High Schoolers Learn Multimedia Skills at UA Journalism Workshop
The annual project teaches students journalism basics, including producing a newspaper and news videos.
By Kate Harrison, UA School of Journalism
March 26, 2009
The University of Arizona School of Journalism is accepting applications for its Journalism Diversity Workshop for Arizona High School Students. The workshop runs June 6-17 and gives students from diverse populations a chance to learn news gathering, editing and other aspects of the journalism profession.
The national project, sponsored by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, is an effort to help broadcast and newspaper newsrooms mirror the diversity of their communities. The UA School of Journalism has held the workshop since 1981.
Students will learn how to produce a newspaper, video and a blog using equipment in the school's publication and photojournalism labs. They will gain experience in news writing, reporting, editing, digital design, broadcast news and photojournalism techniques. They'll also learn about ethics and media law.
At the end of the 12-day session students publish a workshop newspaper called The Chronicle, which covers news from the Tucson community and issues and trends concerning teens and people around the country.
The workshop seeks students who will be high school juniors or seniors in the fall and who show a serious interest in journalism and in pursuing higher education. Upcoming sophomores and graduating seniors will be considered.
Lisa Button, the workshop director, teaches an online magazine production class and has taught beginning news reporting and the capstone course for a bilingual newspaper. She also heads the school's internship program. Before joining the UA, she taught journalism at a college preparatory school, where her students won top newspaper awards in statewide competition.
John de Dios has been the workshop's co-director since 2004. He was a mentor at the Unity Student Convergence Project in July 2008 and has been involved with The New York Times Student Journalism Institute, hosted by the UA in January 2008.
UA journalism faculty teaching at the workshop include David Cuillier, chairman of the national Freedom of Information Committee for the Society of Professional Journalists; Bruce Itule, who has worked at newspapers in four states and is the author of a popular textbook on news reporting; Terry Wimmer, a Pulitzer Prize winner; and Sal Quijada, a veteran broadcast journalist.
Local journalists participating in the workshop include Lupita Murillo, KVOA-TV; and A.E. Araiza and Ignacio Ibarra, of the Arizona Daily Star, among others.
Interested students should submit an application accompanied by a recent photograph, short essay and a letter of recommendation from a teacher, adviser, administrator or mentor. The recommendation letter may also be submitted via e-mail. A copy of the application form is on the UA journalism Web site.
Applications and recommendations must be postmarked on or before May 1 and sent to:
John de Dios
The University of Arizona School of Journalism
P.O. Box 210158-B
Tucson, AZ 85721.
The program accepts up to 15 students from high schools around Arizona.
