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Project | 4-6 Weeks

Elections 2024: Young leaders


OVERVIEW

Elections 2024 Young Leaders

Tuesday, November 5, 2024 will be a big day– with millions of U.S. voters headed to the polls to choose leaders at the local, state, and national levels– including casting votes for president.

Although many politicians are from older generations, young people are getting involved and making their voices heard. For this project, tell a story about a young person who is participating in the 2024 elections.

Gen Z candidates are now running for office, and teens and young adults are volunteering for campaigns, knocking on doors and working at the polls on election day.

In 2022, youth voter turnout was one of the highest levels in a midterm election since the voting age was lowered to 18, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University.

NEW THIS YEAR! PITCH YOUR STORY

This year, instead of submitting fully produced stories, SRL invites students to pitch their story ideas first.

PRO TIPS BEFORE BEFORE PITCHING YOUR STORY:

  • RESEARCH: Spend time doing research, talk to people you’d like to interview, and shape your story idea.
  • WATCH: this short video about pitching
  • REVIEW: this pitch example before submitting your idea.

SUBMIT YOUR PITCH:

  • Submit your pitch using this form on or before Friday, October 11, 2024.

SUCCESSFUL PITCHES WILL:

  • Show clear evidence of research
  • Tell a compelling story
  • List specific people you intend to interview

If your pitch is selected, you will work with an SRL Youth Media Producer to further develop your story for publication. A team member will contact you within three weeks of your submission.

CHOOSE A FORMAT

Examples

Journalism

Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information.

Source: American Press institute

Issue

​​A subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about

Source: Cambridge Dictionary

Community

A group of people who live in the same area (such as a city, town, or neighborhood). It can also be a group of people who have the same interests, religion, race, etc.

Source: Merriam Webster

Stereotype

A simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group; a set form or convention

Source: Dictionary.com

Timeliness

Immediate, current information and events are newsworthy because they have just recently occurred. It’s news because it’s “new.”

Solutions

Investigating and explaining, in a critical and clear-eyed way, how people try to solve widely shared problems. Solutions journalism focuses on responses to problems.

Source: Solutions Journalism

Human Interest

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.

Story Angle

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.

Source: ThoughCo.

Audience

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?

Character

A person or other physical being in a narrative. Stories are made up of different characters who provide information and help shape the narrative with their knowledge, experience and perspective.

Pitch

A description of what your story might be and WHY it’s important. An outline of your story idea and the steps to achieve your goal. A summary of what you hope to accomplish in your story

News package

Video stories about newsworthy issues and topics, factual information, balanced reporting, research, voice overs, soundbites, b-roll footage, infographics, reporter standup, nats (natural sound bites).

Video profile

The story of one person, has voiceover (VO), b-roll, pictures, nats (natural sound), interviews of family members or peers of that one person.

Explainer video

Narration and/or voiceover (VO) with a host, commentary, research, personal experiences, explanations, infographics, nats (natural sound), music, entertainment.

Video Portrait

A short video clip that captures the interview subject in their natural state. It involves a person looking into the lens for a few seconds. It’s like a still photo but video!

Research

An investigation into and study of sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

Source

A source is an individual, company, document or more that can provide information to fuel a new story. In order for a story to be considered verified and to maintain a reputation as a news outlet, it is important to have a credible source.

Story Arc

An example of using a little person to tell a big story. For example, you want to tell a story about pollution in your community’s water system. That is a big issue. Your video will use the story of a person (character) to illustrate the effects of bad water quality.

Hook

An attempt to grab the reader or viewer’s attention with interesting information that will keep them reading or watching.

Accuracy

Free from mistake or error. Coverage of topics and facts in appropriate detail.

Writing - Research to Build and Present Knowledge

Perspectives

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)

Empowered Learner

Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences. (ISTE)

Determining Helpful Sources

Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions, taking into consideration multiple points of view represented in the sources, the types of sources available, and the potential uses of the sources. (NCSS D1.5.9-12)

Demonstrate writing processes used in journalism and broadcasting media.

Writing - Text Types and Purposes

Gathering and Evaluating Sources

Whether students are constructing opinions, explanation, or arguments, they will gather information from a variety of sources and evaluate the relevance of that information. (NCSS D3.1.9-12 - D3.2.9-12)

Plan and deliver a media production (e.g., broadcast, video, web, mobile).

Topics

Journalism

Representation

Stereotypes and Misconceptions

Civics

History

Active Prompts

Levels

Beginner

Intermediate

Materials

Computers

Internet

Estimated Time

4-6 Weeks