Creating The Tennyson Times

I am the editor of my own newsletter, The Tennyson Times. I created The Tennyson Times for my neighborhood last year because I enjoy writing and I want to make an impact in my community. There are five sections, with each devoted to a different topic. 

The first section is a resident spotlight where I choose a resident from West University and then conduct an interview consisting of questions that I think my community would find interesting. While interviewing our state representative, Sarah Davis, I asked her about the things that she does for our community, like the root beer floats on the Fourth of July, her favorite flavor of ice cream, and things like that. I really enjoy getting to know personally who my neighbors are and how they are impacting our community. 

The second section is a business spotlight. I choose a business and give it a review and a peek behind the scenes. For my first edition I chose Little Matt’s. I enjoyed getting to learn the story behind the restaurant, and became friends with Jim Reid, the owner, and many of the other employees. I also enjoyed interviewing Lee Neathery, the owner of Bike Barn. She taught me about starting and running a business. I also gave a spotlight to the West University Fire Department for letting me watch them train at a house that was going to be torn down. 

The last three sections are mainly for the kids of West U, consisting of the Toy of the Month, Recipe of the Month and a Joke Section. I think it is important to have a neighborhood newsletter because it keeps the community connected and aware of current events. I also like supporting businesses that are not that big.

Once I have a completed newsletter, I print it out and put it in mailboxes to our neighbors on Tennyson, and my family sends some to friends too. We’re working on an online version. I’ve published three editions so far, and I am proud that I created something of my own and have the ability and resources to continue it. I am proud of my newsletter because I have made an impact on my community and it increases my writing skills and connections. 

Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to [email protected]. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401.