Communications, media, public policy magnet program challenges students in new ways
Shoham is a sophomore at Skyline High School enrolled as a first year student in the Communication, Media, and Public Policy magnet, with a strong interest in journalism. She is writing this column both to showcase the CMPP magnet, and to express that interest. She'll write a weekly column on the program.
Computers are whirring, and people are talking in attempts at hushed tones. Off in the corner, a printer is delivering fresh copies of organizational charts and budget analyses. In another room, boom mics are hefted, and cameras are readied.
No, this isn't a business office or a television studio. This is a classroom in Skyline High School, a part of the CMPP magnet program.
Students in the CMPP program at Skyline High School are part of a specialized three-year course.
A magnet is an elective enrichment program, the like of which is not available anywhere else in Ann Arbor. There are four of them at Skyline; Design Technology and Environmental Planning, Health and Medicine, Business, Marketing and Information, and CMPP. CMPP stands for Communication, Media and Public Policy.
This, along with the other magnet programs, is its second year. The magnet programs start in sophomore year and end senior year with a special endorsement on the diploma.
During freshman year at Skyline, students get a week to explore each of the four magnets through in-classroom activities. Once that week is over, they have the chance to put their name in a lottery. Names drawn from the lottery determine who gets the chance of being in a magnet.
There are 54 students enrolled in CMPP; 26 are juniors, and 28 are sophomores. This year, the program would optimally be at 50 students, with 25 from each grade, says Pat Jenkins, the teacher in charge of CMPP. This number, she says, is best in terms of managing the work required to find internship placements and monitor on-the-job performance for the senior year.
Students in the CMPP program receive a specialized course of education over the three years they're in the program, culminating in a capstone project and/or internship. During the first year they're in the program, they receive an intro to the world of public policy through real life problems currently affecting our clients, the city of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. By the end of this trimester, each student will have produced a public service announcement about one of the energy programs operated by Ann Arbor or Washtenaw County, a project that starts by by going through all the steps of policy analysis on the problem.
During the second trimester, sophomores learn about media literacy, getting more familiar with the various forms of communication and how they're employed to affect change. This prepares them for their next year in the program. As juniors, they explore broadcast communication, a.k.a the legalities of broadcasting and streaming information/video in the 21st century. They also develop their video production skills, learning about things like lighting kits, camera angles and the importance of audio.
During senior year, in addition to internships and capstone projects, the students will look at how decisions are made in the world of bureaucracy, as well as opinion polling and how it affects policy decisions.
The computers have been shut down, the printer has come to a halt, and boom mic and camera are resting in their places. A bell rings, and the students leave ... because this is still a school, not their jobs.
Not yet, that is.
Comments
Jayla
Tue, Nov 9, 2010 : 8:39 a.m.
Wow. this is such a great article! It was very good in detail of our program. I found out things about this magnet I didn't even know through this article!
Troy Naylor
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:49 a.m.
The program is providing A great platform for us CMPP students, and truly preparing us for our careers, whatever they may be. I think this experience will be beneficial for us CMPP students, and make us stand out among the crowd. RT
Kelsey LaHaye
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:45 a.m.
Great job Shoham! You did an amazing job on this article.
Troy Naylor
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:44 a.m.
The program is providing A great platform for us CMPP students, and truly preparing us for our careers, whatever they may be. I think this experience will be beneficial for us CMPP students, and make us stand out among the crowd.
Janae Sims
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:42 a.m.
What an amazing article. Very nicely written! I can't wait for the next 2 years!
katherine
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:40 a.m.
Good job Shoham, I enjoyed reading this article about CMPP
Eileen Belden
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:36 a.m.
The magnet is 3 tris for sophomore, junio and senior years. CMPP is really great and everyone should apply :)
Martika Fairley
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:35 a.m.
It's really great that we have the opportunity to participate in this program.
Troy Naylor
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:35 a.m.
The program is providing A great platform for us CMPP students, and truly preparing us for our careers, whatever they may be. I think this experience will be beneficial for us CMPP students, and make us stand out among the crowd.
lacey deloria
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:34 a.m.
Its so cool that we have this chance to get something extra on top of our diploma for being apart of the magnet. I'm glad that I am involved in this program so that I can take part in those bonuses. --Mackinzie Cole
nivetha samy
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:34 a.m.
CMPP is such a great magnet! It's really fun and we learn a lot.
Hannah Lee
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:29 a.m.
it's 2 tri's and Ms.Jenkins said that we could contribute to the articles if we wanted to.
Angela Song
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:29 a.m.
Commenting to get points. Kidding. It's an awesome article! :) Good job.
Eric Jensen
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:28 a.m.
We get special endorsements SOOOOO cool. This magnet is opening up so many job opportunities for me
Kira
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:27 a.m.
I think having the magnet program, sets us aside from other schools significantly. Although this might sound selfish I enjoy being the only school that gets this opportunity. A lot of people when they hear I attend Skyline ask about the magnet program. I am glad I'm apart of the CMPP magnet and I can fully participate in discussions about what is going on in the public policy world.
Kaz Ishikawa
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:27 a.m.
That's really cool that we get so many job opportunities senior year because of the magnets.
stassia
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:26 a.m.
This is a great article on CMPP! can't wait for the next three years!
lacey deloria
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:25 a.m.
Before reading this article I didn't know how many opportunities were available through our specific magnet class. It's really cool to see all of the possibilities and all of the directions that we can go in from here. Nice job (:
Raven
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:25 a.m.
Yeah its so cool that we get specials endorsement on our diploma!
Sarah
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:24 a.m.
Thanks for explaining what we are doing throughout the magnet course, I wasn't sure what was happening but now I know. Nice article Shoham.
Andrew Almani
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:22 a.m.
So great that skyline has these programs... really integrates my interests in law, politics, and public policy. RT.
DC
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:22 a.m.
I'm really looking forward to the upcoming internship and projects.
Jessica Parent
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:19 a.m.
I didn't know what we are doing in junior and senior year of the magnet, and now that I do, it sounds really cool and I'm really looking forward to it!
Emily Anderson
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:18 a.m.
I wonder if the other high schools in Ann Arbor will adopt magnet programs. So that they will have the same opportunity as those who attend Skyline. Overall, nicely written!
Alex Kime
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:16 a.m.
Wow, nice. Is Shoham the only one able to this or can the rest of us wokr on it as well??
Claire
Mon, Nov 8, 2010 : 8:10 a.m.
Wait. We get a special endorsement on our diploma? That is so cool!
Yuxuibbs
Fri, Nov 5, 2010 : 7:19 p.m.
wait how many tri's r the magnets? idk if i can get into a magnet nxt yr