Note: This project is completed. We are no longer accepting submissions. Look for information soon about "On Our Minds" Season 3.
In May 2021, Student Reporting Labs debuted its first podcast series, called “On Our Minds” about the biggest mental health challenges young people face, including anxiety, depression, learning during the pandemic, race, and social media. For the 2021-22 school year, we kept the reporting and conversations going and dug even deeper into some of the issues that contribute to mental health challenges. Go here to find out how to participate.
A set of moral principles based on standards of right and wrong, usually in terms of obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.
Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity. Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc.
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
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)
Immediate, current information and events are newsworthy because they have just recently occurred. It’s news because it’s “new.”
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.
Awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation or intuitive cognition. A capacity for comprehension and understanding.
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.
People are attracted to information that helps them make good decisions. If you like music, you find musician interviews relevant. If you’re looking for a job, the business news is relevant. We need to depend on relevant information that helps us make decisions.
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?
A conversation between two or more people where the purpose is to gather information and facts. The interviewer asks questions and the interviewee provides information based on their knowledge about a specific topic or issue.
A digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a themed series.
An audio story within a podcast episode
A recording of something going on (versus an interview).
Note: Think b-roll but for audio.
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.
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.
A group of people with a shared purpose who work to create change together. Movements use power in numbers—be it 5 people or 5,000 people—to bring attention to important issues and create solutions for the future.
The term “empathy” is used to describe a wide range of experiences. A generally definition is the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. In media-making, creators can have empathy for their subjects and the audience can empathize with the characters.
The availability of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid
A person who has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area.
An investigation into and study of sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
Sounds produced in their actual setting. Natural sound, commonly known as NAT sound, puts the viewer in the place the story was told by enhancing the scene(s) with video containing rich audio such as a musician singing at a train station, a storm approaching, or the sound of a tractor plowing the field.
A person who gives an account or tells the story of events, experiences, etc. In news, it is the person who adds spoken commentary to the video news story.
The main person or character in a story. There can be multiple subjects in a story. The subject can also be the main theme of your story.
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.
An attempt to grab the reader or viewer’s attention with interesting information that will keep them reading or watching.
Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences. (ISTE)
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)
Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals. (ISTE)
Journalism
Representation
Stereotypes and Misconceptions
Race and Justice
Podcasting
STEM
Identity
Health
Mental Health
Social Media
Projects
Intermediate
Advanced
Computers
Mobile Phone
Internet
2-3 Months
*If your story is not selected for “On Our Minds”, you can still produce the story as a regular SRL assignment. Finished pieces will be published as audio stories on SRL’s YouTube channel and website.
On Our Minds” Season Two will consist of five episodes. The focus of this season is how challenging events in our lives really affect our mental health and wellbeing. Stories should look at: What are the ways that ___________ affects my/your mental health? Possible fill-in-the-blanks include:
Students’ final edited pieces should be 3-10 min. Students can choose to:
Regardless of format, make sure you are telling the STORY (not just opinions) of the young person/people featured. The best stories are ones that bring to life: characters and their emotions, scenes and actions, challenges and conflicts. Some guiding questions:
Aug-Nov:
Teachers share this document with their students. YMPs meet with students and teachers to answer any questions about these special opportunities. Students brainstorm story ideas and consider applying to be a host.
Nov 1:
mid-Nov 2021:
SRL announces student-hosts and student-producers (based on pitches). Again, if your pitch is not selected for the podcast, you can still produce the story as a regular SRL assignment to be published on SRL’s YouTube channel.
mid-Nov-Jan:
Student-producers hone pitches and pre-produce with support from SRL Youth Media Producers (YMPs).
Jan-Feb:
Student-hosts receive podcast training and plan expert interviews. Students-producers produce, record, and edit their audio stories with help from SRL YMPs.
Feb 28:
ROUGH CUTS of audio stories DUE and YMPs give feedback.
March 15:
FINAL CUTS of audio stories DUE.
March-April:
Student-producers record conversations with podcast-hosts about their experience working on their stories. These conversations will be included in the podcast episodes.
March-May:
Podcast-hosts record their parts and interview experts or influencers on episode topics. Hosts will need to commit about 5 hours per week during these months.
May 2022:
“On Our Minds” Season 2 release! One episode per week published during May’s “Mental Health Awareness Month.”