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!
