While the ways in which the American public consumes news are constantly evolving, new and digital media have created a huge demand for high-quality content. Journalistic skills — writing, information gathering, interviewing, and critical reading — have never been more important, and these skills will give students a leg up as they pursue college degrees and eventually enter the workforce. Journalistic skills, in fact, constitute 21st Century learning, and they are beneficial even for those who will not pursue a career in journalism.
Click the tabs below to learn more about the High School and Middle School programs.
**Registration for this course is closed for Summer 2023. We hope you will be able to join us for Summer 2024. Until then, please consider one of our other wonderful writing curriculums:
Creative Writing Programs
- Emerging Writers - Rising 4th - 6th graders
- Emerging Writers - Rising 7th - 9th graders
- Emerging Writers - Rising 10th - 12th graders
Academic Writing and Critical Thinking
Education Unlimited’s journalism program immerses students of all levels in the dynamic, constantly evolving field of news and digital media. Students enrolled in this program will explore, discuss, and question the evolution of news media over time, including the impact of current events on the field as a whole, as well as on today’s society. Students enrolled in this program will continually practice and apply writing and research skills throughout the week in an engaging, fast-paced, and collaborative setting.
Specific Skills Development
Journalistic skills apply far beyond the field of journalism and are applicable as students pursue their college degrees and enter the workforce. In this course, students will develop and build upon their ability to write clearly and concisely, research and gather information, think and read critically, ask critical questions, examine evidence, and analyze text for bias.
Students will produce features, interviews, reviews, and opinion pieces that will be shared, reviewed, refined and edited under the guidance of faculty and peers. In addition to developing a foundation in the nuts and bolts of journalism, students will bolster their writing skills through exercises that focus on specialized skills through conducting interviews, considering audience engagement, and writing strong editorials. They will engage in media literacy tasks that challenge young journalists to examine text for style, bias, and ethics. Short, daily debates will encourage students to think critically, support claims with evidence, and see multiple sides of the same issue.
Curriculum & Instructional Environment
From the first day of class, students will be immersed in a collegial, fast-paced Newsroom environment lead by our expert instructors. Students will pitch their stories, defend their positions and receive critical feedback, always with an eye towards their contribution to the final product. This is a student-focused environment that allows young journalists to help shape the direction of the final magazine. Because of Education Unlimited’s unique instructor to student ratio, students will receive frequent and consistent one-on-one coaching to develop their voice and hone their skills.
Highlights & Deliverables
Over the course of the week, each student will produce several polished pieces. These pieces will be posted to an online publishing platform in order to encourage that skills and camaraderie developed in camp will continue to flourish well beyond the summer months. In addition, each student will select two pieces to be included in a hard copy magazine. This magazine will be mailed to families at the conclusion of the summer season.
Grade Level Specifics
All Education Unlimited programs are tailored to the skill levels, needs, and interests of the students in attendance. Topics and specific tasks listed may be covered in greater or less depth throughout the course of the week as student needs dictate.
Middle School: Middle School students will begin their week by building a foundation for strong news stories. They will experience news happening on the spot, as well as examine accounts of current events to identify the components of an effective news story. They will explore crucial questions such as: Why is it important? Who does it affect? and What is the impact? Middle school students will also engage in short daily debates that provide a solid framework for constructing, defending, and communicating evidence-based arguments.
High School: High School students expand their journalistic focus throughout the week by exploring the history of the journalism field, including first amendment and libel law. They will also explore the eight values of newsworthy content, using this information to inform their own writing and provide feedback to peers. Students will closely examine the impact of social media on today’s society, considering all facets of this ever-changing environment. Daily debates on these topics always prove to be full of energy and immensely engaging!
**Registration for this course is closed for Summer 2023. We hope you will be able to join us for Summer 2024. Until then, please consider one of our other wonderful writing curriculums:
Creative Writing Programs
- Emerging Writers - Rising 4th - 6th graders
- Emerging Writers - Rising 7th - 9th graders
- Emerging Writers - Rising 10th - 12th graders
Academic Writing and Critical Thinking
Camps for rising 7th - 9th graders have three price options:
- Day Camper: Day Campers check in Sunday with dinner provided after check-in and then enjoy curriculum Monday-Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Meals are not provided with Day Camp Tuition - campers can bring a sack lunch or can purchase our optional Lunch package for $40 (includes lunch in the dining hall Monday-Friday).
