Seaside Attitude at Spot Bay School 

Budding journalists at Spot Bay Junior School, with
Editor Claudette Upton (left) and Year 6 Teacher
Margaret Juman.

Friday, May  6, 2005

An idea that started as a way for kids to express themselves after Hurricane Ivan has taken on a life of its own at the Spot Bay Junior School on Cayman Brac.

Year 6 Teacher Margaret Juman explained that, after the storm, the school took in many kids from Grand Cayman who had gone through Ivan. She thought that documenting their experience in a school newsletter might be good for them, so she asked local resident Claudette Upton, an editor by profession to help.

The first edition of Seaside Attitude, was distributed on Reading Day, 1 December 2004. Ms Juman felt that the students had benefited from the production of this newsletter and asked Ms Upton to continue.

“I’ve certainly developed an enormous respect for teachers,” said Ms Upton, adding that the kids in the Year 6 Newspaper Club are a very creative group.

Ace Seaside Attitude reporter Katherine Lazzari is one of the best writers that she has ever taught, said Ms Juman. Katherine, who contributed a piece called, “My experience as a detective” and a poem, said that the words “just come out”.

Katherine’s friend Zachary Jones thought that she was the best writer on Cayman Brac, but was also proud of his own contribution, an article on the Sister Islands Sports Day. Kerry Tatum, who wrote a few thoughts on books, said he likes reading but what he likes most is putting his writing on computer.

James Christian prefers to do the illustrations and, for this second edition, drew a wonderful picture of Sonic the Hedgehog. He drew Sonic because when he played the electronic game, he “realized how cool he was.”

Luciano Lazzari wrote a story. He said the title had been given in an essay competition, but he had had to choose. So he did one for the competition and one for the newsletter.

Joshua Dilbert wrote an in depth crime report, including a murder mystery, a bank robbery, a car accident at West End and a piece on Criminal Justice. The ideas just came from his head, he said.

Andrew Frederick was inspired by what he and learned in social studies and wrote a piece called “Seamanship”, while Chris Barnes penned a letter to his friend Zach.

The children are becoming more expressive through writing for the newsletter, thought Ms Juman. It is an extension of their class work and another opportunity to be creative, she said.

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