Whistleblower Journalism
In this course, which is offered by the School of The New York Times DC Summer Academy, “Delve into the world of national security, exploring how journalists uncover stories about information shrouded in secrecy.”
“(The School of The New York Times) DC Summer Academy gives intellectually curious high school students the opportunity to live and learn in New York City while studying topics in journalism, media, technology, arts, culture, sports, fashion, business, science and more. Each two-week course draws on the expertise and unrivaled access of The New York Times and encourages students to take their learning beyond the classroom and into the real world.”
How long will this take? This course is two weeks long and is based in Washington, DC.
How do I get started? Go to their website and apply.
How do I expand this narrative arc? With the caveat below (see HOT TIP), this is a nice compliment to a strong interest in journalism or politics. Think about which category you fit into, and then consider one of the following opportunities:
Become a Youth Reporter for YR Media.
Get published in The New York Times when you win one of their many writing competitions.
Submit your work to Affinity Magazine a magazine for young journalists.
Be recognized for your work when you submit it to one of the many national writing competitions and awards programs like the Edward R. Murrow Awards
Spend five weeks at an inspiring and intensive program for aspiring journalists at Northwestern University
HOT TIP: The content of this program looks interesting, and it could be a nice complement to a pre-existing interest. Note that programs without rigorous entry requirements tend to be less impressive to admissions officers. That said, there is potential for great exposure, and value in the experiences (and, more important, what the teen does to further expand the knowledge after the program has ended). This topic is particularly timely today, and could lead to some very interesting further investigations.