Dan Wojicik is the publications advisor for Broad Run High School.
“I’ve been the literary magazine adviser for five years, yearbook adviser for four years, and newspaper adviser for three years,” Wojicik said. ”Each year I took on a new publication to the point now where I advise all of the publications at Broad Run.”
Originally, Wojicik was planning to do something different.
“My original degree is in architecture,” Wojicik said. “I’ve worked on a few projects in the area before taking on a degree in English, and then creative writing, before finally finishing my Masters in Education. I started as an English teacher nine years ago and became the publications adviser several years back.”
Wojicik sees the rewards of teaching journalism.
“The best part about being a journalism teacher is the opportunity to have the students solve real-world problems,” Wojicik said. “They must make the design and content decisions, keep track of their deadlines, and problem-solve for situations that arise while still trying to complete their deadlines in time for the printer. Facilitating this type of learning and teaching the students how to be independent is the best part. “
Wojicik also sees the challenges of teaching journalism.
“Keeping track of deadlines is the hardest part,” Wojicik said. “There are a lot of factors to juggle when you have to know about every sporting event, club activity, administrative policy change, and meeting in the building, assign students to cover each event, and then make sure it’s all written, photographed, and laid-out in a timely manner so that we can send the finished product to the printers on time. The job requires a very organized personality.”
Wojicik is excited to be publishing his first novel this spring.