One of the biggest struggles of high school students today is to acquire all the knowledge offered in a textbook, within a specific time frame. Mr. Peter Clayton, the ninth grade World History teacher at Palmetto Senior High, managed to supplement book learning with creative, hands-on projects. During the last semester, Clayton introduced a historical newspaper project that some students thought was "one of the best learning experiences of a lifetime."

Peter Clayton

Interested in the students’ opinions of his class, Mr. Clayton takes surveys on the kids’ thoughts about their learning experience each semester, and is always there to talk to or to ask for advice.

For the newspaper project, volunteer newspaper editors chose their teams in a draft format. Choices were based on either friendship, luck or special skills. Most teams ended up consisting of four group members. The editor, with the help of peers, made an assignment sheet that dedicated certain people to specific subjects. Next, each group drafted the continent of their choice. Covering the years 1945 to 1999, countries such as North America, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Europe or Africa were adopted by each group.

The newspaper was required to have three main sections: articles, editorials and political cartoons and cover eight different subjects: geography, art, women’s role, political / government structure, science and technology, economics, social structure and religion. Information was ascertained from various articles, editorials, cartoons, the Internet and classroom textbooks.

"The numerous sources of knowledge came together to make this an amazingly diverse and creative project, a true success," said Josh Polsky, Group One’s editor.

In fact, Group One, consisting of Jared Jukel, Stephen Lipner, Allison Velilla and editor Josh Polsky, contacted Pinecrest Tribune Publisher Grant Miller, who printed up 200 copies for all the classes to see. When classmates were asked if the project was a success, all of them agreed.

"The project took a lot of time and frustration to perfect, but once it was done and we saw the printed copy, it was an amazing feeling," Sydnee Jacobson, another classmate, said. According to ninth-grader Jared Jukel: "The project was great because we were learning in a hands-on fashion which kept us focused."