10 Story Ideas for September, 2025
Dave Davis, director of the ASB Workshop, advised a high school newsmagazine for 34 years at Hillcrest High School in Springfield, MO. Now he is the adviser of the brand new broadcast program at Greenwood Laboratory School, also in Springfield. He will post the “pitch meeting” the first day of each month, September - May.
Back Home Again: If you have teachers on your faculty, even brand new ones, who graduated from your school, think about getting them to sit down for an interview to reminisce. The questions write themselves. What were you involved in when you attended here? How has the school changed? Tell me about a funny or embarrassing moment from high school. Which teacher made a huge difference in your life? The b-roll is simple. Show a photo or two from their days at your school, and get shots of them teaching now.
Behind the Friday Night Lights: Everyone needs a fresh angle on football because everyone covers it. Here are a few to consider.
*People who are at the game, but never actually see the game—like concession workers, or gate workers.
*The ambulance crew standing by for any serious injuries
*The JROTC students who present the colors, and prepare for it days ahead of time
*The PA announcer and his/her spotter
*Equipment managers and all the work they do before, during and after a game
*Injured players, especially seniors, who are seeing their last season go by without them
Fear Factor: Take a look at this list of phobias common among teenagers, especially the third one, “Nomophobia.” https://paradigmtreatment.com/7-most-common-teen-phobias/ With so many states and districts outlawing cell phones in the classroom, this could be a great way to cover the other side of the problem: those who are truly addicted.
Appreciating School Nurses: The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) conducted a survey in 2021 and found that more than one-third of schools nationwide do not have a full-time nurse on site. Does your school have a full-time nurse? What are his/her duties, and what is a day in the life like for them at school? How do students, teachers and admins feel about having a full-time nurse on staff? With some digging, you can probably find a nearby school that has only a part-time nurse, or maybe no nurse at all. How do they handle the day-to-day medical issues with students? Note: Does your audience know the limitations on school nurses when it comes to treatment/diagnosis, etc? This might be a great chance to educate your audience.
So You Want to Be an Influencer? Many teenagers are fascinated by influencers. Many consider it a worthwhile goal, and a way to get rich fast. So who are the influencers they look up to and follow? On the flip side…what are some myths (and hard truths) about the life of an influencer? Things like long hours, the years it takes to become a success, deadlines, stress, and being a slave to the algorithms that control your life. This feature could provide a helpful reality check for some students who only see one side of the influencer’s reality. Some background: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/for-high-school-age-tiktok-influencers-online-fame-can-bring-real-life-consequences?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Tell Me About the Good Old Days: September 7 is National Grandparents Day. https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-grandparents-day-sunday-after-labor-day What a great time to suggest students reach out and have some conversations about life experiences from the point of view of some of our senior citizens. There are so many angles you could take, and this would work for video or for a podcast.
An Athlete’s Disorder: It’s called “Anorexia Athletica” and it is a disorder complicated by caloric restriction plus overexercising. It includes a distorted body image and excessive, sometimes dangerous workouts. Learn more here: https://www.healthline.com/health/anorexia-athletica#symptoms Something worth reporting: Comments from coaches, trainers, parents and teammates can contribute to the problem.
Oh, the Horror: Horror movies and certain intense TV series often find a younger audience than they might have intended. When is it okay for kids to start watching scary, thriller movies? What is the actual impact of horror films on a young person? One perspective in at article on parents.com suggests, “Watching a scary movie is another opportunity to feel fear and navigate through that emotion in a relatively controlled environment.” The full article has plenty of food for thought: https://www.parents.com/kids/development/should-you-let-your-kids-watch-horror-movies/ (this topic opens up some possibilities for great sound bites from teens about their first scary movie experience, etc.)
Team Rituals: Fall means high school sports are back in season. Teams usually have their own little rituals or superstitions, and those would make for a nice feature. Before the game, do they have a special chant, a way of taking the field, a hand shake, or something symbolic they always at a certain time before or even during a competition? Sometimes it is coach-initiated, and sometimes it is handed down from season to season, team to team. These can also be individual rituals athletes might be willing to share.
A Safe Place: You have probably seen the yellow sign, shaped like a triangle, the words “SAFE PLACE” in the middle, with the “A” in “Place” in the shape of a house. The designated safe places in a community might include libraries, fire houses, YMCAs, businesses, etc. The Safe Place program was founded in 1983 to provide immediate help for youth in crisis. You can find out more at this site: https://www.nationalsafeplace.org/ For young people in your community who have seen the sign, but have no idea what it means, this story could provide some valuable information.
