The Morehead Writing Project (MWP) has received a $10,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation’s Journalism and Media Program to fund the 2019 Power Your Story Journalism Camp. The summer program for high school youth seeks to address the “news desert” that exists for many students living in low-income rural communities and teach young people the value and importance of community journalism.
This award provides the opportunity for each participating individual to spend two weeks on Morehead State University’s campus, mentored by featured journalist and MWP teacher leaders. Throughout the program participants will create a multi-media profile, research a locally important journalistic topic, compose a finished journalistic piece on that topic and engage with public response to his or her work. As a model for future programs, insights from the MWP’s pilot summer program will contribute to the field’s understanding of how to increase civic engagement and news literacy in the context of a strong writing program located in a low-income rural community.
Dr. Deanna Mascle, instructor of English and site director of the Morehead Writing Project, has been funded multiple times by the National Writing Project for programming that benefits educators and students at MSU and its service region. Mascle said, “This camp will be an amazing opportunity for our Eastern Kentucky students to learn more about working as a journalist and the opportunities available to them via convergent media. We hope that this camp will bring many future journalists to study here at MSU and launch some amazing journalism careers, said Mascle.”
The camp is being offered in cooperation with WMKY 90.3 FM Morehead State Public Radio, Morehead State’s Convergent Media Program and the Trail Blazer. Featured journalists will include: Leeann Akers, WMKY news director; John Flavell, instructor of convergent media at Morehead State and working journalist; and Chuck Mraz, retired WMKY news director.
MWP offers high-quality professional development programs for educators and youth workshops throughout the year. To sign up for the 2019 Power Your Story Journalism Camp, visit http://moreheadwritingproject.org/journalism-camp/.
Additional information is available from Deanna Mascle by calling 606-783-5280 or by emailing d.mascle@moreheadstate.edu.
