What’s In A Name
Complimentary “High School Mascot” Article for Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Members
The Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association (PNA), has provided an article on the division surrounding mascots in one Pennsylvania town. This article is available to our members to publish in print or online at no cost.
In a year of division all over the country, high school football has been at the center of a fight that’s as bitter in these parts as the presidential election — Democrat Joe Biden won 52% of the vote in Bellefonte precincts — or attitudes toward the coronavirus pandemic. A petition started in June called on the Bellefonte school board and superintendent to change the district’s mascot from the Red Raiders to something “better.”
Download
- Article (Word)
- Article (PDF)
- Photos with captions (zip file)
- Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State logo (zip file)
- Andrew Destin headshot (JPG)
- Lily LaRegina headshot (JPG)
Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State
The Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State provides the opportunities and resources of a large university with the personalized feel and support of a small school. The Bellisario College, including the respected Department of Journalism, is one of the largest accredited programs of its kind in the nation.
Journalist
Andrew Destin is a junior from Saratoga, California, majoring in broadcast journalism and political science.
Photographer
Lily LaRegina is a junior from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, majoring in photojournalism.
Additional Articles Available to PNA Members
Holidays during COVID-19
For many Pennsylvanians, the late fall and early winter holiday seasons hold memories of coming together with friends and loved ones; a time of happiness and unity. Unity can be defined as many things: the state of being brought together, the quality of not being divided, a condition of harmony.
In 2020, as a direct effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and related mandates, the physical aspect of unity has changed. Interestingly, unity is the word used by Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine as she calls on citizens to do their respective parts in taming the resurgence of the virus. “Clearly we’re in the middle of our fall increase, but we are not at the peak,” said Levine. “The increases that we are seeing now are directly in response to, and a part of, those that are being experienced across the country. And our response needs to be one of unity.”
Identifying Fake News
Pennsylvanians are social people, often engaging with family, friends and others through numerous social media platforms. Information shared on these platforms can come from reputable news sources or, unfortunately, from other untrustworthy contributors that publish verifiably false content. Engagement with unreliable news sites is on the rise and it is important for news consumers to know how to identify these sources of misinformation.
If you have any questions about this or any of the articles provided by the PNA, please email marketing@panewsmedia.org.