As summer draws to a close and that old back-to-school spirit seizes you, now’s a good time to mull over new opportunities. Perhaps you’re pondering how you might contribute to the unique town in which you live. We have a suggestion: Consider joining the staff of the Harvard Press. Harvard faces some big decisions in the coming year, including votes on a new elementary school and adoption of a new town charter, and we’ll be covering them. We’d also like to give more attention to Devens, the preparation of the fiscal 2019 budget, and developments in land use and housing, but we could use more feet on the ground.
There’s no better way to learn how your town government works than by reporting on the actions of our volunteer boards and town officials. And by providing Harvard residents the information they need to make informed decisions, you help the town maintain its open town meeting form of government. While prior newspaper experience (including college experience) is valuable, there’s much about reporting for a community newspaper that can only be learned on the job. We take pride in the collegial support we provide to new contributors.
For a preview of what’s involved in writing for a community newspaper, we recommend the free, two-hour online Poynter Institute course, “Contributing to a Local Publication.” Then to learn more about joining the Harvard Press, please send an email to editor@harvardpress.net so we can arrange a meeting to discuss your interests and how you might contribute to the town’s resident-owned, independent paper.
