A few students at Wareham Middle School are learning to do more than just write essays, thanks to the school’s new journalism club.

The club, headed by English teacher Libby Dever, began towards the end of September. It has five students, all of whom Dever describes as “eager, and very excited.” Of these five, three are fifth-graders, and two are eighth-graders, whom Dever jokingly said she “suckered into joining me.”

Fifth-grader Indiana Troupe said he “loves the newspaper,” and knew he had to join the club, despite other after-school activities that interested him.

“I had to make it fit in,” Troupe said. “I always used to watch TV news, and then I’d make my own little newspapers for … just around the house.”

Troupe said he keeps an ear out for things other students are saying in the hallways, so he can get ideas for news stories that may be of interest for the paper.

“Just the little things I hear kids talking about – I’ll be like, ‘What did you say?’” Troupe said. “I carry a notepad around on me.”

Troupe and fellow fifth-grader Freddi Rosen said they work well as a team. The two recently covered a debate about school uniforms, with Rosen as the photographer, and Troupe as the writer.

Rosen said he takes on more of a reporter’s role, and Troupe acts as his editor.

“[Troupe] does most of the ideas,” Rosen said. “He knows what we are going to do … I just put a tiny article here, and he edits it.”

Dever said teaching journalism is much different than teaching English essay-writing, which Dever said was an unexpected challenge. For one, the style is different – “kids write mini-essays, instead of writing about [an event].”

“Everyone started fast and furious, and we had to take a step back and go over the journalism rules, and about not stealing work from other papers,” Dever said. “I had to teach them they couldn’t go on Google and take images.”

Dever said she wants the students’ publication to focus on the Middle School, specifically, and give students a voice. Among the articles the students published this month is a response poll from students regarding trick-or-treating on Halloween. Dever said the club received "some of the funniest responses."

The question posed to students was, "Are middle school students too old to trick or treat?"

"No, because that's like asking if you're too old for free candy. You're never too old for candy. Also, it's fun to make costumes. Also, my parents do it and they're 60," read seventh-grader Avery Gillman's frank response.

"No! I will always go trick or treating. I like dressing up in my costume and going around the neighborhood with my friends. I also love candy!" fifth-grader Ava St. Germaine's answer read.

Dever said she hopes more students will join in the future, but understands that there are many after-school activities in which students may choose to become involved – “a great problem to have.”

“There are only two days a week kids can stay after, and it’s very hard for kids to pick and choose,” Dever said.

The publication, called the Striking Viking Scoop, has published one issue, and more are in the works. If students have tips or stories they think would be interesting to see in the paper, contact Libby Dever at edever@wareham.k12.ma.us.