2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR PROMPTS

Students have many opportunities to report stories with SRL this school year—from fun, vertical social media videos and audio features for season seven of SRL’s podcast On Our Minds, to in-depth, horizontal video packages exploring topics like young leaders creating change, finding mental health solutions and the impact of sports. Some selected student work may be published on national, regional, and local news outlets and social media, including the PBS News Hour’s broadcast and digital platforms.

SRL Shorts are brief, creative videos made by student journalists that focus on personal stories, opinions, or creative takes on a topic, usually in one to two minutes, for publication on SRL social media. They’re often fun, personal, or reflective. Learn more and submit here. This year’s topics:

• Come to my party 🎉
• Little things, big feels 💛
• Fired Up 🔥
• What are you doing/learning outside of school? 👀
• Feeling Seen on Screen 📺

Contribute to Student Reporting Labs’ award-winning teen life podcast, On Our Minds. Stay tuned for more information and deadlines about how to contribute to Season 7!

For the 2026-2027 school year, we invite students to pitch stories during the fall and spring semesters on these topics: mental health, young leaders, and sports. Use this rubric as a guide to help you create a strong video package. Get in touch with Marie Cusick to answer any questions about pitching and production: marie@reportinglabs.org.

Feeling Better: Finding Mental Health Solutions Explore a person, program, or resource working to support youth mental health, and tell the story of how they're helping young people feel better, build resilience, and access the support they need.

Stepping up: Young Leaders Creating Change Identify a teen or young adult in your community who is speaking up about an issue they care about and working to make change, then create a video profile that tells their story and highlights how they are using their voice to drive impact.

The impact of sports: How the Game Can Mean More Than the Score Create a 2–4 minute video profile of a young athlete whose story goes beyond competition by exploring their personal struggles, growth, and impact on others, showing how sports has shaped their identity, resilience, and opportunities both on and off the field.

TOPIC REPORTING RESOURCES HERE

NOTE: The SRL team evaluates pieces based on this criteria. Please be sure your stories incorporate these requirements.

Your go-to for 2026 midterm election student journalism resources: Election Toolkit

Quick-turn videos on breaking news or cultural moments. No pitch required, just fast, thoughtful storytelling. Look for announcements throughout the school year via our newsletter and social media.

COMING SOON