CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF CITY HIGH TWEETERS
If your Twitter feed is not listed Tweet to us @thelittlehawk
—————————-

By Caroline Brown

Tweet, tweet, and tweet again. Over the past few years, the number of Twitter accounts used by staff members and student groups at City High has grown. According to Pew Research Center, the number of young adults using twitter on a daily basis has more than doubled in the past two years.

One of the most followed new Tweeters at City High is Principal John Bacon.

“I tweet exclusively about City high school, the school that leads,” he said. “I view it as a way to communicate, to promote, and to recognize special events that are going on at City High.”

Bacon has found using Twitter to be very effective to communicate, and to let students know what is going on.

“I believe I have had my account since the beginning of the school year,” he said. “At this point it can’t be our exclusive means of communication, but it is one more way to get a message out there.”

Not every student has access to the internet outside of school, but the number of those that do is increasing in size.

“I just go on twitter to be amused,” said Isabelle TeDuits 16’, “I think it’s fine to post things about school and athletics, but that isn’t usually what people are on twitter for.”

Other students find the use of twitter as a way to communicate to be very helpful.

“Sometimes the track coaches don’t send out emails about practice, but twitter tweets it!” said Hailey Verdick 16. “It also reminds me of upcoming things that I forgot about!”

Reviews of performances and congratulations to participants are also becoming very popular on twitter accounts.

“If you follow me on Twitter you will be kept informed of special events coming up and student groups that I recognize,” Bacon said. “If I attend an event, like the musical that just happened, or if a sports team wins a game, I will usually tweet about it.”

In addition to encouraging athletes and advertising school events, some teachers are beginning to use Twitter as a way to communicate with their students about what’s going on in the classroom. The AP Biology Twitter account, run by Kevin Koepnick, has now been in use for over a month.

“I plan on putting it on the class syllabus starting next year,” Koepnick said, “I can use it as a reminder that the test is the certain day, or when a certain assignment is due. It’s been really helpful.”

In addition to keeping students updated on assignments, the AP biology Twitter account is used to keep anyone interested knowledgeable about advances in the world of science.

“Most of the tweets are actually retweets of science oriented news feeds that I follow on the account itself. I’d say about 90% of it would be of interest to people who aren’t in the class,” Koepnick said. “A lot of people just like reading the articles about all the news in science!”

Bacon and Koepnick agree that the advancing technology has been positive, not only for staff but also for students, especially regarding accounts like City High Nice Girls and West High Bros. These users send shout outs to their students, giving compliments as they see fit.

“I don’t think there can ever be too much genuine kindness in the world,” said Bacon, “My hope would be that all the positive feedback and comments continue to grow. It seems to me that Twitter is turning into a very positive network.”

The Little Hawk’s List of City High Tweeters

Iowa City Schools ‏ @IowaCitySchools
City High School ‏ @cityhighschool
City High Bands ‏ @CityHighBands
City High Review ‏ @cityhighreview
CHS Track & Field ‏ @CHSTrack
Little Hawk Debate ‏ @CityHighDebate
City Student Senate ‏ @CityStudentSen
CHSSenate ‏ @CHSSenate1
City High Baseball ‏ @ICHSBaseball
@LittleHawksGS – Girls soccer
@chsbestbuddies1
@CHStrack
@CityHighGirlsXC
@sfmurley – Superintendent
John Bacon ‏ @JBacon23 – City High Principal
El Coach Edgar ‏ @EA9IA = Asst. Girls Varsity Coach
Don Showalter ‏ @dshow23 – Boys Basketball Coach
Cory Connell ‏ @coachcconnell – Wrestling Coach
Ali BG ‏ @AliBG – Language Arts
Iowa City High Schoo ‏ @CHSBBasketball
City High Biology ‏ @CityHighBiology
Terence Coleman ‏ @colemantjc – Athletic Director
Emily Dvorak ‏ @EmilyDvorak2 – Asst. Principal
Jonathan Rogers ‏ @jon_rogers – Journalism Adviser
Mary Lestina ‏ @M_Lestina – Science Teacher
Thad Sheldon ‏ @SheldonTJ
Mr. Lala ‏ @CityHighScience
City High Nice Girls ‏ @CHSnicegirls