High school students in McCook, Nebraska, had a new opportunity this summer to participate in a summer camp on youth civic journalism.
Led by incoming board member Jon Graff, along with local journalist Ronda Graff and Sarah journalism teacher Sarah Hoyt, the students researched local issues, created content, and published their work both with their local newspaper and with an interactive website hosted by the National Writing Project. Guest speakers included Bruce Crosby, the editor of the McCook Daily Gazette, and Rich Barnett, a local radio personality, and students also had opportunities to record their content for radio distribution.
This camp was sponsored by a National Writing Project grant that is focused on equipping youth to address the "news deserts" that exist in some rural areas. Jon and Ronda Graff will also participate in a resource development retreat in the fall, collaborating with NWP teachers running their own rural youth civic journalism camps across the country to create curriculum materials that can be used by teachers.
June 20, 2024
McCook skyline, the site of our newest camp
