by Julie Dodd
JEA Mentoring Committee co-chair

hs_workshopsThe holiday break. Students and teachers alike are looking forward to some time off from the regular school routine.

Not having papers to grade or deadlines to meet can mean that advisers have time to do initial planning for summer workshops that they or their students can attend. The registration for most of these workshops is still several months away, but planning now can mean students and advisers can arrange their summer schedules, seek scholarships, and save their money to pay for the workshops.

You can find information about summer media workshops for students and teachers in several locations.

The Dow Jones Newspaper Fund’s website includes a page with a list of workshops, listed by state. Dow Jones also has a list of workshops that focus on assisting students who are in under-represented groups.

AAJA high school summer workshopYou can check the website for your own state scholastic media association to see what offerings may be available.

Organizations, such as the Asian American Journalists Association, which are trying to promote diversity in the media, also sponsor summer workshops for high school students. JEA Mentoring Committee member Norma Kneese sent information about the AAJA summer workshop.

Attending these summer workshops can literally be a life-changing experience. Both advisers and students gain skills and confidence. Attending a summer workshop can help students make decisions about college majors or where to attend college.