The six members of “The Clintonville Chronicle” newspaper staff leaned over the table and intently examined the hardcopy of their monthly product. They were abuzz with activity. They debated where pictures should be placed, picked apart texts, and excised mistakes.

The staff resembled that of a typical newsroom on the cusp of deadline in every fashion except their ages – they were fifth grade students at Clintonville Elementary School. They were assembling the second edition of the school’s new monthly newspaper, which is an undertaking begun in November by Clintonville social worker Nancy Skedgell.

“I was looking for an avenue to help kids work on a community project that had the end result of teaching kids how to work collaboratively,” Skedgell said, “something where all types of kids can learn how to problem solve together.”

The student staff meets once a week. The paper is one page, back and front, and is disseminated to every fifth grader. The first edition included an interview with school principal Lauretta Dowling, coverage of a field trip to Lighthouse Point Park, a report on exotic pets, a word search, several comics, and a surprisingly earnest editorial from fifth grader Madison Taylor, detailing her feelings about not attending a field trip.

“A couple of weeks ago our principal, Mrs. Dowling, met with all fifth graders,” Taylor writes, and then, with precocious honesty, continues, “Mrs. Dowling told us that we couldn’t go to Nature’s Classroom this year. We were sad, but on the bright side we found out we are going to have an Educational Week. We will have a ton of field trips, like going to the beach. I CAN’T WAIT!”

After Skedgell settled on the idea of a student paper, she asked the students of Christina Madonna’s fifth grade class if they were interested. Of the 24 students, Skedgell said, 14 kids were intrigued, despite facing the prospect of giving up recess once a week to work on the paper.

“Some kids are gifted writers, while others don’t like to write but will write for this paper because it’s fun to pick and choose what you can write,” said Skedgell, who plans on rotating the paper’s staff to accommodate the interest.

Skedgell said she wanted a fun, “1940’s spin” to the paper. Accordingly, the paper’s title is inscribed in an old New York Times font. Beneath it runs the paper’s motto, “What a newspaper!” which is flanked on both sides by graphics that declare “LATE CITY EDITION.”

“I thought that the paper could be something fun that all sorts of students could work on,” Skedgell said.

Accordingly, the fifth graders creating the second issue in Skedgell’s room represented all facets of a newspaper’s production.

“I like to come up with ideas to put in the paper for other people to read,” said future-editor Carly VanDeusen. During the hardcopy proofing, VanDeusen noticed that they had listed a student’s full name in one instance, when the paper’s policy is to print first names only.

“I like doing interviews with people,” said reporter-in-waiting Katie. “I like to get to know more about people. I have fun asking people questions.”

“I like drawing,” said Jordan Tong, an already-dedicated cartoonist. “I’ve been drawing since I was four. I’m an artist.”

“I like to do the mazes,” said Ian Cheung, who also wrote the interview of Dowling in the first edition.

The new issue includes a freelanced review of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, an interview with the school’s reading teacher, a maze, a cartoon, and an interview with one of the kindergarten classes.

Skedgell said that the new issue will also be given to the kindergarten class that was interviewed. The interview, entitled “What’s Up in Mrs. Smalley’s Kindergarten Class,” was produced by Katie, VanDeusen, Tong, Taylor, and Cheung. It reads:

“Recently our reporters visited a kindergarten class and talked with the students. We found out that almost all of the kids like gym. They really like the running around and playing with the balls. Their favorite parts of school included recess, painting and centers in the classroom. When we asked about their favorite colors they told us: blue, pink, green and purple.

We wanted to know what the kids think we should improve about Clintonville and they told us: more reading and coloring. Some of the kids want to learn how to tell time, too! It was fun visiting their classroom! What do YOU think should be improved about Clintonville School?”

The students collaboratively brainstorm possible content for each issue. “I never know what’s going to be in the next issue,” Skedgell said.

Afterward, the students narrow down to topics they think are appropriate and interesting. A review of the new Twilight movie was vetoed from this issue, Skedgell said, after some of the student staff feared that it may be inappropriate for the new kindergarten readers.

“I like the idea of compromise,” Skedgell said. “Sometimes the kids will come up with ideas that are not appropriate and they understand that.”

“They try to do things that are balanced for all kids,” Skedgell added.

Such balance is the essence of a true newspaper.