Alternative Schools Network News (ASNews) will break the neighborhood isolation of Chicago teens from across the city in a cooperative effort to share stories and analysis of the news of the day, whether at the extremely local level or from around the city and the world.

ASNews will develop, organize, and convene professional development sessions and workshops that will bring teachers together from across the network to develop effective journalism and news literacy instruction strategies. As participating schools develop their programs, ASNews will help them build wide audience for their student journalism, connecting schools through ASN’s website and social media strategies.

About Alternative Schools Network (ASN)

ASN is a not-for-profit organization in Chicago working to provide quality education with a specific emphasis on inner-city children, youth and adults.

Since 1973, ASN has been supporting community based and community-run programs to develop and expand training and other educational services in Chicago’s inner-city neighborhoods. In addition to supporting direct services, ASN has advocated for community-based services in which the people involved are active participants in developing and running programs rather than passive recipients of services.

Today ASN helps shape policies and programs, based upon its impressive track record of operating successful education, employment and support service programs.

Impact

• ASN will work with 10 schools from 2013-14.
• 13 educators will be involved in the ASNews initiative during the first year of funding.
• ASN received a $100,000, two-year grant through 2014 from the McCormick Foundation.

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