2005 Kids To Work Day – Children of The Princeton Packet Inc. staff members visited the newspaper offices for ‘Take Our Kids to Work Day.’


"2005"
Packet puts its kids to work: Matthew Bruinooge, Brendan Rafanello, Katie Mutek, Lexi Kemp, Lanie Guld, Tristan Rafanello,
Katy Nyby, Erica Kent, Michael Kleinkauf, Elijah Lee, Steven Mutek, Emily Bruinooge, Nestor Pacheco, Mary Joyce Brodowski, Katie Fritts

By: Jennifer Potash, Staff photo by Mark Czajkowski
   Princeton Packet employees welcomed 20 kids to ‘Take Our Kids
to Work Day’ on a beautiful and sunny day Thursday to learn about the newspaper
business and meet some special guests.
   The kids, who range in age from six to 13, began the day with
a group photo taken by Packet photographer Mark Czajkowski. The kids were assigned
jobs for the day — pre-press assistant, editorial assistant, classified
ad representative, graphic artist, photographer and reporter.
   Each child had special tasks to do during the day.
   Photographers Nestor Pacheco and Katy Nyby could be spotted
with cameras snapping pictures all day. Reporters Mary Joyce Brodowski, Emily
Bruinooge, Elijah Lee and Michael Kleinkauf wrote articles.
   The group had an introductory lesson in reporting taught by
Emily Craighead, a Packet reporter, and Jennifer Potash, the Lawrence Ledger
managing editor. The kids learned about the five ‘W’ questions— who, what,
when, where and why— that all reporters need to ask when covering a story
or conducting an interview. The kids interviewed their Packet relatives and
wrote brief articles.
   The Roxey Ballet Company stopped by for a presentation and
the kids learned that dancers train as hard as any athlete and that ballet offers
skills that can help athletes run faster and jump higher.
   Some the ballerinas demonstrated the basic dance positions
and with the help of the male dances some graceful lifts and elegant spins.
   The dancers answered questions and gave autographs.
   The next guest was very serious and intense but also loved
to play — a nine-year-old German shepherd named Jasko. The dog is trained
as a protection animal so he will attack dangerous or suspicious individuals
on very specific commands. Owned by dog trainer Maureen Ilg, Jasko gave a demonstration
of his repertoire of responses. While on a leash held by Ms. Ilg, the dog cornered
a so-called bad guy, who was really a dog trainer in a protective suit, and
later latched his very powerful jaw around the trainer’s arm.
   Later, Jasko stretched out on the grass as the kids gave him
a pat on the head.
   After saying farewell to Jasko, everyone took a break for
sandwiches and sodas in the conference room.
   The afternoon activities kicked off with a layout and pagination
demonstration by Packet Publications Editor Dick Willever and Erica Hammond,
lifestyle editor. The kids learned how edited articles and photographs move
onto the newspaper pages.
   The kids also learned, in a session taught by Scott Bruinooge,
how art, such as photographs and cartoons, are scanned in to the computer system
so those elements can be included in the newspaper.
   Dawn Apisa showed the kids how to create classified ads.
   All that hard work earned the kids a well-deserved break.
   The group wound down with game time — a game to see who
could toss a newspaper the farthest distance, making and flying paper airplanes
and fashioning pressman’s hats out of newsprint.
   The would-be graphic artists also created a work of art on
a roll of newsprint that will be placed in The Packet’s lobby. Ms. Apisa and
Mary Brodowski served as the referees for the games.
   Another sweet reward came in the form of snacks from Thomas
Sweet Ice Cream.
   As the day ended, Scott Bruinooge demonstrated how the plate
are made and readied for the press and the new issues of Packet Talk rolled
off the presses.
   Every kid went home with the special issue of Kids Talk they
helped to create and a goody bag replete with a certificate, business card and
mock paycheck.