Gov. Perry Holds Conference Call With High School Newspaper Editors

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today joined Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott to hold a conference call with high school newspaper editors from across the state as a way to encourage their professional aspirations and provide a unique window on the challenges of state government.

“Your time spent on the school newspaper is great preparation for life,” Gov. Perry said on the call. “It sharpens your senses as you observe life around you, allows you to hone your skills as a writer, and helps you better understand what really matters to the people in your community.

Gov. Perry also offered his insights on the rapidly changing landscape of journalism and encouraged the students to apply their creativity and knowledge of technology to help lead the next wave of multimedia innovation.

“You have chosen a very interesting time to get involved in the media business, since the Internet is pretty much changing all the rules, but I think your generation is more than ready to navigate this new landscape, and use all the resources available to report the news.”

In a freewheeling exchange, Gov. Perry also took questions from several callers, addressing issues ranging from the top ten percent rule and school bus safety to the Texas economy and environment.