ICYMI: Our first episode of P.S. Weekly Season 2 dropped Thursday! It explores the state of ethnic studies in NYC schools and how the Trump administration could threaten local progress toward more inclusive curriculums.

New episodes will drop Thursday mornings this spring. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Jackson Youth Newsroom amplifies student voices in mayoral race coverage

Ahead of Jackson’s April 1 mayoral primary, Jackson Youth Newsroom reporters covered a historic forum organized by student government leaders from the city’s seven public high schools. Our student reporters interviewed mayoral candidates and surveyed their peers about the issues that matter most to them.

Read their full coverage on the JYN website, and follow @jacksonyouthnews on Instagram to meet the team and get a behind-the-scenes look at our growing newsroom.

Photo by Imani Khayyam

YJC hosts ‘Breaking the News’ screening with director Princess Hairston

On March 26, the Youth Journalism Coalition brought together student journalists and industry professionals from across the city for a screening of Breaking the News, a PBS documentary about the creation of the groundbreaking digital news startup The 19th*. After the screening, filmmaker Princess Hairston joined us for a dynamic Q&A about efforts to challenge the white male status quo in mainstream media, moderated by YJC student leader Autumn Wynn.

Thank you to The New School for providing space for this evening of connection and storytelling.

Photo by Jaica Derecho

The Bell attends the Athena Film Festival Youth Impact Forum

Students from the Youth Journalism Coalition and our NYC newsroom attended the Athena Film Festival’s Youth Impact Forum at Barnard College on March 9. They connected with youth leaders from across the city and took in a series of “tiny talks” on activism, community, and finding your voice — including one by our very own Liza Greenberg!

We were also thrilled to catch up with advisory board member Umbreen Bhatti, the Constance Hess Williams '66 Director of the Athena Center for Leadership.

The Bell student reporters present at SXSW EDU conference in Austin, TX

Sabrina, Mira, and three alumni — Bernie, Marcellino, and Salma — traveled to Austin, Texas, to present at SXSW EDU, one of the largest education conferences in the country. We led a podcasting workshop with NPR and PBS News Student Reporting Labs, which was attended by more than 100 educators and students. Later, Salma moderated a panel about public interest technology for the career development nonprofit, Roadtrip Nation. Our students also joined Chalkbeat NY’s Alex Zimmerman to record a P.S. Weekly episode in front of a live audience, titled "Teen Journalists on NYC Admissions, Resources, and Real Change." We capped off our trip with delicious Texas BBQ and a visit to the Texas State Capitol.

Photo by David Winter

Featured student opportunities

Path of Liberty is accepting entries for the Future Generations Essay Contest. NYC students grades 6-12 may submit essays about their thoughts on the meaning of “liberty.” Prizes range from $500 to $5000. Enter by April 14.

Press Pass NYC is accepting applications for its Summer 2025 Editor Bootcamp. This paid, week-long workshop is for NYC public school students grades 9-11 who write for their schools’ news publications and want to develop their editing and leadership skills. Apply by April 25.

PBS News Student Reporting Labs will be holding its annual Summer Academy outside of Washington D.C from June 22-28. This all-expenses-paid video journalism and storytelling fellowship is open to all current high school students. Apply by April 27.

The Apollo Theater Academy is accepting applications for its six-week, paid technical theater production internship. This opportunity is open to NYC high school juniors interested in exploring lighting design, video production, and audio engineering, and more. Apply by April 27.

City Limits is accepting applications for CLARIFY, a paid, six-week reporting internship for NYC high school students that runs from July 1st - August 8th. Participants will receive hands-on training, mentorship, and journalism experience. Apply by April 30.

Mind-Builders is accepting applications for its summer community folk culture internship. This paid, five-week program is open for students ages 14-21 interested in learning interviewing, research, videography, and archival skills. Apply by April 30.

NPR is accepting submissions for the 2025 Student Podcast Challenge. Students in grades 4–12 can enter an original podcast for the chance to be featured on NPR. Learn more and submit by May 2.

From the archives

Photo of the month

Last week, YJC’s Student Journalism Action Group leaders met at former YJC director Kyle Finck’s house for a fun night of dominos (the game) and pizza (homemade).

Photo by Sabrina DuQuesnay

Help us grow our programs to reach more students in 2025.