So much for in like a lion and out like a lamb, Letendre’s ‘Dream Team’ now available and a journalism day for high schoolers

Posted By: David Fortier April 2, 2023

By David Fortier 

Come Sunday morning, our UConn Huskies and Donovan Clingan are on their way to the NCAA National Men’s basketball championship game on Monday night. (It airs at 9:20 p.m. Ouch! But I am sure there will be plenty of Bristol people cheering on the Huskies, against their San Diego State opponents.) San Diego State is coming off one of those miraculous finishes, carrying some momentum into the big event. 

Go Huskies! 

*** 

And by the way, “Dream Team,” The Bristol Edition’s Mike Letendre’s book about the 2022 state championship run by Clingan and his Bristol Central High School teammates, is now available via Amazon at this link. Click here.  

*** 

April has arrived. So much for in like a lion and out like a lamb. April arrived on Saturday with some rain and temperatures in the 60s. The forecast for Sunday? The day starts in the 30s. Let’s hope things settle down soon. But then it is New England. 

On Friday, I attended, with some 23 students and two teacher-chaperones, the 4th Annual Central Connecticut State University High School Journalism Day. (Disclosure: I am one of the originators and planners. Being the state director for the Journalism Education Association helps.)  

The keynote speaker was CT Public’s Lucy Nalpathanchil, vice president for community development, formerly the host of the “Where We Live.” She was terrific. It’s not easy holding the attention of 200 high schoolers for 5 minutes, never mind 45 minutes, which she did. It helps when you have a photo of your flying dog on the cover of the Weezer Ratitude album cover. (Click here for the image.)  

How did that happen? Nalpathanchil entered the photo in a National Geographic photo contest and the photo was published in the magazine. One of the members of the band saw it, and the rest is history. She addressed the topic, “Making the Most of a Journalism Interview.” 

Another featured speaker was reporter Alex Putterman of Hearst Connecticut Media/CT Insider.  He addressed, ““Finding and Telling Great Stories.” Putterman had to compete with a lunch crowd, lining up for a Tex-Mex buffet and sitting down to eat it, while he presented. He was up to the task, especially when the students started in with questions, several of which had to do with his paycheck. 

Workshops included sessions on covering controversial stories, journalism ethics, covering sports and using social media to promote your journalism.  

Steve Nevas, an attorney and former chief law correspondent for CNN, and I led a workshop for faculty advisers on knowing your legal rights. Part of the discussion ended up discussing New Voices legislation, which is sweeping the country and may have finally reached our state. A New Voices bill provides added protection for faculty advisers and student journalists. More on this in the future. 

*** 

Reading/Listening: For this week, I recommend “Brian Stelter thinks the news has a reliability problem<’ an episode of the Gray Area podcast with host Sean Illing. Stelter is the former host of CNN’s Reliable Sources and the author of “Hoax.” They discuss just what the consequences of the Dominion suit against Fox News might be. Click here. 

Reading is “The Data Delusion” by the New Yorker’s Jill Lepore. Lepore, as part of the American Chronicles series, provides a history of data and how it has come to be the go-to when discussing everything, whereas there are many ways of understanding the world. Click here. 

*** 

Enjoy your week! 

All TBE readers, supporters and donors                

The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.                

  • Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.                
  • Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.                
  • Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.                

Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.