Writing Leads Test

•Keep in mind that not all of the bullets presented here are NEWS. •Some may or may not have information that is ignorable for a lead. Remember the Rule of 8? The news values? If it does not adhere to these, then there is no use including the information. This is open notes, so you should have no trouble “remembering” what the news values are. ;)

More helpful hints

•Remember the reverse pyramid. Leads must have as much of the most important aspects of the 5Ws and 1H as possible. •Two of the 5Ws are not good for leads, usually. Be sure not to start off with that info. •REREAD your NOTES and don’t rush. Just because you can read quick and finish fast, doesn’t mean you should. Take. Your. Time.

• Music teacher Susan Schaub has received a grant to study in New York this summer.

• She will take a course at The Julliard School and participate in a choral performance at Carnegie Hall.

• She will attend symphonies, an opera and a Broadway musical, meet directors and conductors and participate in music seminars.

• “It’s a dream come true,” she said. • She’s particularly excited to be bringing what

she learns back to her students next school year.

Write a lead using the 5W’s and H

• The monthly meeting of the student council was called to order at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1. The roll was called and the minutes approved as written.

• Vicki Chavez, treasurer, reported that there was $2,425 in the treasury and that the group had raised $1,621 at the talent show on Jan. 18.

• Rob Andrews, finance committee chair, said because of the success of the talent show, his group would like to have another one on May 19. His motion to have another talent show passed.

• Discussion: The May talent show will emphasize teacher talent rather than student talent. Assistant Principal David Hart will perform with his rock band, and the faculty women will do a comedy routine.

Write a lead using the 5W’s and H

• The student council voted at its meeting on Thursday to spend $350 for prizes in a campus clean-up campaign.

• Prizes will be awarded at the end of first quarter to the clubs that create and complete the best clean-up plans.

• First prize is $150. Second prize is $100. Third prize is $50.• The Environmental Science Club figures it will win the top

prize because it already has recycle bins in most of the classrooms and members pick up the recycling weekly.

• The Key Club plans to sweep teachers’ classrooms after school.

• SHAPE will go outside with gloves and trash bags and pick up trash.

• The Cheerleaders bought Magic Erasers and Clorox wipes and plan to clean all the door frames in the school.

• Spirit Club has decided to stop all use of profanity in the halls and lunchroom by calling for a school spirit ban on the use of such words.

Write a lead using the 5W’s and H