SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) announces a partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) in Atlanta, GA to host AAJA’s signature student program JCamp, a six-day multicultural journalism training program for high school students interested in pursuing journalism as a career.
AAJA will select 42 diverse high school students to participate in JCamp, which will celebrate its 19th year and take place July 27 – August 1, 2019. Over 700 students have completed JCamp since it was launched in 2001.
“GPB is excited to partner with The Asian American Journalists Association for its student journalism camp,” said GPB President and CEO Teya Ryan. “Education is at the core of our mission, and we’re proud of the many resources we’ve produced for educators and high school students on topics that range from history to science. This partnership allows us to share real-world journalism skills in a working environment with students as they explore career opportunities.”
Past JCamp speakers have included David Rhodes, president of CBS News; Hoda Kotb, co-host of NBC’s “Today Show;” Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press;” Jill Abramson, former executive editor of The New York Times; and Ken Burns, award-winning filmmaker.
Arelis Hernandez, reporter at The Washington Post and 2004 graduate of JCamp, will return as the program’s co-director. Ben Bartenstein, reporter at Bloomberg and 2011 graduate of JCamp, will join Hernandez as JCamp co-director. JCamp 2019 will coincide with AAJA’s 2019 National Convention, held July 31 – August 3 in Atlanta, GA.
"We are excited to be in Atlanta this summer to be reunited with our AAJA friends and forge new partnerships with Georgia Public Broadcasting as our hosts this year,” said Hernandez. “JCamp has striven to prepare budding journalists with the skills, savvy and strength they need to make an impact on our industry, as well as society at large. We could not be prouder to have a dedicated partner in that endeavor like GPB, one of the state's premier sources of independent journalism. Students will have a unique opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of public broadcasting and its role in sustaining democracy — a vital lesson for today's youth."
"We are thrilled to be hosting AAJA's 19th JCamp in Atlanta, the location of AAJA's annual convention and a city brimming with diversity,” said AAJA National President Michelle Ye Hee Lee. “Our student journalism programs train and lift the next generation of newsroom leaders who are dedicated to diversity and excellence in journalism. JCamp would not have been possible without the generous support of Georgia Public Broadcasting, and we are grateful."
Students’ expenses are paid thanks to generous donations from foundations including the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Dow Jones Foundation, as well as individual and corporate sponsors.
The application for JCamp 2019 is available at www.aaja.org/jcamp2019. Students of all ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is a non-profit professional journalism organization dedicated to ensuring fair and accurate coverage of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and help Asian American and Pacific Islander journalists succeed in the newsroom and the industry. AAJA, founded in 1981, has more than 1,600 members across the United States and Asia. Since its founding, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry.
As one of the largest PBS stations in the nation, Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB Media) has been creating content worth sharing for over 50 years. With nine television stations, 18 radio stations and a multi-faceted digital and education division, GPB strives to educate, entertain and enrich the lives of our viewers and listeners with programming that includes statewide radio news, current affairs, high school sports, educational resources for teachers and students and enlightening programs about our state like Georgia Outdoors, A Seat at the Table, On Second Thought, Political Rewind and more. For more information, visit www.gpb.org.
Media Contact:
Justin Seiter, Program Coordinator, AAJA
Email: justins@aaja.org
Phone: 415-346-2051 ext. 107