Thirteen cadets graduated from Caxton"s Cadet School, the first educational institution specialising in community journalism in South Africa, at the end of October.

Carefully hand selected by Caxton, the students came from all over the country to learn how to become efficient and professional community newspaper journalists.

Caxton Community Newspapers has been training journalists for the past five years, and launched the initiative when it saw the need to make its newsrooms more representative of the new South Africa.

"Caxton saw this as an opportunity to train people with a passion for journalism, but who didn"t have the means to pay for their own training through other tertiary institutions," explains Bruce Sturgeon, the Chief Executive Officer of Caxton Community Newspapers.

The first group of cadets underwent a correspondence course, while based in newsrooms throughout the Caxton group. It was felt that more hands-on tutoring was needed and Caxton launched its Cadet School. Cadets spend four months on campus in the classroom and the rest of the year in Caxton newsrooms.

When on campus, the students work under the guidance of Gien Elsas, the school"s Principal, and work under an assigned mentor when placed at a particular Caxton community newspaper. "Caxton"s reporters have to learn how to become their communities" notice boards, and this is precisely what the cadets learn to do," adds Sturgeon.

Besides emphasis on story structure, grammar, media law, column and review writing, style and technique, the students learn how to source news; concentrate on local news from social events to crime, court and council, and from profiles to investigations, and how to make a difference in their communities. They also learn skills like speedwriting, typing, newspaper layout and design, and photography.

The four months spent at the school is split into two two-month stretches, to enable the students to practise what they have learnt. These months are intense, with whole-day classroom sessions. The cadets bring out their own newspaper as part of the course as well.

This year"s top student was awarded a three-year scholarship to Rhodes University in Grahamstown to study journalism, sponsored by Caxton Community Newspapers. Winner Aneesa Fazel described her win as "the opportunity of a lifetime." She added that the course has enriched her life and, although tough, the cadets had learnt to adjust, compromise and be understanding of the different personalities and cultures.

"As much as the tough times were truly tough, the end result of living our dream to become journalists has been made possible through Caxton"s strong belief in us," says Fazel.

The youngest cadet on course, Bernice Maune, came second in class. She said the class" passion for writing was the glue that held the group together. "Like a good pair of shoes not yet worn in, we were carefully polished and nurtured to stand on our own two feet in this unpredictable world of journalism. This journey has truly been a blessing as we were given an opportunity to work in our respective communities and, through our writing, to make a difference to people"s lives."

Elsas says previous cadets who have just entered the field are doing extremely well, with some placed in the top ten or even winning different categories in independent writing competitions for community newspapers from across the country. "It"s both exciting and sad to see the cadets head back to their newspapers. They"ve shown that, with hard work and passion, anything is possible. I look forward to seeing their achievements in the future," she adds.

The cadets meet and interview people from around the globe. This year alone they have met author Lauren Liebenberg, Dr John F Demartini and Dr Emoto, to name just a few.

For more information about Caxton"s Cadet School contact Gien Elsas at 011 954 0909.