are you're going to have a few "fatals" (as we call 'em) in your practice story. That's okay; virtually everyone who has taken my JRN 200 class has had multiple fatals, especially in the first half of the semester when everything is new and good habits are still being built. Don't be scared of 'em and don't fret; just learn how you can do a better job of fact-checking, and become aware of some common traps that lead people into fatals.

Second, we are going to enforce deadlines to the second. So, let's say an assignment is due at 9 a.m. sharp, and it's time-stamped on my email as having been received at 9 a.m. and four seconds. I will unmercifully grade that assignment as late, and late assignments automatically get a 0.0.

Again, I'm not doing that to be mean. There's a journalistic reason for that. And that this is a deadline business in which we can NEVER miss a deadline. Ever. If you're writing a script for the 11 p.m. news, the scripts have to be in before 11 p.m., each and every time. After all, you've never flipped on the news and hard the anchor say, "Welcome to the 11 o'clock news. Just give us a minute and we'll get back to you." It's because people who blow deadlines are immediately exiled, so we have to start building a habit of never missing deadlines.

I'd rather have you learn that lesson here than during your first (or would it be, last?) job.

Okay, I know all of this can sound intimidating. And I can't promise that you won't have frustrations, especially early on. But these things I can guarantee you: first, YOU CAN DO THIS! I'm not asking you to lift a two-ton truck over your head; I'm asking you to master skills that have been mastered before. And I know you can master them because you are a student at a Big Ten school. That tells me all I need to know about whether you have the talent. You do.

But that doesn't mean that you'll come out firing on all cylinders on the first day. Starting something new is hard, even when it's something you have the talent in which to shine. I mean, the first time Michael Phelps ever went swimming, he probably needed floaties and such. It didn't mean he wouldn't eventually become the greatest swimmer of all time. It just meant that he had to learn how to bring his skills out. That's what we'll do here, too.

Second, I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO DO THIS ALONE! I'm here to help. I'll offer you tricks and techniques on how to avoid fatals and get assignments in on time and structure your stories properly and do kick-ass reporting. We're in this together, and I've shepherded plenty of people through this class before. I know we can do this.

So if you have a day that's frustrating, don't get frustrated. Don't punch a wall or drop the class. Just learn the lessons on how to do better the next time, and then do just that.

Again, that's how we learn in journalism. And that's how we'll learn this semester. Just stick with it, and I'll be there for you.

JRN 200: The Fall 2017 Syllabus

Michigan State University

School of Journalism

JRN 200: News Writing and Reporting 1

Fall 2017 Semester

Section 004

Class: Wednesdays and Fridays

8 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.

Classroom: CAS 242

Instructor:                Omar Sofradzija (so-FRAD-zee-uh)

Office:                        State News Building, 435 E. Grand River, 2^nd floor

Email:                        omars@msu.edu

Phone:                      cell: 702-271-7983

Office hours:            By appointment

A NOTE: While the syllabus accurately describes the content that will be discussed and acted upon this semester, the sequence and dates are subject – and likely – to change. This is a departmental syllabus that will be tweaked to best fit the needs of this class section while adhering to class goals and grade outlines. Please carefully take note of assignments and due dates as these are announced during the course of the semester, and PLEASE READ THIS SYLLABUS CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY. You will be responsible for knowing the content and course structure from the time the semester begins. “I didn’t know we had to do that” will NOT be an acceptable excuse, if the subject matter is contained within this syllabus.

Why JOURNALISM matters

Think of the world we live in.

Self-driving cars. Hurricane season. North Korea. The District Detroit. Senator Kid Rock? Scary times in Venezuela. Domestic terrorism. Big Ten football season kicks off. President Donald Trump. Meteor showers throughout 2017. Russian collusion investigation. Ocean offshore wind farms. Terrorist attacks here and overseas. A 10-year-old donates 1,000 backpacks to Flint kids. The U.S. opioid crisis. Will there be cell towers on the moon? Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics. American embassy workers expelled from Moscow. Miles Bridges starts his sophomore year at MSU. Star Wars Episode Eight hits theaters Dec. 15.

These are all examples of the world we live in. A world filled with news, in a non-stop news cycle, with an important need for ethical and skilled reporters to make sense of everything for the public.

Journalism matters. Journalists matter. In the world’s greatest times of need, people look to journalists for the answers. Congratulations on choosing a career where you can make a difference in the world.

Welcome to your first steps into the world of journalism, and becoming a journalist, in JRN 200.

