Resources from Existing Programs

Based on two decades of experience running youth programs, this resource offers successful models, lessons learned, resources, and the guiding philosophy from WHYY in Philadelphia.

Student Reporting Labs, developed by PBS NewsHour, is a national youth journalism program and public media initiative that trains teenagers across the country to produce stories that highlight the achievements, challenges, and reality of today’s youth. Check out their learning platform, StoryMaker, which includes projects, lesson plans, and storytelling resources.

KQED in the Bay Area, California, invites middle and high school students across the country to share their voices beyond the classroom in Youth Media Challenges. Their resources for educators include standards-aligned projects and curricular supports, and submissions from students are included in the Youth Media Challenge Showcase.

The Radio Rookies DIY Toolkit from WNYC provides tools for teenagers interested in telling their own radio stories and for educators interested in supporting them. Tip sheets, animated shorts, and handouts are ready to use.

KUOW’s RadioActive Youth Media program offers 12 bite-sized audio storytelling activities for teens and pre-teens. Developed for at-home learning use during the pandemic, these self-directed activities take about 30 minutes to complete.

In this guide, Mary Heisey and Kelsey Tolchin-Kupferer provide resources to support newsrooms as they invest in youth media programs and produce stories by, for and with young people. Feel free to make a copy of the document in order to mark it up, cross items off the checklists, and make it your own.