Happy start of the school year!

Our team kept busy this summer, debuting our YouTube channel, helping prepare for the launch of Journalism for All courses in 30 high schools, and running our 6th annual Summer Youth Podcast Academy.

Learn more about these and other exciting updates — and check out a packed list of fall opportunities for high school students.

Join us at City Hall next week

Student leader Fredlove Deshommes speaks at “J-Day 2024” before a crowd of Youth Journalism Coalition members. Photo by Dulce M. Marquez

On Tuesday, September 16, the Youth Journalism Coalition is headed to City Hall for J-Day 2025, our second annual day of student-led advocacy for journalism education. An estimated 200 journalism students and teachers from across the city will join school officials, leaders in the City Council and others to mark progress and call for more action.

All are welcome to attend a 10:30 a.m. student-led press conference celebrating the start of Journalism for All courses at 30 schools and announcing findings from the New York City Department of Education’s first-ever report on journalism programming in its high schools.

👉 Read the media advisory

👉 RSVP here

Teen podcasters preview new episodes at Summer Youth Podcast Academy listening party

We capped off our 6th annual Summer Youth Podcast Academy with an unforgettable listening party at Spotify’s New York headquarters, emceed by program-alumni Bree Campbell and Marvin Lezama. This season, our students created episodes profiling public servants, including a firefighter, a doula, and an urban planner. We played clips from each story, opened up the floor for audience shoutouts, and concluded with our “paper plate award” tradition celebrating each student’s unique contribution to the group. We’ll be publishing their episodes on our Summer Youth Podcast Academy channel in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Schools chancellor discusses phone ban, admissions, and lots more in exclusive interview with P.S. Weekly

Photo by Dulce M. Marquez

Three of our student reporters, Aponi Kafele, Roberto Bailey and Autumn Wynn, sat down for an exclusive back-to-school interview with NYC Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, last month. They spoke to her about a range of issues, including the new citywide school cell phone ban and her thoughts on the high school admissions process. On the topic of student journalism, she said that “it’s very important that we foster student journalism across every single school.”

Watch the full interview on YouTube.

Meet our newest team member

Cait Hagan

LEE Policy and Advocacy Fellow, Youth Journalism Coalition

NYC educators prepare to teach journalism in schools across the city

Teachers from the 30 NYC public high schools in the Journalism for All initiative attended a week-long professional development workshop last month led by Katina Paron and the J+ team at The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, supported by our YJC staff. They met the coaches who will guide them through their first year teaching journalism, familiarized themselves with the Journalism for All curriculum, and even tried their hand at “person on the street” interviews. We can’t wait to see the amazing reporting that their students will publish!

P.S. Weekly alumni lead podcasting workshop for middle schoolers

Two of our P.S. Weekly alumni, Katelyn Melville and Sanaa Stokes, put their storytelling skills into practice this summer by leading a five-week podcasting workshop for middle schoolers in the TEAK Fellowship. TEAK provides academic support, mentorship, and career guidance to low-income NYC students, from middle school through the end of high school, and beyond. Katelyn and Sanaa’s students explored their creativity by making episodes about everything from TikTok in 2020 to a true-crime-inspired examination of the history of the London Bridge.

“I am so thankful to TEAK for giving us the opportunity to teach these students and pass on the legacy of journalism and media creation to the next generation of innovators and thinkers,” Katelyn said.

Featured student opportunities

Press Pass NYC is accepting applications for its Fall Student Journalism Fellowship. Participants have the opportunity to take part in virtual community-building sessions with fellow student journalists, workshops with professional journalists, and monthly in-person journalism and editing workshops. This opportunity is open to students who attend New York City public schools and work on their school publications or have media experience. Students will receive a $250 stipend upon successful completion of the program. Apply here by September 12. 

The Bronx Documentary Center is accepting applications for the Youth Photo League, a free documentary photography and college success program for middle and high school students. Students learn photography, writing, and research as tools to explore social justice issues, while gaining skills that prepare them for college and future careers. All NYC youth grades 6-12 are eligible. Learn more and apply here by September 14.

