Lester Elementary School students take the lead in launching school newspaper

Ten enterprising Lester Elementary School fifth graders recently published a school newspaper to resounding support from the Lester community. They already are hard at work on the May edition.

At the end of 2023, four students approached Lester Principal Katie Novosel with the idea of starting a school newspaper. She said she would be happy to meet with them to discuss the idea.

“They brought an entire presentation to me with a drawn-up version of a newspaper and I couldn’t say no to that,” Novosel said.

She opened up the opportunity to other fifth graders at the Downers Grove school and six more volunteered.

The 10 students give up their lunchtime once a week to meet, discuss, write and edit stories. They even created a mini newsroom.

The first issue included a review of the Paramount Art Center’s production of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” comics drawn by students, puzzles and mazes and interviews with teachers.

The paper has proved to be a community resource. One story featured a conversation with a sixth grade teacher who was asked his expectations for students next year. Another story offered insights for parents and staff by answering the question “What do we do at Lester that is fun?”

The newspaper was included in the Lester parent newsletter and on Downers Grove Grade School District 58′s Seesaw app.

Novosel serves as facilitator of the project. She gives the newspaper staff deadlines and helps students design the publication.

“We meet during their lunch hour once a month to discuss the status of their current topics,” she said. “I facilitate. They come up with all the content. They tell me their thoughts. I just organize it for them. They feed off each other’s ideas.”

Lester students are enthralled with the product, Novosel said.

“They love it. They think it’s really fun,” she said. “Younger kids have asked to take part in it. Now more fifth graders also want to get involved. We will look at expanding it for the upcoming school year.”