Bartlesville Kids Start Neighborhood Newspaper

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. –

Some Bartlesville kids started a neighborhood newspaper, The Valleywood Voice, to draw attention to the things happening in their community.

Evanjalyn Webster is only in the fifth grade, but she can already add “newspaper editor in chief” to her resume.

She came up with the idea to start a newspaper and recruited kids from her neighborhood to be a part of her staff.

“I give them a little slip of paper that has their assignment and some notes and when I need it done by,” Webster said.

Every month, neighbors on Valley Road can expect an issue in their mailbox.

In last month’s issue, the kids highlighted Halloween traditions for families on their block.

“I really like when I get to do Q’s and A’s, questions and answers, with people because I just type out the questions and email it to them, but usually every time I do that they have really interesting answers,” Webster said. “It helps everyone really connect to it because it’s the words they said.”

Jay Webster helps oversee the paper created by his daughter and her friends.

He says his favorite part is watching the kids work together.

“I love that element that so many kids are involved with the newspaper that live on the block and they have this real sense of pride that they made something and that people on the block love it and they get feedback right away that lets them know they did something really, really well,” Jay Webster said.

Currently, they’re working on a very special holiday edition of the Valleywood Voice and the kids hope they will stay in business for the years to come.