Neighborhood Voice editor Lila Mills offers writing workshops to groups of all ages. Contact us at 216-229-8769 or email lmills@neighborhood-voice.com for more information. 

On Jan. 21, 2012, at the Idea Center in downtown Cleveland, Neighborhood Voice Editor Lila Mills
led a writing workshop with local high schools who are in the MyMedia program.
In this video, students, Mills, NV writer M. LaVora Perry and Kailyne Waters, MyMedia project manager,
role play a as-it-happens news story with the students acting as reporters.

The story was about a woman whose dog was trapped in a fire. Students later wrote the first paragraph of a new article based on their reporting. Here is a sampling of what they wrote:

Mike and Lynda were like Bonnie and Clyde. Lynda Jones was lonesome since she moved from California. Then she met Mike, a dog she rescued from an animal shelter two months ago. They were a match made in heaven.

Today’s breaking news comes from a fire in progress. Linda Jones, a resident of the downtown Cleveland area, awoke to the barking of her dog. That’s when Jones noticed the fire.

Flames shot out of Linda Jones’ home in downtown Cleveland. The flames illuminated the neighborhood.

After arriving on the scene, firefighters were able to get the fire under control in about 10 minutes. But, someone was still inside the house.

Mike rushed into the flames to save his damsel-in-distress Suzie.

The dog has a very brave heart. Not only did he save his owner, he went back into the dancing flames to save his favorite toy Suzie.

The dog was treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation. He was released to his owner with the toy still in his mouth.

The estimated damage to the home was $50,000. The home will never be the same.