Welcome to the High School Journalism Institute
We offer in-person, weekly journalism programs year-round for high school students in Santa Cruz County.
We are creating journalism training opportunities to fill a gap left behind by high school newspaper programs ending.
Session 1: Spring 2025
Duration: 5 weeks on Tuesday evenings
Dates: April 8, 15, 22, 29 & May 6
Time: 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Location: In-person, Cabrillo College
Cost: $300
Sliding scale options available.
The Program
This is an opportunity for burgeoning high school journalists to start their careers as professional storytellers. This 5-week program will cover a range of topics, including: how to structure and write a news story, identify and interview sources, publish stories online to use in a portfolio, manage social media accounts associated with the Institute, take photos & videos and much more.
Each week we will cover a new topic before launching into pitching stories, editing and collaborating as a group to tackle important stories happening on your school campuses and in the local community. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, this program is an opportunity for high school students interested in storytelling of all mediums: written, audio, video, photo and social media.
FAQs
Do I need experience?
No prior experience necessary!
Will we be able to use the articles we publish for future applications?
Yes! This is one of the main takeaways from the Institute -- having accessible, published clips from Prior Restraint Media to use in future applications. Having "clips", or published articles, in any media format is a surefire way to showcase your work. Our website is free with no paywall!
What is the meaning behind Prior Restraint Media?
Prior Restraint is an attempt by the government to stop a story from running and it is the greatest threat to the First Amendment. The legal precedent case in our country involving prior restraint is Near v. Minnesota, 1931, when the Supreme Court made prior restraint illegal for the first time.
Who will be leading the High School Journalism Institute?
Alexandria Bordas is an award-winning investigative journalist. She worked on the San Francisco Chronicle's Investigative Team from 2020-2023 to report on dozens of sexual assault allegations against a Sonoma County mayor. She's the Department Chair of Journalism at Cabrillo College.