The J-School heads to the Zoo and other news

The School of Journalism, the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association are holding a day-long conference called “Steroids, Makeup and Polar Bears: Journalism and the Environment” more than 200 high school journalists from Detroit on Wednesday (Feb. 27) at the Detroit Zoo.

Among the topics that will be covered are reporting about cosmetics and health, steroids and sports, global warming and wildlife, teen depression and environmental justice in Detroit.

Students attending the conference will learn about how to report about health and environmental subjects by professors at the Michigan State University School of Journalism and journalists from the Detroit Free Press, Metro Times, WDIV Channel 4 TV, WXYZ-TV Channel 7 and other news media.

Midterm are keeping faculty and students busy this week. Spring break begins on Saturday.

James Carville, the so-called mouth of the south and mastermind of Bill Clinton’s 1992 election to the presidency, provided witty commentary and candor at the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication meeting in New Orleans last weekend. He discussed politics and journalism in his trademark rapid fire style. Among his more pithy quotes was his statement that there will always be a need for journalists and an “absolute need for quality information.” And that “Journalism is one of the most important things you can do. He described the Barack Obama/ Hillary Clinton delegate duel as a “classic match-up between inspiration and preparation.”

This is a conference that attracts journalism deans and directors from around the country. I was particularly interested in seeing New Orleans first hand post-Katrina. I saw little beyond the French Quarter. The hotel was on the edge, and the conference sessions kept us hotel-bound. However, flying in and out, I could see some tarp covered roofs and gaping holes where houses used to be on the ground. The cab driver, an immigrant from Bosnia, said he was working two jobs. That was one difference in what had been the Big Easy from previous pre-Katrina trips. There is more of a gritty resolve now that is bringing this city back. And a lot of jobs formerly held by New Orleans natives are now being staffed by immigrants like my cabbie.