PBS News Student Reporting Labs is seeking high school students who are interested in news and current events for its 2025-26 Student Advisory Team. This is a virtual experience to meet with professionals, connect with other students from across the country, shape SRL's editorial coverage, and share ideas. Students will receive a $100 stipend upon successful completion of the program. Learn more and apply here by September 19.

Citizens Committee for Children of New York is accepting applications for the YouthAction NYC Internship program, a year-long civic engagement program. Participants will gain the skills to advocate on behalf of themselves, their schools, and their communities, learn how to conduct hands-on research, and meet with government officials. All New Yorkers aged 14-19 are eligible, and interns can earn up to $800. Learn more and apply here by September 21.

The Brooklyn Museum is accepting applications for its paid teen night planning committee internship. Planning committee teen staff design, plan, and host three annual Teen Nights and other public programs for teens. All 14-19 year-olds who attend a NYC school are eligible. Apply here by September 21. 

Brooklyn Public Library is accepting applications for its BookMatch Teen program. Participants will learn the art of recommending books and offer a readers’ advisory service exclusive to teens, while earning a stipend and volunteer hours. This opportunity is open to all high school students. Apply here by September 22. 

The Democracy Group is accepting applications for its podcast fellowship, a 6-week remote program for young leaders who want to start a podcast and build an audience to strengthen democracy, engage diverse viewpoints, and bridge political divides. This opportunity is open to all high school students. Learn more and apply here by September 30.

The Brooklyn Museum is accepting applications for a paid museum apprentice internship. Throughout the year, apprentices learn from curators and education staff to develop their own tours, and teach camp groups over the summer while building teamwork, communication, and teaching skills. All 14-19 year-olds who attend a NYC school are eligible. Apply here by October 5. 

YoungArts is accepting applications for YoungArts awards, a prestigious competition that grants winners mentorship from professional artists, a robust network, national recognition, and cash awards between $250–$10,000. High school students in grades 10-12 are eligible to enter. Learn more and submit here by October 8. 

The Brooklyn Museum is accepting applications for its paid InterseXtions teen staff internship. In this program, teen staff design, plan, and host our annual LGBTQ+ Teen Night designed by and for LGBTQ+ youth and allies, inspired by exhibitions, and host smaller programming advancing LGBTQ+ advocacy. All 14-19 year-olds who attend a NYC school are eligible. Apply here by October 19.  

PBS News Student Reporting Labs is accepting applications to be a co-host of On Our Minds, an award-winning teen life podcast. Season Six will feature student-produced stories about what makes teen life unique across the country. Co-hosts will receive a $1,500 stipend and an all-expenses-paid trip to Denver for training. This opportunity is open to high school students. Apply here by October 31. 

PBS News Student Reporting Labs is also accepting story pitches for immersive audio segments exploring what’s unique about life in cities, towns and neighborhoods across America. Students whose pitches are selected will work together with producers from PBS News Student Reporting Labs to develop their stories for Season 6 of the On Our Minds podcast. Submit your pitch here by December 19. 

National Queer Theater is accepting applications for Staging Pride, its free after-school theater program for LGBTQ+ youth. The program builds theater skills while exploring LGBTQ+ culture, and queer youth ages 13-18 are encouraged to apply. The program offers trips for students to see Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, and masterclasses with industry professionals. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more and apply here.

From the archives

Alumni spotlight: Melissa Choi

“As a participant of last year’s Summer Youth Podcast Academy, I had an incredible time creating an episode about Brooklyn Game Lab, which uses games to teach social emotional skills to kids. I’m now a senior in high school and recently became an outreach officer for Cherielle, a student-led nonprofit focusing on creating more opportunities for girls in STEM. I’ve been using the marketing and writing skills I developed in SYPA to create social media posts for the organization. Even though it’s been a year since my SYPA journey, I still look back on the amazing experience I had. I’m so grateful to be a part of The Bell family!”

– Melissa Choi, SYPA ‘24

Photo of the month

CJ, Taylor, Sabrina, Mira, and Sophie (not pictured) got together for a park hang a couple of weeks ago. Taylor introduced the team to his daughter, Camelia, who turned 6 months old in August!

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