Shorts are brief, creative videos made by student journalists that focus on personal stories, opinions, or creative takes on a topic, usually in 1 to 2 minutes, for publishing on social media. They’re often fun, personal, or reflective.
SRL SHORTS do not require pitches; you will submit these via our submission form.
DEADLINE EXTENDED SEPTEMBER 30
What are you most excited about this year? Grab your mic, camera, or phone and show us how you’re kicking off the school year.
Ideas to get you started:
ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS THROUGH OCTOBER 2025 AND ON A ROLLING BASIS
How are you celebrating the culture, stories, and contributions of the Hispanic community in your school or community?
DEADLINE NOVEMBER 4, 2025
With the 2025 elections coming up this November, what issues are important to your community, and how are young people getting involved?
Ideas to get you started:
DEADLINE DECEMBER 12, 2025
What traditions, celebrations, or moments make this season special in your community?
Ideas to get you started:
DEADLINE JANUARY 9, 2026
New Year, New Me! As 2026 begins, what are your goals, intentions, or stories you want to tell this year?
Ideas to get you started:
ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS THROUGH FEBRUARY 2026 AND ON A ROLLING BASIS
Black History Month is a time to honor the past, celebrate the present, and imagine the future. How is your school or community uplifting Black voices and stories?
Prompts to get you started:
DEADLINE FEBRUARY 14, 2026
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance — it’s about all kinds of love! From friendship to self-love to family bonds, how do you see love showing up in your life and community?
Ideas to get you started:
ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS THROUGH MARCH 2026 AND ON A ROLLING BASIS
March is Women’s History Month — a time to recognize the impact, resilience, and achievements of women past and present. Who inspires you, and what stories of women in your community deserve to be told?
DEADLINE APRIL 12, 2026
What are young people in your community doing to fight climate change or care for the planet? Show us your green stories!
ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS THROUGH MAY 2026 AND ON A ROLLING BASIS
Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month by shining a light on the rich cultures, stories, and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. How is your school or community honoring AAPI voices?
DEADLINE JUNE 7, 2026
What’s next for you after high school — college, career, or creative dreams? Share your hopes, plans, or reflections as you take the next step.
Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information.
Media refers to all electronic or digital means and print or artistic visuals used to transmit messages.
The act of consuming any form of media including anything that is text or visual. It can be books, television, papers, flyers, advertisements, newspapers, information on the Internet, etc.
The condition of having or being composed of differing elements. Especially in the context of the inclusion of people of different races, cultures, etc. in a group or organization
The act or practice of including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded (as because of their race, gender, sexuality, or ability)
People are interested in other people. Everyone has something to celebrate and something to complain about. We like unusual stories of people who accomplish amazing feats or handle a life crisis because we can identify with them.
In news, it’s a story’s point or theme. It's the lens through which the producer or writer filters the information they have gathered and focuses it to make it meaningful to viewers or readers.
The people who read, watch and consume news. Often, journalists think about audience and newsworthiness in similar ways. How will the news story serve their local or national audience? Who am I writing the story for and why?
An account of past or current events. In journalism, stories are presented with a combination of people, facts, and typically includes a beginning, middle and end.
The story of one person, has voiceover (VO), b-roll, pictures, nats (natural sound), interviews of family members or peers of that one person.
Narration and/or voiceover (VO) with a host, commentary, research, personal experiences, explanations, infographics, nats (natural sound), music, entertainment.
Narration done by a broadcast reporter, usually reading from a script. The reporter's voice is recorded over a sequence of video clips that tell a story.
An attempt to grab the reader or viewer’s attention with interesting information that will keep them reading or watching.
A desire to learn and know about something or anything.
The supplemental footage used to visually support your A-ROLL.
Search: broll.
Civics teaches the principles—such as adherence to the social contract, consent of the governed, limited government, legitimate authority, federalism, and separation of powers—that are meant to guide official institutions such as legislatures, courts, and government agencies. (NCSS D2.Civ.7.9-12 - D2.Civ.10.9-12)
Students recognize the responsibilities and opportunities for positively contributing to their digital communities. (ISTE)
Historical understanding requires recognizing this multiplicity of points of view in the past, which makes it important to seek out a range of sources on any historical question rather than simply use those that are easiest to find. It also requires recognizing that perspectives change over time, so that historical understanding requires developing a sense of empathy with people in the past whose perspectives might be very different from those of today. (NCSS D2.His.4.9-12 - D2.His.8.9-12)
Journalism
Representation
Video Production
Media Literacy
Education
Digital Literacy/Citizenship
Identity
Mental Health
Social Media
Active Prompts
Beginner
Mic
Camera or Mobile Phone
Mobile Phone
1-2 hours