Area Students Attend Student Reporting Labs Summer Academy in D.C.
This summer, 25 students from 17 states gathered in Washington D.C. for the fourth annual Student Reporting Labs Summer Academy hosted by PBS NewsHour. Students enjoyed a jam-packed week of new experiences: they honed their technical skills, received some journalistic wisdom from the PBS Newshour Team, and even explored D.C.'s iconic sites.
Five talented students from Southern California-based high school reporting labs were selected to participate in the weeklong program. One of those students, Savannah Burrows from West Ranch High School in Santa Clarita, shared some thoughts about her experience:
The SRL Academy enlightened me with the need to expose pressing and deeper issues in my local community. I walked away from my experience with knowledge that I would have never found on my own in my hometown or in my high school. With the opportunity to meet PBS professionals, hear their stories, and learn more about their ‘journalistic journey,’ I now have the chance to share new revelations with my peers. At the academy, I gained new skills, a clear mind-set, and a more precise focus on the task set before me to make fascinating human-interest pieces. Capturing an audience and making a mark in their day motivates me to inspire my team to do the same, and I am so grateful that the Student Reporting Labs [program] is available to students across the country who desire to tell valuable stories that matter.
Savannah also shared some photos from her time at the Academy:
By the end of the week, Savannah and her cohort created an inspiring story about young people in the D.C. area organizing to pass the Youth Vote Amendment Act of 2018. Their piece was featured on Teen Vogue’s website last week.
Watch more videos from the other Student Reporting Labs Fellows or learn more about the participating students.
The Student Reporting Labs initiative builds the next generation of public media. SRL’s curriculum engages students in journalistic inquiry, media production and student-centered learning to build critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, news literacy and communication skills. The program aims to inspire youth to speak up and be part of the solution.