Free Spirit Media in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and After School Matters hosts for the fifth year an advanced documentary apprenticeship for Chicago high school students.
The Pulitzer Center supports international journalism on under-reported global issues, and coordinates public and education outreach around that reporting. Free Spirit Media runs project-based media programs in and out of Chicago schools, working with over 500 youth every year. After School Matters offers program opportunities for Chicago teens.
At the beginning of the Free Spirit Media/Pulitzer Center summer workshop, four Pulitzer Center grantee journalists spend two days with the students in the program.
The journalists present their reporting and then work with the students in small teams to narrow a focus for the students’ documentaries, helping them “mind-map” a topic of interest and importance to the students and their communities.
For the remaining weeks of the program the students receive direct support from Free Spirit Media staff and remote mentoring from their Pulitzer Center journalists, who join them in person again for the final screening of the films.
This summer’s program culminated with the August 7 showcase of the students’ short documentaries, which took place at the Charles H. Shaw Technology and Learning Center at Homan Square. Topics covered included:
- effects of violent video games on mental health
- food deserts
- diversity
- teen and parent struggles
- positive attitudes
- drug use
Students were enthusiastic to describe their work and each presentation brought a big round of applause from fellow participants, friends, family members and the journalist mentors present.
Eight media projects were shown that evening, and included both documentary and fictional pieces.
After the screening, students received awards, including Rookie of the Year, Go-Getter Award, Renaissance Lady, Breath of Fresh Air Award, Artistic Visionary, and Calm, Cool & Collected.
Stay tuned for video clips from student work, and follow their reportage online in the meantime: http://pulitzerfreespiritmedia.wordpress.com/
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Pulitzer Center brings global news literacy to Free Spirit Media
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