ON TRACK: KIDS' NEWSPAPER MARKS ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

The Southeast Missourian Jr. is a newspaper by kids, for kids, and as it celebrates its one-year anniversary, editor and creator Cheryl Ellis believes the paper has had a positive impact on area kids.

"The Jr. gives kids a constructive way to spend their time when there are so many nonconstructive ways out there," she said. "It's a great way for them to feel like they've accomplished something if they get published or win a contest."

Ellis, who works in the advertising sales department at the Southeast Missourian, came up with the idea of the Jr. last summer, after Rust Communications chairman Gary Rust ran across a Michigan paper that was publishing a newspaper for kids and passed the information along to Ellis. Ellis then called the paper and arranged to get a copy.

"It was about four pages of just kids' artwork," Ellis said. "I thought, No. We can do this so much better.'"

So the Southeast Missourian Jr. was born on Aug. 27, 2000, created by Ellis and former Southeast Missourian designer Marjorie Hasting. Ellis said Hasting created most of the creative graphics used in the paper and worked closely with her for a few months, until other projects demanded her attention. The paper has been published on the last Tuesday of each month as an insert in the Southeast Missourian ever since.

Learning and growing

Tracker, the paper's mascot, was created by head designer Scott Anderson after Ellis decided that kids needed a figure they could identify with the paper. Tracker was modeled after one of Ellis' beagles.

Ellis said the readers have really taken a liking to Tracker, especially when he's at parades and Jr. parties. "It's neat to see the kids' reactions and that they're aware of the publication," she said.

In February, Ellis came up with the concept of having a "Jr. reporter," 11-year-old Heather Hileman of Jackson, Mo., a student at North Elementary School. "It's a great experience for her, because she wants to write and possibly do journalism for a career," Ellis said.

Hileman said she was excited when Ellis asked her, because she wanted to write over the summer. She said she likes how Ellis works with her to perfect and edit her stories and help her learn. "I really like being able to work with Cheryl, and have met a lot of great people because of this," she said. "It's been a fun summer."

A challenge to work paper in

Ellis said one of the main reasons they've been successful in their first year is the willingness of sponsors and teachers to contribute to the paper. Ellis said she is grateful to the sponsors and the new ideas they contribute each time one gets involved.

"It's a free paper for the kids, and our advertisers make that possible," she said.

But getting teachers involved, Ellis admitted, is challenging.

"They've got their own regular curriculum, and they're very busy," she said. "It's very hard to work new things in there. What we try to do is give them a lot of opportunities to work the Jr. in with their regular curriculum, such as sending in class projects."

Ellis said that teachers who have worked with the Southeast Missourian Jr. have told her that it's a pleasure and the kids are enthusiastic about it. Recently, the Jr. won a literacy award from the Missouri State Teachers Association for its efforts.

"It's an award from teachers saying that we're doing the right thing and we're on the right track with the kids," she said.

Ellis said she sees many things in the Jr.'s future, including a "Classroom of the Month" award, more involvement by teachers and schools and even a life-size Tracker costume.

Despite all the hard work, Ellis said she gets a lot out of producing the paper.

"It makes it all worthwhile to see the kids using it and know that they're getting something out of it," she said.