MWP holds summer journalism camp

The Morehead Writing Project (MWP) held “Power Your Story,” a journalism camp for area high schoolers, June 9-15.  

Students collaborated with professionals from Morehead State Public Radio, Morehead State’s convergent media program and the MSU student newspaper, The Trail Blazer. Camp participants learned about how to collect news and interview subjects, how to operate cameras and how to edit audio and video, among other skills necessary in the field of journalism.   

“Overall, journalism is about facts. Period. If you read it on your phone, your laptop or your watch, the basic tenants of journalism won’t change,” said John Flavell, MSU instructor of journalism. “I hope the students were encouraged and enlightened that journalism isn’t about the derisive politics of our time. It’s about storytelling. I wanted them to learn how to keep it simple. Learn how a story should flow.”   

Participants in the camp worked with Flavell to shoot footage for a story about a KET documentary featuring Raymond McLain, director of the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. They also worked with Leeann Akers, news director at Morehead State Public Radio, to produce an audio story for broadcast. The students also collaborated on an article published in the Ashland Daily Independent newspaper.   

Retired MSPR News Director Chuck Mraz spoke to the campers about his career as a journalist, and current student and MSPR staffer Chas Jenkins of Morehead taught the students about podcasting.   

Dr. Deanna Mascle, director of the MWP and instructor of English at MSU, organized the camp. Mascle said the camp could not have happened without the support of departments and offices across campus.  

“We are so lucky at Morehead State to have a really amazing convergent media program - the faculty and staff and students produce outstanding work and we were fortunate to have several people support our camp this week and give our campers a unique experience,” she said. “We were also able to make this camp a residential experience thanks to outstanding work from the Office of Conference and Event Services, dining services and housing. It was an intense week, but we could accomplish so much in a short amount of time because we were able to live and eat on campus as a group.”  

Twelve students attended the camp, and Mascle said some expressed interest in enrolling in MSU’s convergent media program.   

The MacArthur Foundation Journalism and Media Program funded the camp through the National Writing Project (NWP) and the MWP. 

For more information about MSU’s Convergent Media program, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/study/communication or call 606-783-2134.  

For information on the Morehead Writing Project, visit www.moreheadwritingproject.org.  

To learn more about Morehead State Public Radio, visit www.wmky.org.   

View The Trail Blazer at www.thetrailblazeronline.net.