Grand Avenue News website turns a year old

Neighbors gathered at the 1st annual Grand Ave News Block party at Elizabeth Virrick Park on Saturday, April 17th. Leandra and Leonard Smith show their hula-hoop talent with the hoops provided at the block party. Photo by Rachel Steinhauser.

Wish the Grand Avenue News website a happy first birthday!

Since it started in September 2009, GrandAveNews.com already has attracted some 36,000 page views – and readers from 89 countries.

The School of Communication at the University of Miami started the website to help its neighbor, Coconut Grove, better reach out and inform residents. The website has emphasized news coming from the West Grove that hasn’t always received coverage in the past from Miami’s media.

Since last September, students from the School of Communication have written more than 130 articles, shot 14 videos and have taken more than 100 pictures that were published online.

So far their work has attracted the notice of readers from as far away as Europe, Africa and Asia.

But it’s mostly local residents who have been among the 15,000 visitors to the website. They are hungry for news.

“I think it was long overdue,’’ said Renita Samuels-Dixon, a third-generation Groveite and treasurer of the Coconut Grove Village Council. “We didn’t have a medium to showcase the positive projects being done in Coconut Grove.’’

In fact, it was another Grove activist who urged UM to help the community pass the word around.

“Jihad Rashid from the Coconut Grove Collaborative had told me the West Grove community needed a newsletter,’’ said Kim Grinfeder, the project director and assistant professor at UM’s Visual Journalism program. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to cover an under-reported community.’’

He came up with the idea of UM students creating and running GrandAveNews.com because the new project could reach more people. Grand Avenue News also publishes a free tabloid in the fall and spring that includes the website’s best articles and art. The tab is distributed through Coconut Grove businesses and churches.

Last year, the project was selected from among 304 applicants to win a national grant from the New Voices program at American University’s School of Communication in Washington, D.C. The Miami-based John S. and James L. Knight Foundation funds the New Voices program that awarded GrandAveNews.com and seven other hyperlocal community media projects from across the United States.

American University’s J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism oversees the national hyperlocal program.

“It is a great opportunity to teach students to report and to publish their work,’’ said Grinfeder. “This is a hands on approach to teaching journalism and the results are showing.’’

So far more than 100 students have helped on the website that has attracted more than 440 Facebook fans and 110 Twitter followers. Three of UM’s School of Communication programs are involved in producing the website.

The project has especially helped Village West residents learn more about their neighborhood.

“I think the website is an exciting opportunity for the West Grove community to learn about issues and what’s going on in the community,’’ said Tsitsi Wakhisi, associate professor at the School of Communication and managing editor of the Miami News Services. “Now they have a place to go to find out information in the community.’’

This school year, she hopes that the website will include even more stories about residents and their successes and challenges.

That sounds good to Robert Stahr Hosmon, vice dean at UM’s School of Communication.

“It can bring the community together,’’ he said, helping contribute to a more neighborly feel in the Grove.

“I think it is the nicest thing the school has done for the community,’’ he added. “It serves an under-served audience.’’

Looking ahead the website can further improve by letting people know about upcoming events or openings of new businesses, including restaurants, Hosmon said.

While helping the Coconut Grove website, Hosmon said he learned that people “want to find out something they can’t find elsewhere.’’

He added that Grand Avenue News could be of service by helping residents learn how they solve problems, such as where they call when a street light burns out or when the trash isn’t collected.

Activist Samuels-Dixon recommends that the website have a special area for announcements of meetings and other special events so residents can know to attend them.

Indeed, website producers said they want the community engaged.

“I would like to see the community become more involved: Contribute some of their ideas to the site,’’ said Jim Virga, the website’s photo director and a lecturer at UM’s School of Communication. “I would like the community to use the website as a resource.’’

To suggest story ideas or make suggestions, you can email editor@grandavenews.com.