Inside the New ‘Foust Voices’ Newspaper Created by Owensboro Fifth Graders

One of the reasons I'm writing this story is that I worked on my middle school's newspaper and later, the high school paper. It was a great way to supplement my skills; I'd enjoyed writing before all that began, but these periodicals brought the structure.

Foust Elementary School Newspaper

And so, it was with great delight that I learned of a group of fifth graders at Foust Elementary School in Owensboro who have created "Foust Voices," a school newspaper that publishes roughly every six weeks. And this is the first issue.

I can remember the excitement I felt the first time I saw my name in a byline, and the enthusiasm from this staff about what they are doing was palpable. Every other Thursday (when school is in session, of course), Kaelyn Reeder, Isabella Winstead, Jase Fuqua, Unity Carter-Swanagan, Alaya Bishop, James Zuniga Rodriguez, Elmer Vargas Moreno, Francisco Bengston, and Zaiden Smith meet and toss around story ideas in preparation for the next issue. According to my calculations, these kids will be ready to go with Vol. 1, No. 2 sometime in January.

What 'Foust Voices' Covers

"Foust Voices" covers everything from school news (Student Spotlight, the 5th grade zoo trip) to sports (from local to pro) to national news (iPhone 17, and it's right there on the front page). Short stories, the book of the month, a comic section, and a word search add to the fun.

These student journalists are very good writers, so the sky is indeed the limit. It's like any other skill or ability. As long as you continue to use your talent, you will only get better at it. I look forward to the next issue.