Top High School Students Selected for Media Training

June 08, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO—(U.S. ASIAN WIRE)— The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) today announced the 42 high school students selected from across the country for J Camp, a six-day program that brings together a multicultural group to sharpen their journalism skills and develop media awareness. J Camp will be held Aug. 7-12 at Emerson College in Boston, just prior to the national convention of AAJA.

Students are selected from a competitive application process in which academic achievement and journalism talent are among the strongest considerations. The students selected are listed at: http://www.aaja.org/programs/for_students/journalism_trainings/j_camp.

"This is an incredibly exciting time for journalism for students," said Sharon Pian Chan, national president of AAJA. "Journalism used to be limited to those who could afford to buy a press or a broadcast station. With the rich, digital storytelling tools available now, any student can become a publisher or broadcaster. We need their energy and fresh ideas to seed the future for journalism."

Since the first J Camp in 2001, a total of 335 of the nation's brightest young people have graduated from J Camp. An alumni survey funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation last year showed that young people still see journalism and media-related jobs as a viable option, with a top reason being "to positively change the world." Recent works by alumni are at http://blogs.aaja.org/jcampalum.

Angie Lau, anchor at Bloomberg's Chicago Bureau and program co-director, said, "We hope that by exposing these young budding journalists to some of the best and most respected in our industry, they'll be inspired to carry the torch... to bring stories to light that others may prefer to keep in the dark."

J Camp strives to help assure excellence in the profession for decades to come by confronting the lack of diversity in journalism, not just in race, but also in matters of religious background, political background and other factors. With a diverse team, readers and viewers get different views on city governments, human interest stories, entertainment and recreation, science and medicine, and national and international news. The curriculum consists of interactive workshops, hands-on training, and field trips. Speakers will include top journalists such as Brian Ross of ABC News, Jim Colton of Sports Illustrated, Josh Du Lac of the Washington Post, Cynthia Wang of People Magazine, Joie Chen of Branded News Worldwide, and Michelle Johnson of Boston University.

Program co-director Clea Benson, senior writer at CQ Weekly, Congressional Quarterly's weekly magazine in Washington, D.C., said, ""Because journalism is in a period of transition, it's even more important than ever that we encourage the best and brightest in the rising generation to choose it as a profession and ensure its future."

J Camp 2009 is made possible through a grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Additional support is provided by Bloomberg,The McClatchy Company, Philip L. Graham Fund, Jennifer 8. Lee/The New York Times, AAJA's National Endowment, the AAJA New England Chapter, and parents of alumni.

"J Camp gives students the confidence and skills to make a difference with a future career in journalism," said Douglas W. Nelson, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the largest charitable organization in the world solely dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children. "I can't think of a better program that allows teens to learn about this rapidly changing field from the nationʼs top writers, editors, and producers. The Casey Foundation believes strongly in giving young people a voice, increasing their opportunities for future leadership, and making a strong connection to the community -- our sponsorship of the 2009 program is a great fit with our mission."

Established in 1981, AAJA is a non-profit educational organization. This year, its national convention will be held Aug. 12-15 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. Featuring multi-platform skills training, sessions exploring the new technologies of journalism, and programming to engage the community with the latest media issues, it is expected to draw up to 1,000 journalists, media professionals and community members. Details are at http://www.aaja.org/programs/convention2009boston/welcome.

AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY: Journalists of Color, along with the Native American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and National Association of Black Journalists.



Media Contact:
Janice Lee
415-346-2051
JaniceL@aaja.org




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