Journalists are storytellers, using every medium possible. Journalists create stories that make people want to read, watch, retweet and react. A strong journalist provides accurate information, compelling images, video, sound and quotes from the best possible sources.

This is one of the most exciting – and challenging – times to be a journalist because of the changing technology, our ability to provide real-time news and the demands of global audiences.

The skill set of a journalist provides many career paths: public relations, law, screenwriting, editing, magazines, television, social media, newspapers, investigative reporting, social media, public relations, teaching, government, business, publishing, multimedia, blogging, graphic design, documentary filmmaking, travel, photography…and many more!

Journalism is a mirror of our lives: sports, arts, environment, science and medicine, entertainment, war, crime, weather, government, politics, fashion, social issues and international opportunities.

The best journalists in the world, many of which proudly are MSU J-School graduates, know how to skillfully and ethically report, write, broadcast, and understand how to put information together for the public.

We will be using a real-world approach, drawing from current media and events happening around us. We want you to be the kind of journalist whose professional work matters because of your credibility. Perfection is the standard that we strive for. The goal is that when your name or image is attached to a story or information – your readers or viewers know that information is the best and most accurate it can possibly be.

We’ll start with basics. JRN 200 first focuses on reporting in text because the thinking and organization skills required by good writing are the foundation to all good communication. You will learn to assess the needs and interests of audiences for stories; to use basic reporting methods such as observation, interviewing and documentary records to do those stories. You’ll also learn to shape print stories for online and video. Always, you will learn to write stories accurately, concisely and clearly, all formulated in flowing, grammatically correct English on deadline.   

OBJECTIVES

Welcome to your transition from journalism major to journalist! This course is essentially your first job in a newsroom, and you must approach it with the same level of professionalism and respect as you would in the real world. The work habits and skills you develop JRN 200 will serve you well as you progress in the MSU J-School and the outside world.   

What you can expect to learn in JRN 200:

·         developing news judgment by recognizing essential news values

·         gathering information through observation, interviewing and documents

·         organizing information effectively

·         writing clear and accurate stories on deadline in AP style

·         producing stories for the appropriate media

·         attributing information fully, clearly and accurately in stories

·         using correct quotation attribution

·         revising written stories for multimedia platforms

·         understanding legal and ethical issues in reporting

·         incorporating diversity in stories

·         reporting on controversy with fairness and balance

·         understanding the journalism business and how it’s evolving.

As in the real world, your work ethic directly affects how well you master these objectives. Showing up on time and prepared, meeting deadlines every time and following instructions competently will maximize your success.

As in the real world, these are non-negotiable. We want you to be the next great journalist from Michigan State. We will teach you how. But it takes work and commitment. What we do here in class is real.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Readings:

•  Daily consumption of local, national and international news is essential. Please read news from credible news sites and publications such as the Lansing State Journal, Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, New York Times, Washington Post, etc. Get in the habit of following the news wherever you are. Listen to NPR. Watch ABC News, etc. Follow CNN, Associated Press etc. on your phone. Get apps that may help you report. Know what is going on in the world, because it matters.

A good journalist knows what is going on in the world. Period. There may be current events quizzes.

Textbooks:

•  Reporting for the Media, 11^th ed. Bender, Davenport, Drager, and Fedler (Oxford University Press, 2015). DO NOT USE earlier editions, as chapters and assignments have been reorganized and/or deleted.

•  The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, 2016 ed. It is also available as an app.

COURSE ORGANIZATION

JRN 200 will have you thinking about good news writing and reporting each day! During class, you write stories on deadline, take quizzes, discuss journalistic issues and current events, review course readings and other assignments. Between classes, you report stories, prepare news tips and complete assigned readings.

Central to learning this course will be the class blog, located athttp://jrn200isfunblog.blogspot.com/ online. Through the class blog we will get assignments and homework, discuss work, review readings and past assignments, go over strategies on reporting and writing well, and do other activities. YOU WILL NEED TO CHECK THE CLASS BLOG ON A DAILY BASIS IN ORDER TO KEEP CURRENT ON ASSIGNMENTS AND READINGS, so please make this a daily habit every weekday, Mondays through Fridays. The blog is formatted for both desktop and mobile, giving you greater options in how to engage it.

WE WILL NOT BE USING D2L FOR THIS CLASS; PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK THE CLASS BLOG.

