Yes, journalism is still part of a high school curriculum some places. In fact, the Westfield High School in New Jersey has such a rich history of the subject that it is celebrating the 80^th anniversary of its weekly school paper (called "Hi’s Eye"). To celebrate the impressive milestone, a special edition of the Hi’s Eye was published.

“Hi’s Eye is a tradition that has been with Westfield High School through five principals, two buildings, 15 football state championships, five major wars and sweeping changes in American culture,” reported Stella Billek, a Journalism II student, according to My Central Jersey.

The heavy focus on STEM in the classroom has left subjects like the arts and English to be a required yet non-highlighted subject. With high schools like Westfield the art of journalism is kept alive through its rich history and proactive approach to the subject. That being said the subject has found a way to evolve with the introduction of technology.

“The most significant difference in the school newspaper’s content has been the addition of social media,” wrote Hi’s Eye contributor Zoe Rader, according to the report.

“Today, Hi’s Eye continues its traditional print format but also has an online presence in its web edition, a blog, and communicates through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.”

Social media has become a medium that many reputable news outlets are using to get their stories out faster and in some cases create a viral trend. These students are gaining the base knowledge they need to stay aware of the trends in news and how to properly use social media as a journalistic medium.

“Journalism II teacher Nicole Scimone explained that her class decided to produce the commemorative issue by writing about ‘the biggest story trends from the last 80 years, with a page for each decade of Hi’s Eye existence,’ according to the report.

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Article by Navindra Persaud, Education World Contributor