Folk here 'Tops' with students

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 240, 19 April 1988, Page 9

Folk here 'Tops' with students

BYLYNLEY WARD Waimarino people are 'tops' with the Auckland Technical Institute journalism trainees who spent last week working for the Waimarino Bulletin. Right from the start, the trainees received a warm-hearted reception which epsured their field trip was enjoyable. "People generally and the staff of the Waimarino Bulletin couldn't have been more helpful," says Senior Journalism Lecturer, Geoff Black. "They provided plenty of story ideas, transport and a wealth of background information whenever it was needed." He says it was a "wonderful trip" for the students and he hopes it was beneficial to the district, too. "The district sees itself mainly as a tourist area, but from our point of view its feature is the vast number of interesting stories waiting to be written." In five working days, the eight trainees produced 91 stories for publication in the Bulletin, Empty Page, Ruapehu '88 and Adventure Magazine. The trainees had an assorted range of assignments throughout the week. One had to go white-water rafting with Gurkha soldiers, while three worked in Waiouru Army Camp. And there was even time to make friends. Susannah Walker, assigned to cover forestry and conservation, says constant calls to the Department of Conser-

vation for information and to check facts made her known to the people there. "I rang the Department of Conservation at Tongariro National Park so often that as soon as I said 'hello', they'd recognise me." Overall, the trainees reported people very helpful and co-opera-tive. "The only cold recepBRIDGE Results Wednesday April 13 North-South 1st B. Eades/R. Frew 62.5%, 2nd H. Cranstoit/R. Martin 56.6%. East-West 1st T. Ennis/L. Bum 60.4%, 2nd V. Wiggins/J. McLean 55.4%.

tion I got was from the - weather," says Susannah. The trainees based at Waiouru found the week "interesting" and "educational". Says Bill Hansby: "It was so different from anywhere else - tanks moving about the streets, guys in camouflage and men running about with guns." The students' visit was prompted by publisher Mr John Woods, who has a long-standing interest in journalistic training. His association with A.T.I. field trips goes -back 12 years, to when he was editor of the daily Thames Star. The A.T.I. course runs for 18 weeks, plus two

weeks' full-time work experience in radio and newspaper offices around New Zealand. During the trainees' week in Ohakune, - they were visited by Ru-

apehu College students who are considering journalism as a career. They were able to see the trainees at work and talk with them about the course.