BELLE — A longtime advocate for student journalism and media literacy has stepped into a leadership role with the Missouri Press Foundation.

Roxie Murphy recently became the new Newspapers In Education (NIE) coordinator for the Missouri Press Foundation, succeeding Helen Headrick, who retired at the end of March after several years leading the program.

Murphy serves as assistant editor for Warden Publishing and is president of the Show-Me Press Association. Throughout her journalism career, she has focused heavily on encouraging students to engage with local news, critical thinking and community involvement through newspapers.

Murphy said she believes newspapers remain an important educational tool for helping students better understand both their communities and the wider world.

She has worked with schools to help establish or revive student journalism programs and promote media literacy in classrooms. Since 2023, she has encouraged collaboration between local newspapers and school districts to expand journalism opportunities for students.

One example is The Dutch Mill, a student-produced newspaper created through a partnership between Owensville High School and Warden Publishing. The publication gives students hands-on experience conducting interviews, writing stories, taking photographs and working under real publication deadlines while covering issues important to their school and community.

The project carries special significance for Murphy, who was herself a student editor of The OHS Spectator at Owensville High School, which was discontinued roughly 15 years ago. Rather than reviving the school’s former newspaper, students selected the name The Dutch Mill to reflect the Dutchmen mascot and the community’s heritage, creating a new identity while establishing a foundation for future student journalists.

Published as a special section within the Gasconade County Republican, The Dutch Mill allows students to see their work distributed to a wider audience. Murphy has said the experience helps students develop critical thinking, communication and media literacy skills while strengthening connections between local schools, community newspapers and the readers they serve.

One of those efforts included the Emerging Student Newspapers program, launched in 2025, which was designed to help schools create high school journalism curriculum while using newspapers as a teaching resource.

Murphy has also participated in elementary-level educational outreach, visiting classrooms to discuss reporting, research and how journalists gather information.

At the high school level, Warden Publishing’s Gasconade County Republican partnered with the Missouri School of Journalism to host student workshops that included presentations on news coverage and photography instruction.

Murphy said helping students learn how to evaluate information and identify credible sources is especially important in today’s digital environment.

The Missouri Press Foundation’s NIE program provides educational newspaper content and classroom resources for teachers across the state. The program also offers serialized educational stories and activities that schools can incorporate into lessons.

Missouri Press Association Executive Director Chad Stebbins praised Murphy’s selection and said the organization was pleased the NIE program would continue under her leadership.

Murphy said she hopes to strengthen relationships between local newspapers and schools while helping students develop an appreciation for journalism and community storytelling.