Wednesday, June 4, 2003

CONTACT: Sallie Barker, (706) 583-8220, sbarker@uga.edu

UGA GRADY COLLEGE REACHES OUT TO YOUNG JOURNALISTS JUNE 8-14

ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication reaches out to young aspiring journalists during the Georgia Journalism Academy, June 8-14.

Approximately 70 rising sophomores, juniors, seniors and college freshmen from more than 40 high schools across the state will receive hands-on experience at the 17th annual summer program.

Students stay in residence halls, walk to classes, eat in the dining halls and get a feel for college life. They focus on an aspect of the media, such as broadcast, newspaper or photojournalism, and work with Grady College faculty and students and media professionals to learn and to create quality, professional-level broadcasts and publications.

"The academy is designed is to introduce high school journalists to new skills and ideas for making their publications better," academy director Janet Jones Kendall said. "It also offers them an opportunity to ‘try on’ various media careers so they can make decisions about what they would like to study after high school."

Newspaper students are organized as a staff and produce a newspaper/magazine, and broadcast students test their skills at producing a newscast – all within a week.

"The academy is fast-paced and project-driven, but most of all it is fun," Kendall said. "We want students to gain a better understanding of how the media works."

Established in 1915, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication provides seven undergraduate majors: advertising, broadcast news, magazines, newspapers, public relations, publication management and telecommunication arts. In addition, the college offers three graduate degrees and is home to the Peabody Awards, one of the premier award programs in broadcasting and electronic media.

For more information about the Georgia Journalism Academy, visit www.grady.uga.edu/gspa.

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