Much is expected in this class, but I do not expect you to do this alone. If you have any questions or concerns, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME by email, phone or in-person. Contact information is provided above. You cannot contact me too much, so please take advantage of that offer as you feel is needed.

Feedback is also critical to this class. Almost all graded written assignments will include considerable comments from the instructor on what you did well and why, and what you can do better and how. In addition, we will review the work of individuals (with names removed) as a class, via the blog, so we can get an idea of how others are doing similar assignments, and learn from their mistakes and/or successes. PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO FEEDBACK VIA INSTRUCTOR’S COMMENTS AND THE BLOG, as such feedback is central to how we learn in this class. In journalism, we learn by doing, then reviewing, then learning lessons from the review, and then applying those lessons going forward.

For the vast majority of assignments, you will turn in your work via email to omars@msu.edu. Please make sure that you get that address correct – omar with an s at the end – as there is an omar@msu.edu address that’s incorrect but active. If your work is not correctly sent to omars@msu.edu, it will not be graded.

For such assignments, please write your work in a Word document, and put the following in the upper left-hand corner:

Your name (for example, Joe Schmo)

The assignment date (Sept. 1, 2017)

The assignment title, as indicated in the blog (writing exercise)

Assignment pages, numbers from the text (p. 230-31, #1-2)

Here are the types of exercises we’ll be doing over the session:

Writing and Reporting exercises: These acquaint you with the professional style, structure and conventions of news writing and reporting. They are skill-building exercises designed to prepare you for out-of-class stories by honing your ability to write under deadline and to interview sources.

Quizzes: These focus on AP style, grammar, spelling, punctuation, quotations, accuracy, reading assignments and current events.

Career Development: It is important to learn how to market yourself in the best possible fashion. You will be producing a resume and cover letter. You will research internships that you might be interested in. You will also learn email and interview etiquette as well as the proper use of social media.

Localization/Public Affairs/Feature Practice Stories: Before attempting localization, public affairs or the feature stories which comprise 10 percent of your grade…students will first do a practice story. The story will be graded regarding AP style, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and quotations. As well as the quality of the lead, story organization, lead/lede, ending and selection of quotes.

Out-of-Class Stories: Three out-of-class stories culminate your learning experience in JRN 200. These stories comprise 45 percent of your grade. They integrate the writing and reporting skills you acquired earlier in the course. The research (background, interviewing, etc.) for each story takes about 10 hours. Understand that interviews usually are conducted during the Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday of your sources. So make sure you have enough time during this period available in your schedules. Not being able to reach a source, because you tried last minute or did not leave enough time to make multiple attempts, can sink your story – and grade.

You generate your own ideas for these stories on assigned topics, submitting and getting approval from your instructor for each story using the mandatory course news tip form before beginning the reporting process. The best way to get ideas for stories: read and watch as much news from as many different media as possible.

These out-of-class stories include localizations, public affairs and features.

The stories each include at least three interviewed sources, with the more credible sources you have, the better the grade. You may not use secondary sources from the Internet or news releases. You may not use information reported by other news organizations. YOU MAY NOT use anonymous sources. Wikipedia is not considered to be a credible source.

Out of class story format:

Mandatory elements – failure to follow format will significantly hurt your grade. READ THIS BEFORE YOU TURN IN ANY OF YOUR STORIES!!!

• Stories must be at least 700 words.

• Stories must double-spaced, with indented paragraphs and quotes that stand alone.

• Stories must use AP Style, proper spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.

• Your byline and assignment name should be at top left of first page.

• You must attach an interview source list (sources identified by first and last name, title and phone number/e-mail address).

• Stories MUST be turned in on time. No late stories accepted. Like the real world.

(Style hint:  look at newspapers! They have stories with the types of quote/paragraph/byline/dateline formats we will be using in class. So there is a ton of stuff to check out if you are stumped.)

Interested in raising your grade?

You should revise your out-of-class stories -- once. If you simply fix my edits, your grade will rise by 0.25. If you do extensive rewrite and additional reporting, your rewrite grade will reflect that. If you do not improve the stories, either through fixing of edits or extensive rewrites, you will not automatically get extra credit for another try. The grades from the original and rewrite are averaged. Deadlines for each rewrite are no later than one week after I return the original story.

Job Shadows: Within the first weeks of class, seek out a journalism professional who is working in a journalism occupation (not marketing or public relations) you believe you might wish to pursue. DO NOT LEAVE THIS UNTIL THE END OF THE SEMESTER. If you need help finding someone, ask Professor Dickerson at the start of the semester.

