Discover projects in the field

In the summer of 2022, the Cooney Center crowdsourced information on tween- and teen-focused projects happening in stations all across the country. We encourage you to check out projects from peer stations and reach out to them if you’d like to learn more.

Exploring “project models”

One way to explore the database of over 100+ projects is to group them into the project models provided below, which cluster projects based on shared characteristics.

• Youth-involved station productions typically leverage partnerships or local engagements with youth to generate material that is incorporated into station-produced content. For example:
  • Higher Ground
  • Engaging Youth in Local Civic News
  • COVID and the Classroom
• Digital content for youth audiences are the projects in which stations produce content for tween and teen audiences, and typically distribute it on digital platforms. While youth may influence the content that is created, it’s largely created by media professionals. For example:
  • Above the Noise
  • Youth Collective
  • On Our Minds
• Youth media production and distribution programs involve stations collaborating closely with youth to support them as media makers — and the media content that youth (co-)produce is then distributed on the station’s platforms. For example:
  • Storymaker + Student Reporting Labs
  • tbh
  • Media Crew: In Our Opinion
  • RadioActive Youth Media
• Youth media educational programs are similar, but do not focus on distribution. In these programs, stations support youth to learn about creating, editing, and engaging with media — but promoting the reach of the youth-made content is not a primary outcome. For example:
  • Media Labs in Schools
  • Media and Literacy Day
  • Youth Broadcasting Workshop
• Local engagement events bring together station staff and the local community (either online or in person). Although these events may overlap with some of the other program models above, their emphasis is on leveraging station assets for the benefit of the community. For example:
  • Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival
  • Our Ohio High School Documentary Film Festival
  • Youth Media Awards
  • Rod Serling Film Festival
• Supplemental K12 educational content is distributed to youth via schools and learning platforms. The educational content that stations create is usually aligned to learning standards and/or paired with professional development. For example:
  • Integrating Multiple Perspectives in the U.S. History Curriculum
  • Showstoppers!
  • WOW: World on Wheels
  • News Quiz
• Supplemental K12 educator support focuses on teachers who work with tweens and teens. These kinds of projects typically don’t produce new educational content; instead they use existing educational content, along with station expertise and resources, to build teachers’ capacity. For example:
  • Montana PBS Partner School Program
  • Media Labs in Schools

Discover more

These project models are just a few of the ways of understanding the rich diversity of projects in the database. With over 100+ projects available, there is no shortage of inspiration to draw from!

If your station would like to submit projects to the database too, please use this form.

For tools and resources that can help your station adopt projects that have been created by peer stations, be sure to check out Resources from Existing Programs.