Next week, our team will travel with four student reporters to the SXSW EDU conference in Austin, Texas. They’ll take the stage for a live Miseducation podcast episode on the theme, “How Teen Journalists Drive Change in their Communities,” on Monday, March 9.

We’ll also be joining the Siegel Family Endowment, PBS News Student Reporting Labs, and the NPR Student Podcast Challenge to present Youth Takeover Day on Wednesday, March 11. A full day dedicated to youth-focused programming, this is a chance to connect with young change-makers on the ground and explore how students can shape education and media.

Be sure to stop by if you’ll be attending SXSW EDU. We hope to see you there!

Mark your calendars

Fireside chat with Jon Fortt, CNBC anchor
Wednesday, March 11, 5-6 p.m. // Register here for the Zoom link

A veteran business journalist and long-time anchor at CNBC, Jon Fortt is excited to share his experiences covering the tech world and interviewing the world’s most influential CEOs.

J-Week: Write-a-Thon
Wednesday, March 25, 5-7 p.m. // In person; register here for details

Join the Youth Journalism Coalition for a community event designed to sharpen writing skills and take action together. Whether you’re a student interested in learning how to write an op-ed or an adult looking to mentor, everyone has a role to play!

Join our team

We’ve begun reviewing applications for Director of Revenue and will continue to do so on a rolling basis.

• New York City preferred; open to U.S.-based remote
• Full-time | $90,000–$110,000

Learn more and apply: bellvoices.org/jobs

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3…

Expanding journalism education in Mississippi high schools

Applications are now open for the Mississippi High School Journalism Project, a new statewide initiative to bolster journalism education in Mississippi public high schools. Led by The Bell and supported by Press Forward Mississippi, this innovative program will select up to 15 schools to receive access to a groundbreaking new journalism curriculum, expert training, and the specialized resources necessary to launch a credit-bearing journalism course in the Fall 2026 semester.

Meet The Bell’s newest team member, who’s shepherding this initiative.

Kelly Atwood

Coordinator, Mississippi High School Journalism Project

New Youth Journalism Coalition student leaders make their mark

Meet the Team: (From left to right, top to bottom) Julius, Jeremiah, Sara, Eva, Ezinne, Khamani, Autumn, and Natalie. (Not pictured: Chiara).

The Youth Journalism Coalition is thrilled to welcome its spring cohort of student leaders. Passionate about journalism and eager to help spread opportunities to more young people across the city, they’ve already made valuable contributions to the YJC’s advocacy efforts. 

In February they delivered powerful public testimony to the Citywide Council on High Schools (CCHS) about the impact of student journalism in their own lives and school communities. Later that evening, the CCHS unanimously passed a resolution urging the city’s high schools to support and expand the Journalism for All initiative.

A behind-the-scenes look at the New York Public Radio newsroom

Public safety, crime, and breaking news reporter Brittany Kriegstein speaks to student journalists in the New York Public Radio newsroom.

Several of our students recently visited the New York Public Radio offices, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at WNYC, WQXR, and Gothamist. After touring the newsroom, they sat down for an illuminating Q&A with sanitation and parks reporter Liam Quigley. He shared insights into the day in the life of a beat reporter, describing the rapid series of phone calls, interviews, and audio editing required to turn around stories within just a few hours. He also noted how sidewalk observations inspire his enterprise pieces, encouraging the teen journalists to stay curious and always remain on the lookout for interesting occurrences.

Thank you, Liam, for organizing our visit!

Student journalists develop community-informed news products

Student journalist Crystal Diaz Maldonado of Bronx Haven High School poses with her community news prototype.

More than two dozen students participated in the Student Newsroom Launchpad, an immersive midwinter recess program hosted by the Youth Journalism Coalition in partnership with Documented and The Brown Institute for Media Innovation. Representing schools from the YJC’s Journalism for All initiative, participants spent the week learning about community-driven journalism, responsible AI use, and how to design sustainable newsroom systems. 

The program culminated in a gallery walk where participants presented data-informed prototypes of news products to serve their schools’ information needs. Their proposals included everything from Instagram accounts for notifying students about opportunities to webpages with graduation requirement explainers. They’ll work on implementing these solutions in their school newsrooms throughout the rest of the semester. 

“Everyone was always so friendly and working with other students in NYC [who] enjoy journalism [was] amazing,” said Aylin Vazquez, a student at the High School of Telecommunication Arts & Technology.

A special thank you to the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation for generously supporting this program.

Featured student opportunities

The New York Public Library is accepting submissions for its Teen Creative Contest in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Teens ages 13-18 are invited to share writing or artwork about life in America today for a chance to be published in a special edition of the Library’s Teen Voices magazine and win $500. Learn more and submit here by Sunday, March 8.