Spend time on the job with that person. Interview that professional about keys to success.  You will write a two-page first person report. That will be due at the start of the final week of class.

GRADING

Writing, reporting and online exercises                          25 percent

Online Stories                                                                       5 percent

News Pitches                                                                       10 percent

Quizzes                                                                                   5 percent

Out-of-Class Stories                                                            45 percent

Career Development                                                             5 percent

Job Shadow                                                                            5 percent

 Opportunities exist to raise grades in JRN 200:

                        Extra credit by be approved by your professor.

                     

Grade reductions result from absences and tardiness. See attendance policy.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Course material and readings build from one topic to another.

Due to breaking news events, and class guests, this class schedule is fluid and flexible. This class will frequently examine current events, how they are covered, and ask you to react to how the media is operating. Again, please be prepared to understand what is going on in the world.

We will have fun, keep things interesting and current. Go with the flow and you will be rewarded.

Homework deadlines and assignments will be updated regularly on the class blog. It is your responsibility to look at the links and lists of assignments as the course develops. Please be aware of what is required. If you have any questions – ASK.

Need extra help? Your textbook has a companion website for students at www.oup.com/us/bender.

There students will find:

·         additional exercises to improve reporting skills.

·         A list of suggested readings

·         Web links to additional resources on such topics as grammar basics, writing tips and careers

·         Handy PDF guides that students can reference when writing and reporting their news stories

Weeks 1-2:  Introduction to JRN 200

·         Journalism today; the basics; format, copy editing and AP Style; grammar and spelling; newswriting style; the language of news

·         Homework: Course Syllabus; Bender: Chapters 1, 3-4

Weeks 3-4: Audience Orientation, News Values and Story Ledes

·         Lede Construction and Audience Orientation; Citing News Sources: quotation and paraphrase; AP style and copy editing

·         Homework: Bender: Ch. 2, 7-11, 16-17

Weeks 5-7: Story Organization

·         Story Organization; Body of a News Story; Specialized Stories

·         Homework: Bender: Ch. 15, 18-19 

Weeks 8-10:  Putting It All Together

·         Story organization types; Public Affairs Reporting; Advanced Reporting; First Out-of-Class Story Due

·         Homework:  Bender: Ch. 12-14

Weeks 11-13:  Online and Multimedia Story Telling

·                     Writing for Online Platforms; Video; Second Out-Of-Class Story Due

Week 14-15: Libel and Ethics

·         Covering Conflict; Fairness and Balance; Advocacy and Partisanship’ Legal Issues in News Coverage; Moral and Ethical Issues in Journalism; Third Out-of-Class Story Due, Extra Credit Out-of-Class Story Due

·         Homework: Bender: Text Ch. 5-6

           

Out-of-Class Story Schedule

·         Please follow the class blog for specific deadlines as they are posted through the fall session.

·         Deadlines for news pitches and out-of-class stories may be altered by instructors depending on the semester and university holidays. 

·         Instructors may specify particular types of stories to be completed, but one must be on a public affairs topic.  The fourth story will only be counted if it helps improve a student’s grade. In that case, the student’s grade will be the average of the four – rather than three stories.

·         Assignments may be turned in earlier than the specified deadline but a missed deadline will result in an assignment grade of zero.

SYLLABUS APPENDIX

GRADING SCALE

All work is evaluated on the 4.0 grading system. Listed below are the criteria for evaluating assignments and computing a final grade. 

Evaluation: Instructors assign a subjective grade based on the general guidelines below. Your instructor may give subjective grades between those specified (e.g., 2.75) to make finer distinctions among stories.  

4.0: Story could be published virtually as is. It shows superior command of the facts, news judgment, story organization, reporting, and writing.

3.5: Story could be published with very minor revisions. Generally well-written, accurate copy containing all relevant material, but requires minor editing for maximum precision and clarity.

3.0: Better-than-average story. The story was handled well. Copy needs some rewriting and polishing before it could be published.

2.5: Story is a little above average. The story might have a significant problem with reporting, organization, completeness, etc. Certainly needs rewriting.

2.0: Average story. Not a story most readers would read unless they really needed the information. The story may have reporting, organization or writing problems.

1.5: A weak story. The story may have a buried lead; problems in news interpretation; problems in story organization; omission of some important fact or source.  The story needs substantial revision.

1.0: A non-story. The story lacks news judgment; displays major flaws in reporting and writing; omits important facts, and/or includes a fact error. The story needs substantial rethinking. 

