Young journalists get a taste of college life

Grady hosts Academy

By: BRITTANY COFER

Posted: 6/12/08

Aspiring journalism students throughout the Southeast join the University community this week by attending the Georgia Journalism Academy.

The 23rd annual weeklong summer camp is hosted by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Joe Dennis, director of diversity and high school outreach, said the program is a good orientation for high school students interested in journalism or the University. Participants in the camp range from rising high school sophomores to rising seniors.

An added benefit to attending the camp is becoming familiar with the University campus.

"This experience has given me a taste of what UGA would be like," Madilene Lake, a rising junior at Pope High School in Marietta, said.

The camp gives high school students the opportunity to learn about print and broadcast journalism from industry professionals and Grady College faculty and staff. Students choose one class in the newspaper or broadcast track to take for the week.

The students work together to produce a 12-page newspaper or 15-minute broadcast news show. This year's theme is Friday Night Lights, and the students will present finished products at the end-of-week banquet in the sky suite of Sanford Stadium.

The Academy not only gives students the opportunity to learn about a field they are interested in but also allows them to obtain hands-on experience.

For Diana Guyton, a rising junior at St. Pius X High School in Atlanta, the camp has shown her what it is like to speak with sources, other than teachers from her school, for a news article.

The students range in skill level from those who have never written a story or given a broadcast to those who have been doing so for years. Dennis said this brings diversity to the program and allows more experienced students to emerge as leaders.

"It's always a good mix of students, and that's what is exciting about this camp," he said.

The Academy is Grady College's largest high school outreach program of the year and has given the college the opportunity to recruit some of the best journalism students in the state. It relies mostly on word-of-mouth promotion from previous participants and is currently at capacity for the second year with 73 attendees.

"At this point we are where we don't have to promote the camp anymore. Now people are seeking out this camp," Dennis said.

The Academy plays a role in where many of the emerging journalists decide to attend college.

One of the main concerns expressed by students when deciding where to attend college is the fear of a large campus such as the University's. By coming to the camp, the students get a feel for the campus, and some of those fears subside, Guyton said.

"I never thought of going to school in-state, but now seeing how great Grady is I am thinking that I might," she said.

About one third of the students attending the Academy were granted a scholarship through the Georgia Scholastic Press Association. These scholarships are based on academic achievement, involvement in high school journalism and an expressed passion for journalism.

Additionally, more than one third of the participants this year are minorities, giving Grady College the opportunity to recruit some of the best minority journalism students in the Southeast.