Press Pass NYC will host a free online workshop titled “How Student Journalism Can Prepare You for Many Careers” on Tuesday, March 10 at 5 p.m. as part of its Jim Dwyer Student Reporting Workshop series. Students will hear from professionals in communications, finance, law, and other fields about how journalism shaped their career paths. Register here.

The Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference is accepting applications from current high school juniors. Selected students will attend a fully funded, five-day summer program in Washington, D.C., where they will dive into journalism and multimedia storytelling, connect with leading media professionals, and build lasting networks with fellow aspiring journalists. Participants also receive a $1,000 college scholarship. Apply here by Sunday, March 15.

Reel Works is accepting applications for ¡Escúchame!, a week-long dual-language narrative audio and podcast workshop taking place over spring break from April 6-10. Teens ages 14-18 with intermediate Spanish skills and some English proficiency will create original seven-minute podcasts in both languages while learning scriptwriting, directing, and immersive sound design. Apply here by Monday, March 16.

Girls Write Now will host a free online career chat about podcasting and interviewing on Tuesday, March 17. Participants will learn how to produce a podcast, grow an audience, and strengthen their interviewing skills from industry professionals, including Chloe Hoy of The Permanent Rain Press, Nia Stanford of Glass Closet, Brittany Luse of NPR’s It’s Been a Minute, and Kristen Meinzer of Mayo Clinic’s Health Matters. Register here.

The Center for Brooklyn History is accepting applications for its Summer Scholars Internship Program. Rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders who live or attend school in Brooklyn are eligible to apply for this paid opportunity. Participants will gain hands-on experience in archival research, exhibition curation, and cultural programming. Learn more and apply here by Wednesday, April 1.

PBS News Student Reporting Labs is accepting applications for its free Summer Academy, an all-expenses-paid journalism training program held in Washington, D.C., from June 24-30. High school student journalists from across the country are eligible. Learn more and apply here by Friday, April 10.

The Healing Center is inviting students to register for the NYC Teen Dating Violence Awareness Walk, which will take place on Saturday, April 25 at 10 a.m. The event features speeches and live performances from teens, elected officials, and advocates taking a stand against dating violence, followed by a march across the Brooklyn Bridge and a rally in front of City Hall. Participants can earn community service hours by attending. Learn more and register here.

The Pulitzer Center is accepting submissions for its Fighting Words Poetry Contest, inviting students to explore how journalism and poetry can connect global issues to local and personal contexts. K-12 students from anywhere in the world may enter for the chance to win cash prizes and publication on the Pulitzer Center website. Learn more and submit here by Monday, May 11.

Press Pass NYC is inviting journalism teachers to register for the New York City High School Journalism Retreat, a day of collaborative learning for student journalists and their advisers taking place on Monday, May 18. Participants will share ideas and develop strategies to strengthen their school publications. Sign up here.

The NPR Student Podcast Challenge is now accepting entries from youth in grades 4-12. Winners will have their stories featured on NPR programs and receive a trophy and certificate for their school. This year, to honor the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, judges will award an additional prize for stories that explore what it means to be an American. Learn more and submit here by Sunday, May 31.

The Socrates Sculpture Park is accepting applications for Socrateens, an experimental art-making program for New York City teens ages 13-19. In this paid opportunity, participants explore contemporary art, creative process, and civic engagement in an outdoor, collaborative environment. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more and apply here.

The Black Currency is accepting applications for its Youth Tech & Digital Creators Program, a free, in-person after-school program for New York City students ages 11–19. Participants will gain hands-on experience in coding and web design and/or podcasting and audio production through weekly sessions. The student who creates the top final project will receive a $500 scholarship to support their educational and creative pursuits. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Apply here.

From the archives

Alumni spotlight: Bernie Carmona

“The Bell has been a strong support system for me as I’ve explored my passion for education and government. As a student reporter, I had the opportunity to work on episodes about ethnic studies, immigrant students, and disparities in arts education access. I also spoke on a panel about inequities in the NYC school system at the SXSW EDU conference in Austin, Texas. Investigating the root causes of these many issues inspired me to learn what it means to be at the forefront of advocating for social justice. Since my time at The Bell, I have continued my education at Cornell University on a pre-law track. Moving forward, I plan to take courses in law and government while centering my focus on minorities, specifically immigrant workers. Being a part of The Bell not only created a nurturing community for me, but also brought me closer to many opportunities where I have been able to connect with people who share similar passions.”

– Bernie Carmona, Miseducation ’22-’23 & ’24; P.S. Weekly ’24 & ’25

Photo of the month

Sabrina, Sophie, CJ, Adrian, Taylor, Mira, and Cait (pictured from the left) caught up last month over a friendly competition of Skee-Ball, darts, shuffleboard, and Pop-a-Shot. One thing about The Bell’s team: you can’t keep us away from a good arcade game!

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