Another successful workshop on the topic of “Youth in Journalism” has taken place.

The workshop ended on Friday 9 August, after a week of sessions aimed at connecting and mentoring young people interested in journalism.

Eight participants came from all over Chicago and the surrounding area to The recording Editor-in-Chief Joe Coughlin and daily guest speakers. The group had diverse experiences with students, from prospective college students to eleventh-graders.

The free program was open to participants ages 16 to 22, and all accepted students received a $200 stipend to offset any travel expenses or potential work hours incurred for the workshop.

Each day, Coughlin covered various journalistic concepts, such as ethics, interview techniques, communications law, and modern and future newsroom models. The goal of the workshop was to broaden and deepen students’ understanding of the news industry.

“This workshop really increased my appreciation for local journalism and introduced me to aspects of a profession I was unfamiliar with! I not only gained knowledge and insight, but also the values ​​of community and craft,” Jack Rosenthal, a rising senior at New Trier, wrote in an email.

Four guest speakers also participated in the workshop in person and via Zoom.

The first speaker was Colin Boyle of Block Club Chicago. Boyle is a reporter and photojournalist for the nonprofit newsroom and teaches a photojournalism course in Northwestern University’s Medill graduate program. As a young professional, Boyle spoke about defending one’s own interests and reminded students that they are more than just student journalists.

Tuesday’s speaker was Patrick Fazio of NBC Chicago. The Wilmette-based journalist anchors the weekend news and is an investigative reporter. Fazio detailed a story he was working on that day and explained to the class how he had to adapt it on the fly to get it on the air promptly at 4 p.m., just in time to speak at the workshop.

The third day began with a lesson on the Freedom of Information Act, which segued nicely into a Zoom session with Matt Topic, one of Chicago’s leading FOIA attorneys. Topic told the students how they helped release the video that revealed more information about the murder of Laquan McDonald.

The fourth speaker was JA Adande, who also participated in the workshop via Zoom. Adande has LA Times, The Washington Post And Chicago Sun-Times and worked for many years as a presenter and reporter for ESPN. Adande is currently the director of sports journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a member of The recording Board member. Adande spoke openly with the students about his work-life balance in the demanding, constantly changing industry.

On the last day of the workshop, students had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion with Coughlin and The recording Questions from Development Director Ryan Osborn. Students asked about their first professional experiences and the group discussed interviewing and career advice.

Students also participated in an interview exercise where Coughlin was interviewed by the group while pretending to be various potential sources. In this activity, students learned how to ask open-ended questions and how to use different tactics in different interviews.

Following the workshop, participants were given an anonymous survey to write down their thoughts and possible feedback. One of the questions was which lesson they found most useful.

“I found the interview tips very valuable. I don’t often hear people talk about this and it was very helpful. This workshop also helped me think more about how there are stories everywhere,” wrote one participant.

Many participants also spoke with Coughlin after the workshop to share their thoughts and discuss the impact of the program.

“This workshop was very interesting and definitely encouraged me to become more involved in local news,” wrote Sam Schmidt, a sophomore at Dickinson College.

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