GVSU, WGVU journalism boot camp guides high school students

August 23, 2023 (Volume 46, Number 20)
Article by Brian Vernellis

two people behind a video camera, one wearing white PBS news hour tshirt, other person in denim shirt

Pictured at left is Anita Crouch, a Student Reporting Labs educator from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, with Preston Donakowski, an East Kentwood High School teacher and one of four GVSRL educators.

A piloted partnership among Grand Valley’s Office of Charter Schools, School of Communications, College of Education and Community Innovation and WGVU is helping students develop their storytelling skills through multimedia and video journalism.

The Grand Valley Student Reporting Lab (GVSRL) welcomed students from four West Michigan high schools to participate in its summer boot camp July 17-19.

Students from East Kentwood High School, Grand River Preparatory High School, Sparta High School and Wayland Union High School spent three days on the Allendale and Pew Grand Rapids campuses.

Under the guidance of faculty members from CECI and the School of Communications and WGVU staff, students learned how to communicate effectively through the medium and employ critical thinking skills by addressing issues that affect them.

Students heard from Detroit educators who are using the SRL coursework, Victor Fernandez, youth media program director at PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, and Allison Nelson, the education advisor for Developmental Enhancement Behavioral Health.

Through the GVSRL’s duration this school year, participating high schools will also receive support from GVSU faculty and staff as well as two GVSU students: a teacher apprentice from CECI and a production assistant from the School of Communications.

A grant will provide funding for the GVSRL through the 2024-2025 academic year, enabling high schools to implement curriculum laid out by the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs.