Schools
Whiz Kids: The Pierce Downer Newspaper Club
Sixty students work together to publish four issues of the Panther Paper each school year.
WhizKids: First-graders Josh Carroll, Kat Rutkowski, Charlotte Johnson, Audrey Arlis and Ninabella Arlis; second-graders Emma Cho, Jane Theisen, Avery Nowka, Charlie Ferris, Tyler Schenk, Brendan Wall, Caroline Pleune, Emmitt Thulin, Max Menzione, Sam Bull, Gaja Palubinskas, Maddie Redpath and Adam Blair-Smith; third-graders Mason Ringbloom, Alexis Adamo, Grace Bellavia, Audrey Dwyer, Danny Adam, Grace Cannan, Kate Scacco, Mary Petersen, Samantha Nexeril, Elvin Simpson, Sophie Goray, Tushar Mitra, Alex Karrow, Colin Doyle, Karly Bernhard, Kelsey Bernhard and Lauren Schenk; fourth-graders Cal Ferris, Lily Nowka, Maggie Lampsa, Teo Palubinskas, Evelyn Cletcher, Marty Kline, Julie Redpath, Grace Stevenson, Jack Cannan, Daniel Ungari, Chris Bull, Olivia Bull, Sophie Karrow and MacKenzie Bernhard; sixth-graders Abby Blanchard, Jack Scacco, Emily Dwyer, Emily Redpath, Annie Bedalov and Delaney Hess-Henrikson.
School: Pierce Downer Elementary School
Accomplishments: The group of more than 60 students is responsible for publishing the school newspaper, the Panther Paper.
Find out what's happening in Downers Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Key to Awesomeness: As anyone in the media will agree, it’s no easy job putting together a newspaper. That’s why it’s particularly impressive that first- through sixth-grade students at Pierce Downer put together four issues of the Panther Paper each school year. With the assistance of fifth-grade teacher Kelly DeMarco, reading specialist Beth Kamano and aide Amanda Groppi, the kids take the lead in generating story ideas, conducting interviews, doing research, shooting photographs, and laying out the pages.
Each three-page issue includes eight or nine articles, generally representing the collaborative effort of four kids each. “The older kids take a lead on it,” DeMarco said. “The students work really hard. We’re amazed at how organized they are. We are much more supervisory this year and less hands-on that last year because the kids are really taking it. We’ve seen growth in the club, and how independent the kids are.”
Find out what's happening in Downers Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Click here to check out the latest issue of the Panther Paper.
Do you know a Downers Grove kid who is a tireless volunteer, a creative genius, a standout athlete or an exceptional student? Do you know a team or youth group that has done something wonderful? They could be our next Whiz Kid of the Week.
