Cape journalism students visit the Newseum
By Morgan Kaplan | Dec 23, 2011
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Photo by: Cecily Fisher Cape Henlopen HIgh School students recently visited the Newseum in Washington, D.C. They include in back (l-r) Aly Fisher, Amie King, Renny Criswell, Ben Wiswell, Ralph Foskey, Amanda Rose, Dylan Ridge, Nora Carle, Morgan Kaplan, Colleen Beck, Suzi Jamgochian, Sam Jamgochian. In the center are Emily Reed, Juli Kyritsis, Spencer Hoernes, Marli Castle, Lexie Colpo, Mateo Andrade, Steven Gebbia and Madeline Bradshaw. In front are Lance Napier-Kane, John Leone and Victoria Allen.
Cape Henlopen High School publications students traveled to the nation’s capital recently to visit the Newseum, a museum dedicated to the news. The journalists and yearbookers were greeted and escorted past eight 12-foot pieces of the Berlin Wall into the atrium where they watched a brief movie on navigating the intricate exhibits.
Afterward, they took a glass elevator to the sixth floor and braved the chills on the scenic balcony where they could see the Capitol Building in the distance. From there, they split into groups and walked past over 80 national and international front pages of newspapers. They are updated daily, and include a newspaper from every state.
The 9/11 exhibit was silent. Visitors were shocked when they saw the mangled broadcasting antenna that actually sat on top of the World Trade Center. Junior Renny Criswell said, “My favorite part was the 9/11 exhibit. It was cool to see the antenna.” The NBC News Interactive Newsroom was also a favorite for many. The touch screen panels offered many real-life games like “Be A Reporter.” Players could choose to capture photographs of newsworthy stories or interview people about crimes. If students were really feeling brave, they could test their reporting skills in front of a green screen.
Many visitors went to the highly anticipated 4-D movie, "I-Witness: A 4-D Time Travel Adventure,” which was an experience for the senses. It took moviegoers back to the 19th century as Nellie Bly, the first female investigative journalist, went undercover. She faked insanity to cover the harsh conditions of an insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island. Then, students felt the rattle of bombs during World War II when Edward Murrow’s radio broadcast was delivered to United States and Canadian listeners. Senior Steven Gebbia said, “The 4-D movie was a new experience. I liked how it immersed you into the story line.”
Most students agreed that the Pulitzer Prize Photography section was incredible. The winning pictures from each year showed everything from presidents, famines, war, fires, crimes, and nature pictures. It truly makes visitors feel as if pictures are worth a thousand words.
All in all, the students loved it. Freshman Marli Castle said, “If we didn’t have such dedicated journalists in our country, then we wouldn’t have been able to record historic events.” On the journey back to Lewes, students raved about how educational and interesting the Newseum was.
Freshman Ralph Foskey said, “I would really like to go again.” The Cape Publications Staff would like to thank the Cape Henlopen Education Foundation for the $500 grant that helped pay for the transportation. This is the second year that the staff members of the Valhalla Yearbook and the Viking Ventures Student Newspaper have been able to go to the Newseum thanks in part to the C.H.E.F. grant, and they look forward to the next year’s trip.
