Release courtesy University of Missouri School of Journalism.

The Missouri School of Journalism is one of four national sites that will host the Youth Journalism Initiative of the American Society of News Editors this summer.

A part of ASNE’s national effort to inspire youth in the ever-changing world of journalism, 140 secondary-school teachers will receive comprehensive journalism training and hands-on experience at the 2014 Reynolds High School Journalism Institute.

The workshop on the University of Missouri campus will be July 13-25. Training will also be held at other times at Arizona State, Kent State and Texas at Austin.

The workshop program is a combination of idea generation and skill building with the various tools, software and processes of journalism and education. Working in reporting teams, the teachers produce a series of multi-media stories about the various workshop sessions. Each participant also produces lesson plans about aspects of the workshop that address their priorities.

The co-directors of the workshop are Adam Maksl, assistant professor of journalism at Southeast Indiana University, and Roger Gafke, director of program development at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute. Amanda Gastler, RJI events director, serves in that role for the workshop. Other Missouri faculty who are participating are: Stacey Woelfel, Reuben Stern, Cyndi Frisby, Stephanie Padgett, David Horvit, and Annie Hammock.

Through the Reynolds High School Journalism Institute, teachers learn how to help students:

• differentiate between fact, opinion and infotainment; understand bias, balance and fairness in news coverage by developing news literacy skills; and appreciate the importance of credible and verifiable news sources.
• gain stronger reporting, writing, editing, multimedia, design and entrepreneurial skills needed to start or improve student news media organizations.
• understand the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment and their rights and ethical responsibilities as student journalists.

Since the program’s inception in 2001, more than 2,000 high school teachers have completed the two-week program.

The Institute is funded through a generous grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, which covers all travel, housing and instructional expenses for the teachers, as well as optional graduate or continuing education credit. The teachers will also receive paid membership to the Journalism Education Association and their state or regional scholastic press association. The Missouri Interscholastic Press Association is headquartered at Missouri.

The ASNE Youth Journalism Initiative, launched in 2000, provides journalism-related training and resources for teachers and students across the curriculum. These resources are available to all educators and the public at SchoolJournalism.org.

The ASNE focuses on leadership development and journalism-related issues. Founded in 1922 as a nonprofit professional organization, ASNE promotes fair, principled journalism; defends and protects First Amendment rights; and fights for freedom of information and open government. Leadership, innovation, diversity and inclusion in coverage and the journalism work force, youth journalism and the sharing of ideas are also key ASNE initiatives.

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, it has committed more than $150 million to journalism initiatives nationally.

Founded in 1954, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation seeks to honor the memory of its benefactor, a 1927 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, for whom it is named, by filling unmet needs and attempting to gain an immediate, transformational impact in four principal areas of interest:

• Meeting the greatest needs of communities in Arkansas, Nevada and Oklahoma, primarily through improved facilities for their outstanding local nonprofit organizations.
• Accelerating the fight against atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic heart disease through cutting-edge, translational research.
• Improving the quality of life of America’s growing elderly population through better training of physicians in geriatrics.
• Enhancing the quality and integrity of journalism, focusing particularly on better training of journalists who serve smaller communities and on business journalism.
In addition to the founding of RJI at the University of Missouri and the construction of the Alumni Center that bears his name, the foundation has provided funding for programs, scholarships, chairs and more to schools and institutions of journalism around the country including this workshop.

Those who will participate in ASNE’s Youth Journalism Initiative at Missouri are:

• Kevin Allen, Captain Shreve High School, Shreveport, Louisiana
• Ryan Alpers, Abraham Lincoln High School, San Jose, California
• J. Paul Apfelbeck, Galena Interior Learning Academy, Galena , Alaska
• June Ashby, R.B. Glenn H.S., Kernersville, North Carolina
• Erin Atkinson, Signature School, Evansville, Indiana
• Michael Babler, Divine Savior Academy, Doral, Florida
• Jane Brewer, Fort Atkinson High School, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
• Janine Carneal, Menchville High School, Newport News, Virginia
• Elizabeth Christopher, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, Scotch Plains, New Jersey
• Annette Deming, Don Antonio Lugo High School, Chino, California
• Kristen DiGiorgio, Bradley Bourbonnais C. High School, Bradley, Illinois
• Sandra Gaul, Wahlert Catholic High School, Dubuque, Iowa
• Nancy Gibson, Ashdown High School, Ashdown, Arkansas
• Sandy Graham, Menchville High School, Newport News, Virginia
• Robert Guyette, De Pere High School, De Pere, Wisconsin
• Greg Hawks, West Union Attendance Center, Myrtle, Mississippi
• Anne Hayman, Arlington High School, Arlington, Washington
• Greg Heisenfeldt, Wayland Union High School, Wayland, Michigan
• Donald Johnson, Webster Groves High School, Webster Groves, Missouri
• Joe Kennealy, City University Schools, Memphis, Tennessee
• Lindsay Kovel, North Cobb High School, Kennesaw, Georgia
• Colleen Kroeker, George Ranch High School, Richmond, Texas
• Elaine Madrigal, Washington Union High School, Fresno, California
• Brandon Martin, Helias Catholic High School, Jefferson City, Missouri
• Kim McCarthy, Mother of Divine Grace School, Ojai, California
• Shawn Owens, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri
• Shelley Petkovesek-Bleekman, Mance Park Middle School, Huntsville, Texas
• David Ragsdale, Clarke Central High School, Athens, Georgia
• Rachel Rauch, Homestead High School, Mequon, Wisconsin
• Erin Roehrle, Francis Scott Key High School, Union Bridge, Maryland
• Teresa Scribner, Cleveland High School, Seattle, Washington
• Nicholas Somich, Mayfield High School, Mayfield Village, Ohio
• Rebecca Suchy, Coginchaug Regional High School, Durham, Connecticut
• Lawrence Theuer, Devon Preparatory School, Devon, Pennsylvania
• Francis Vanderslice, Kennett High School, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
• William Vega, El Paso, Texas