High School Teachers to Visit Cronkite for Reynolds Institute

Thirty-five high school journalism teachers from across the country will enhance their digital and teaching skills at Arizona State University this summer during a training program funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and administered by the American Society of News Editors through its Youth Journalism Initiative. In its ninth year at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the weeklong Reynolds High School Journalism Institute immerses teachers in specialized skills, such as writing, editing, reporting, digital media, design and photojournalism. It also provides grounding in professional ethics, news literacy, the First Amendment and scholastic press freedom. The training at ASU complements online learning offered through ASNE. Participants, many from underrepresented high schools, were selected in a competitive process. They are supplied with housing, meals, continuing-education credit and instructional materials free of charge. The boot camp-style workshop is taught by Steve Elliott, Phoenix reporting bureau director and chief website editor for Cronkite News. “In eight years of offering the Reynolds Institute at the Cronkite School, we’ve seen how great an impact this kind of intensive training can have not only on high school journalism programs but on entire campuses, which benefit from stronger student-produced news outlets,” Elliott said. The Reynolds High School Journalism Institute will take place in the Cronkite School’s state-of-the-art media complex in downtown Phoenix June 21 to 27. Similar Reynolds institutes for high school teachers will be held this summer at Kent State University; University of Missouri, Columbia; and University of Texas at Austin. The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. Headquartered in Las Vegas, it has committed more than $150 million to journalism initiatives nationally. The American Society of News Editors, founded in 1922, is dedicated to the leadership of American journalism. ASNE is comprised of top editors, producers and directors at news organizations; deans, directors and endowed chairs at accredited journalism schools; and leaders of journalism foundations and training organizations. ASNE’s Youth Journalism Initiative, launched in 2000, provides journalism-related training and resources for teachers and students across the curriculum. Its goal is for every student to learn why news matters and acquire the skills needed to succeed as 21st century citizens. 2015 Reynolds High School Journalism Institute participants at ASU: Judy Babb, West Mesquite High School, Mesquite, Texas Esther Bateson, Basha High School, Chandler, Ariz. Keith Carlson, Naperville Central High School, Naperville, Ill. Sutton Casey , Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction, Colo. Lisa Cass, Independence High School, Glendale, Ariz. Jill Cavotta, Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. Shetye Cypher, Tompkins High School, Katy, Texas Heather Eaton, La Joya Community High School, Avondale, Ariz. Sharon Fonzo, Poston Butte High School, San Tan Valley, Ariz. Annie Green, Glacier Peak High School, Snohomish, Wash. Dave Gwizdala, James B. Conant High School, Hoffman Estates, Ill. Terri Hall, Davis High School, Kaysville, Utah Erinn Harris, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, Va. Steve Haslam, Copper Hills High School, West Jordan, Utah Garrett Herbst, Ronald Reagan High School, San Antonio, Texas Kelly Juntunen, Allen High School, Allen, Texas Debra Klevens, Parkway West High School, Ballwin, Mo. Calah Kulm, Warden High School, Warden, Wash. Andrea Lyons, Marietta High, Marietta, Ga. Ann Neary, DeWitt Clinton High School, New York Michelle Obregon, Konawaena High School, Kealakekua, Hawaii Tammy Parks, Howe Public Schools, Howe, Okla. Al Schleicher, Los Angeles Leadership Academy, Los Angeles Emily Sell, Bingham High School, South Jordan, Utah Larry Steinmetz, Bullitt East High School, Mount Washington, Ky. Mandy Stewart, Huntsville High School, Huntsville, Texas Victoria Tijerina, Moises E. Molina High School, Dallas Kris Urban, Corona del Sol High School, Tempe, Ariz. Carver Weakley, Cosby High School, Richmond, Va. Steve Whitman, Geneva High School, Geneva, Ill. Linda Wilson, Caprock High School, Amarillo, Texas Amanda Wimmer, New Braunfels High School, New Braunfels, Texas Jennifer Woolsey, Sunrise Mountain High School, Peoria, Ariz. Bernice Young, Oakleaf High School, Orange Park, Fla. Megan Youngblood, Marcus High School, Flower Mound, Texas