Thanks to a grant from the Skyline Foundation which also supports JEA’s Mentoring Program, JEA is bringing back its Partner Project to deliver on-site training to journalism programs in need.

All journalism teachers and their students deserve support and training regardless of factors like location, funding and available resources. The National High School Journalism Convention offers fantastic programming for attendees, but the bottom line is that some of the teachers and students most in need are unable to attend.

Teachers are sometimes assigned journalism classes to teach and student media to advise, and, despite their best efforts, are unable to get things rolling. Programs may not have money to print or host a website, and students quickly lose interest when their work has no audience. Or worse, they may get a publication up and running only to come under fire because students didn’t have the necessary law and ethics training.

The adviser outreach program is designed to help journalism teachers and their students develop sufficient skills necessary for producing student media and to connect them to a larger network in the form of a professional learning community with veteran journalism teachers and their students.

How it works

Teachers will apply by Sept. 16, and those selected will undergo an introductory session online at a convenient time to establish goals and develop a relationship with the trainers. During the on-site training, students and teachers will benefit from direct instruction, hands-on practice and personal guidance from teacher-trainers. The focus will be reporting/writing, law and ethics, visual presentation and leadership.

During the same week as the customized training, participants will be part of a free Saturday workshop at their school open to all scholastic media programs within driving distance. In addition to breakout sessions, the workshop will include activities designed to form or strengthen local connections and professional learning communities.

After the classroom training and Saturday workshop, participants will collaborate as part of an ongoing professional learning community with the teacher-trainers and their students for the rest of the school year and for one year afterward in order to continue the adviser support, measure progress and provide ongoing feedback. The adviser who applies will automatically become a part of the JEA Mentoring Program and will benefit from the amenities provided through that program.

How to apply

The online application process has two separate forms, one for the teacher and one for the principal. Both are due by Sept. 15, 2023. (Candidates will receive a link to the principal form after submitting their initial application.) 

FAQs