The Tide provides countless opportunities to RM students

Explore the different sections and ways to get involved

Shelby Roth, Online Managing Editor

June 12, 2024

The print of verison of The Tide is available on newstands across the school during distribution day.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Kidd

Ten reasons to join The Tide:

The Tide is an award-winning student publication; you will get the opportunity to contribute to consistent, high-quality work
There are countless different ways you can get involved with The Tide; these opportunities range from being a writer, multimedia contributor, business team member, photographer and graphics contributor
The journalism elective is open to sophomores and grades above; this elective provides the opportunity to fine-tune journalistic skills as well as work with fellow club members and editors
The Tide allows students to work with students from all grades, ranging in experience levels and unique interests. There is a really special community of students who all share their different ideas together
There are opportunities for out-of-classroom, community reporting opportunities, such as covering sports games and attending school board meetings
Students get opportunities to hold editor positions where they get leadership experience and get the opportunity to work directly on the production of the print issue
Every year, Tide members get the chance to go to the University of Maryland’s Journalism Day, where they get the chance to learn from college and professional journalists.
Student work is featured in our monthly print issues and every day on our website, thermtide.com
We have numerous Tide alums who go off to make an impact on their college newspapers and go on to have success in the professional world
Members have a chance to make an impact on the RM community by reporting on topics that are important to the students and staff

Now that you have learned why you should join The Tide, it is time to find the perfect section for you.

For those interested in The Tide’s written sections, we have eight sections that cover a wide variety of topics. Contributors can write stories about local news events, art reviews of the latest albums, game recaps of Rocket sports teams, share their thoughts in the opinions sections, and much more. The sections offer contributors the chance to write about topics that matter most while featuring interviews with students, staff, and community members.

“It is such a great opportunity to work with other passionate people and gain new skills,” 2023-2024 assistant opinions editor Samantha Cutler said.

Outside of our traditional written sections, we have multiple multimedia sections where you can explore the multiple facets of modern journalism.

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Juniors Uma Patnaik and Bella Major work together to edit a video during newsroom week. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Kidd)

First, we want to introduce our podcast, The TidePod, a student-run podcast covering all things RM and student-related.

“The TidePod is a great way to explore different types of journalism in a really unique medium,” 2023-2024 TidePod editor Uma Patnaik said. “You get to explore topics from every section, create interesting stories from various perspectives from guests, and try new things like audio editing.”

The video section is another great way to get involved with The Tide. This is a unique way to get “behind-the-scenes” looks at various clubs and activities at RM.

This year, the video section introduced a “day in the life” series of various RM staff. This allowed the students to get a unique look into the lives of their teachers.

“People should join video if they are passionate about meeting new people and improving their skills,” 2023-2024 video editor Bella Major said.

Another pivotal part of The Tide is the graphic and photo sections. These two sections are vital in making the pages and website of The Tide so beautiful. Their unique styles and impressive techniques give the visuals of The Tide a characteristic look.

Photo allows contributors to cover all types of events throughout the school year. Contributors can find themselves on the sidelines of sporting events, on the frontlines of protests, or backstage during theater productions.

“Photojournalism is a completely different realm of journalism that makes reporting on events so much more fun,” 2023-2024 photo editor Humsa Tammera said.

Sophomore Ruby Thier takes photos of the chorus class for The Tide. (Rihanna Pabai)

Still interested in learning more about the online features of The Tide? Here is where you can find examples of all the hard work contributors and editors have done throughout the year. Take some time to explore various sections and check out our staff page to learn more about the people that make up The Tide.

If you want to learn even more about the people that make up The Tide, be sure to take a look at our various social media platforms. We use our TikTok, @rm_tide, and our Instagram, @rm_tide, to promote articles, celebrate holidays and give a behind-the-scenes look at our Tide editors and sponsors. And for those interested in our sports coverage, take a look at our sports Instagram, @rmrocketcenter. Here, you can find post-game interviews, updated scores and championship coverage.

We hope this guide gives you an in-depth look at all of the unique aspects that make up The Tide. Hope to see you in the newsroom next year!