10 Story Ideas for Your School News Show | October 2024

Dave Davis, director of the ASB Workshop, advised a high school newsmagazine for 34 years. Here are 10 story ideas your school news show can produce this month.

The Less Obvious Sports Hero: Behind the scenes of every high school sport is the kid who serves as “team manager,” or fills a similar role that is generally unheralded. They never appear on the field, but they are part of the team, and often they are invaluable to the coaching staff. How about shining the spotlight on them?

October Festival Mania: SO many communities host fall festivals that give everyone a reason to get outside and enjoy arts and craft booths, fun food options, races, parades, you name it. Why are these great stories? They have TONS of visuals and nat. sound just waiting for your crew. And characters? They are everywhere. Perhaps tell this one through the eyes of one or two main characters instead of focusing on the entire event.

Community Service: Not the kind required of those who got into a little trouble with the law. This would be about teenagers who are volunteering and doing things to make the community a little better. A little cleaner. A little safer. Many do this to improve their profile for college applications, and that is legit. But some have been doing their part for causes or organizations that might surprise you if you dig a little.

Good News Happens: How about reporting on positive teen trends? Here is one: Findings showed there was a significant drop in the number of U.S. middle and high school students who reported current (past 30 days) e-cigarette use. https://rb.gy/yojmab Another one: Teen birth rates continue to fall, a trend started around 2015. https://abcnews.go.com/US/teen-births-us-fall-record-low-total-drops/story?id=109572998 Here is a third one: Teens who get good grades can save their parents money. Details here: https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/good-student-discounts-study/

About Those Club Sports: About 70% of teenagers and youth are quitting organized sports by the time they are 13. According to a January report by the American Academy of Pediatrics, burnout and injuries are the top reasons. This article might spark an approach for a team interesting in digging deep and really examining the good and bad of club sports: https://rb.gy/j0fayy

Lost Traditions: Every school has its traditions, things that always happen every year. Homecoming is the perfect example. A fun story about the traditions of your school’s past that have been dropped in 2024 might give you a great reason to reach out to alumni and involve them in your broadcast.

Spooks and Haunts: It’s October, so of course some urban legends will be at the forefront. Is there one in your area a crew could investigate? These do not have to be dark stories—the can actually just be fun, and somewhat lighthearted. Maybe there is a ghost at a local theater, or a creepy bridge nearby. Teens often know about these and can find out more.

App of the Month: How about updating your audience on a new app that teens might want/need/enjoy? This is a great assignment for the kid who is locked in on the latest cool apps, and has the ability to explain them. It could also be spun into a review piece. “I checked out the (whatever) app everyone is talking about…and I have thoughts…”

ADHD: ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders in children and is estimated to affect 5-9% of school-age children. It also affects an estimated 4% of adults. This is such a common disorder—chances are, you have a student on your broadcast staff who has it. Maybe a report about what it is, how it can be managed, how teens who have it can be successful students and adults would be enlightening.

What Happens Next? This is a tough one, but certainly is something many people are thinking… after the election on November 5, what happens next? We all remember January 6 and the protests after the 2020 election. Asking teenagers what their expectations are for post-election 2024, and maybe touching base with your American history teacher about the transfer of power in the U.S., would provide food for thought.