0.0: Story is late or failed to receive instructor’s approval. Story is misleading or unethical. Organization or writing flaws make the story incoherent.

Fact errors: Inaccurate information, misspelling a proper name, a misquotation or an error that changes the meaning of a story automatically drops a grade to a maximum of 1.0 (e.g., President “Barack Obamma” or “Department of Transport”).         

Each error in spelling, grammar, style or punctuation will reduce the assignment grade by 0.25 up to a full 1.0 off for that assignment. 

Grading Example: Your instructor evaluates of your story, determining that with a little rewriting it could be published and assigns a grade of 3.0. Further review, however, reveals an instance of subject-verb disagreement (-0.25), a misspelled word (-0.25) and a typo (-0.25). So the story earned a final grade of 2.25.

Extra Credit: I offer opportunities for extra credit. Some of those opportunities may include writing extra stories or attending events on campus. Please meet with me if interested in doing approved extra credit.

Need extra help: The MSU Writing Center, 300 Bessey Hall, can offer assistance to students who have proper sentence structure, punctuation, grammar etc.

COURSE POLICIES

Deadlines: Your stories and pitches must be turned in at the start of class on the date specified by your professor. Late stories earn a 0.0 grade. Editors, online producers, and news directors do not make exceptions for late stories. Your professor serves as your first boss and editor.

Attendance: Your enthusiastic participation in class helps you and your classmates to learn! Conversely, absences seriously degrade that opportunity to learn.

You are expected to be in class, and on time for class. Like a professional journalist at work. Attendance, being prepared, and being respectful matters in real life. Develop good habits, starting here.

Two absences are allowed.

Third unexcused absence = final grade drops by 0.5. (Example: from 3.5 to 3.0)

Fourth unexcused absence = final grade drops by 1.0. (Ex: 3.5 to 2.5)

Fifth unexcused absence = final grade is 0.0. You have failed 200.

Missed assignments, quizzes or deadlines on a day you are absent earn a 0.0, and cannot be made up. Same with any assignment for which you are tardy.

Tardiness: Coming late to class or leaving early is unprofessional. Tardiness in 200 is defined as arriving after 8 a.m. sharp, as noted by the instructor’s clock. Two tardies count as an unexcused absence, and fall into the attendance chart above.

Other: Inattention in class for any reason, such as a ringing cell phone, e-mail use, web surfing, sleeping, texting, etc., is unprofessional. Out of respect for others and the class, TURN OFF your phone. Two such instances of class inattention will equal one absence. There is a zero tolerance policy for inappropriate class behavior.

Etiquette: Make sure when you are communicating with faculty or sources, that you use proper etiquette in your emails or in person. Address your source by their proper title.

PLAGIARISM, CHEATING, FABRICATION AND STUDENT CONDUCT

Plagiarism is presenting another person’s work as your own. Cheating is also stealing another person’s work. Fabrication is making up a source, putting words in a source’s mouth and/or other sorts of faking.

Student Integrity: Students who cheat, fabricate or plagiarize may fail this course.  Falsification, fabrication or plagiarism results in a 0.0 for the offending assignment as a minimum consequence. Follow the J-School Code of Ethics and Standards.

You will be required to attach a source list to the end of your stories. Professors will be checking sources and using online tools to ensure students are not fabricating or plagiarizing stories.

The School of Journalism also adheres to the policies on academic honesty specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades, and in the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades, which are included in current Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and on the MSU Web site. If you engage in academic dishonesty, it will be reported.

Professionalism: Professional behavior is the invariable standard for personnel in any of the communication fields when they interact with one another or with others. In class, professionalism means alertness and attention to the task at hand and unfailing respectfulness in word and behavior. Such professionalism is among the core requirements for success in this class and in any communication field.

Out of class, professionalism means courteous, respectful and honest interaction with sources. Address your professors or sources by the proper title. Introduce yourself to sources as a journalism student, but emphasize that you are gathering information for stories you expect to publish. It is not professional to tell sources that their information is “just for a class.”

Disability Accommodations:  If needed, please call the Resource Center for Persons With Disabilities at (517) 884-7273. You will be required to provide information from RCPD to your course instructor.

Note:  Journalism is a living, breathing thing. All material will be covered but class discussions may change at a moment’s notice based on breaking news or impromptu class visitors. In the real world, journalists MUST have the ability to change gears within seconds. We will also seek out every opportunity including possible class trips.