Tennessee Tribune Launches Sports Assistant Fundraiser Program
Metro Sports Editor trains local students in Sports Journalism
The Tennessee Tribune has launched a program that is helping Metropolitan Nashville Public School students get their feet wet in sports journalism. The initiative is called the Metro Sports Assistant Sports Information Director Program (ASID). Metro Sports Editor Scott Wallace and the Metro Sports staff are training students the ends and outs of writing, taking stats, photography, radio broadcasting and interviewing athletes from their school.
![Maplewood teacher Megan Lawrence]()
- Maplewood teacher Megan Lawrence
So far students from three high schools have signed up for the program. Overton High School sophomore Nick LaReau, Hunters Lane junior Miranda Mendez, and Maplewood, led by Athletic Trainer Career and Technical Educational teacher Megan Lawrence has a team of students for the program. Maplewood Senior Travis Rainey and juniors Christopher Clark, William Bottoms and Tiffany Berg have already worked the Maplewood-Hunters Lane football game along with Mendez.
Maplewood junior William Bottoms
“The students are excited to be a part of such a great program,” said Lawrence. “This is the New Maplewood. These guys are challenging teachers to give them things to do. William and Chris came to me the first day of school asking for activities. Scott told me about the program in the spring and Travis worked with him for the Nashville Venom. They are getting valuable on the job training from professionals. That to me is awesome.”
![Hunters Lane junior Miranda Mendez]()
- Hunters Lane junior Miranda Mendez
Lawrence has offered up a classroom for the students to do interviews with athletes and even a show featuring Maplewood sports. Some of their work from last Friday’s game is featured on the Tennessee Tribune website. Clark already has a journalism background. He started a newspaper at Jere Baxter Middle School when he was in the eighth grade.
Maplewood senior Christopher Clark
Bottoms is a whiz with technology and building websites. Rainey is a natural at setting interviews up. Berg and Mendez have strong support from their parents and they both have an eye for photography. Another valuable piece of the program is the fundraiser piece involved with it.
Maplewood junior Tiffany Berg
“We wanted to get every school involved but having three to start is good,” said Wallace. What I like about the program the most is the ASIDs can say that they work for a major publication. When they go to college they will have a jump on their peers if they want to work in the athletic department of their school. Every school that participates gets 100 Tennessee Tribune newspapers a week to sale or giveaway.
80% of the sales go back to the school’s athletic program. You can’t put a price on the training the students are getting, plus now we are helping to raise money for the school too. We are happy to give back in this way.”
For more information you can contact Scott Wallace at (615)321-3268 or email him at scott.wallace@wtntrib.com.