First-time journalist? SRL’s StoryMaker has the resources you need to start developing your story.
Student Reporting Labs’ StoryMaker has a whole library of resources as you start your project. Get tips for how to plan, record, and edit successful video projects on StoryMaker. A few of our favorites:
- Find Your Story
- Journalism Ethics
- What Makes a Good Interview?
- Pre-Interviewing – StoryMaker
- Art of the Interview
- Audio: Mic check 1, 2
- POP – Principles of Photography
- How to record b-roll on your phone
- How to properly focus – StoryMaker
Journalism Fundamentals
- Fact check your story. Learn more: fact-checking for beginners – StoryMaker
- Can I use this image or video? Learn more about copyright here.
- Make sure to use royalty-free music only. Find eligible songs here: freeplaymusic.com
- High School Journalist’s Toolbox from the Society of High School Journalists.
- What to tell someone who has never been interviewed before from KPCC.
- Find audio-specific resources from NPR and StoryCorps.
Reporting on Mental Health in schools? WellBeings is here to help.
All media created should respond to the theme: My education, my future. This can include exploring some of the big questions and topics below: How is school preparing you for your future? What’s working, and what’s not? How is education adapting to our changing world? What do you want from your education that doesn’t currently exist? Some ideas to consider:
- Classes that help prepare you for life after high school
- The effects of the pandemic on education
- School safety
- The roles your school plays in your community
- Education and democracy: how schools prepare students to be informed citizens
- How do school districts spend money, what are your school’s priorities and who makes the decisions?
- Equity in education
- Where do you see creativity, innovation and dignity in education?
- How does increased use of social media impact students and education?
- LGBTQ+ and education
- Learning about race and racism
- Public schools, Charter schools, Independent schools, etc.
- How are students learning digital literacy in an era of globalized social media messages?
- Changes in work and career paths
- In what ways are students prepared (or not prepared) for the interconnected world economy?
- DACA, immigration
- Indigenous communities
Reporting strategies to consider:
- Read/watch/listen to news stories about topics that interest you. Explore how those issues are unfolding in your own community.
- Cover a school board meeting, school leadership meetings, or educator professional development sessions.
- Talk to people around you– your family, friends, neighbors, teachers. Ask younger people, older adults, and your peers. What issues do they care about? What questions do they have?
- Review the school budget – what are the priorities and how does student perspectives inform spending decisions?
- Interview a student leader
- Look up local education reporting and email the journalist covering schools – either for the radio, television or print. Ask if you can talk to them about important stories that students should pay attention to.