- Extended Day: Extended Day Campers check in Sunday with dinner provided after check-in and then enjoy curriculum and recreation Monday - Saturday from 9am to 9pm, with lunch and dinner provided in the dining hall.
- Overnight: Overnight campers check in before dinner on Sunday and check out at 12pm on Saturday. All meals and shared dorm accommodations are provided.
Camps for rising 9th-12th graders have two options:
- Extended Day: Extended Day Campers attend camp from 9am to 9pm seven days a week (except check-in and check-out days, which are half days), with lunch and dinner provided in the dining hall each day.
- Overnight: Overnight campers check-in after lunch on the first day of camp and check out before lunch on the last day of camp. All meals and shared dorm accommodations are provided.
| Program | Grades | Location | Start Date | End Date | Price Options | Register |
|---|
Sample Journalism Schedule |
|
|---|---|
| 8:00 am | Breakfast in the dining hall (overnight campers) |
| 9-9:15 am | Extended day camper check-in |
| 9:15 am | Morning class (instruction concerning specific skills) |
| 12:30 pm | Lunch in the dining hall (included for all campers) |
| 1:45 pm | Afternoon class (hands-on practice of skills learned in morning) |
| 5:30 pm | Dinner in the dining hall (included for all campers) |
| 6:30 pm | Evening writing time/Camper downtime |
| 8:00 pm | Evening recreation activities |
| 9:00 pm | Extended day camper check-out |
| 10:00 pm | Floor check |
| 10:30 pm | Room check |
Education Unlimited believes in small-group, immersive learning with subject matter experts and experienced teachers. We strive to provide industry-leading instruction to all of our students and hold all staff to the highest possible standards. Staff assignments vary by program and location. Some of our recent staff members for this program include:
Gary Metzker - Instructor
Gary Metzker is a lecturer and publications adviser at California State Long Beach. Prior to taking on his role at Cal State Long Beach in 2008, Gary spent 24 years at the Los Angeles Times, working in a variety of roles including sports news editor, metro news editor, and senior editor. He was the page one designer for some of the biggest news stories of the last 20 years, including the O.J. Simpson Trial, the 9/11 terrorist attack, and the death of Princess Diana. He has won several Pulitzer Prizes for his work, as well as four Los Angeles Press Club award for headline writing, design, and news writing. In his time at Cal State Long Beach, the newspaper and magazine have won Pacemaker and Pinnacle awards for five consecutive years. In 2013 he was selected as the California Journalism Educator of the Year.
Gary has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri and a Master’s Degree in Communications from California State University Fullerton. He has presented seminars and workshops for the Journalism Association of Community Colleges, College Media Association, National High School Journalism Association and the Associated Collegiate Press.
Tamra McCarthy - Instructor
Tamra McCarthy is a dedicated high school English teacher and Certified Journalism Educator with nearly 18 years of teaching experience and 12 years of service to the student journalism program at James Enochs High School in Modesto, California. Her work with students has garnered numerous awards, including being named a JEA Rising Star in 2011, JEA Distinguished Adviser in 2013, and a CLHS Teacher of the Year in 2017. Her publication has received seven CSPA Gold Crowns, two Silver Crowns, seven NSPA Pacemaker awards, as well as Gold Medalist and All-American critiques since its inception in 2006. Her journalism students have also received countless individual awards for their work from JEA, NSPA, CSPA, and others since the release of their inaugural edition in 2007.
Tamra strongly believes that a solid set of journalistic skills of critical thinking, writing, interviewing, and research impact the overall academic success of all students in secondary school, college and beyond. She is a product of that model, having served as editor on her own publication staff in high school. She considers herself a lifelong "yerd." She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature and teaching credential from California State University, Humboldt.
Sean Devlin, MA - Instructor
Sean is a freelance journalist with work published in publications such as the New York Daily News, Observer, Daily Mail, and more. He received his Master of Arts degree in Journalism from the City University of New York in 2015. In addition to his freelance work, Sean has also worked as a blogger, editor, and social media manager, working with news organizations such as Brownstoner and Odyssey.
Sean received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Villanova University. In his free time, Sean enjoys watching his hometown Philadelphia sports teams play, cooking new recipes, and exploring New York City, where he's lived for the past four years.