My landlord — “Mum” — treated me like her own son. But I procrastinated — and now regret I never showed her the gratitude she deserved. Beatrice in 2008. (Photo courtesy of Jean Pierre Hakiza). At school, I learned that procrastination is our first enemy...
Students from The Thacher School in California, a News Decoder partner, gained first-hand experience in nonprofit, fashion and television journalism. Elena Townsend-Lerdo interviewed Jonathan Chiu, an editor for the only prison-run newspaper in the United States, for...
My generation was born after 9/11. Twenty years after that day, the attacks resonate with us, but we need historical context to grasp why they occurred. People walk past yellow roses and flags placed on the names of 9/11 victims who were veterans, at the 9/11 Memorial...
The U.S. government owns the rights to any oil under our school. So, could frackers drill on campus? Turns out, the only certainty is the need to vote. Gymkhana Field at The Thacher School (Carin Yates/Thacher School) Since its founding in 1889, The Thacher School in...
Journalism is an adventure and publishing a process — lessons that Christina MacCorkle and Lucy Maitland-Lewis learned in spades in producing their article on a beloved field at their school in California. Gymkhana Field is where generations of Thacher School students have ridden horses, but it may also lie above valuable oil. Which is where the U.S. agency that manages federal lands enters the picture. Their story went through multiple drafts as they dug deeper and deeper into the web of issues. The bottom line is that the field’s future is uncertain — an ambiguous conclusion that could frustrate some writers. But the authors learned from the experience and their story educates us as well.
Exercise: Ask your students to research the history of their school grounds and to find out whether there is a chance that there could be changes to the school’s footprint, and if so, why.
Many young people don’t know what they want to study or what career to choose. Giuliana Nicolucci-Altman’s advice? Find a mentor to inspire you. Giuliana Nicolucci-Altman During high school, like so many young students, Giuliana Nicolucci-Altman...
Three students from News Decoder partner schools offered their thoughts on the future of international schools at a recent meeting of top educators. When one of the world’s prominent authorities on international schools wanted to hear students’ views on...
Diversity, inclusion and equity in education are top of mind for young people today. But how often are their voices heard at the top? Three News Decoder Student Ambassadors recently had the opportunity to speak directly to senior educators attending ISC Research’s virtual “Edruptors Conference.” Varlee Fofana of the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, Ioan Pristavu of Transylvania College in Romania and Giavanna Bravo of Greens Farms Academy in the United States emphasized the importance of a global-minded curriculum, diversifying admissions processes and encouraging equal participation among students.
Exercise: Ask students to identify how their school supports diversity, equity and inclusion, and where it could improve.
A graduate of a News Decoder partner school, Pip Lewis is juggling her studies with her passion for music — and winning accolades along the way. Students are forever encouraged to “follow their passion” as they contemplate what to study, where to go to...
A News Decoder partner has awarded top prizes to news organizations in five countries for innovative reporting on COVID-19 for kids. News organizations in Denmark, Germany, Indonesia, Singapore and the United States have won top global reporting prizes for their...
After more than a year of COVID-19 reporting, it can be hard to find a fresh perspective on the pandemic, especially for children. But the gold-medal winners of the Global Youth and News Media Prize for pandemic reporting did just that. In an interview with the prize’s director, Aralynn McMane, News Decoder Board member Nolwazi Mjwara of UNESCO learns more about the innovative strategies taken by the winning news organizations to engage children in the storytelling process and support their mental health. Winning strategies included creating interactive games, dispatching youth correspondents to cover the pandemic and hosting a virtual art exhibition.
Exercise: How might you adopt some of these reporting practices in your own classrooms? Have your students create a game for kids to learn about issues in the news in a fun, positive way.
Lucy Jaffee interviewed a top expert to get a jump on the mainstream press in a landmark free-speech case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Lucy Jaffee Eight months before the U.S. Supreme Court took up a free-speech case covered by the world’s largest news...
Samara Friedman of Friends Seminary in New York City, a News Decoder partner school, has won a spot in a selective FBI youth program. Samara Friedman Samara Friedman is interested in learning more about law and government – what she calls “keeping people safe.”...