The Project will take place March 27 and 28, 2008, in conjunction with the 33rd Annual Community Radio Conference, at the Sheraton Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

Two students and one adult from each of nine youth in radio groups will be chosen. NFCB will pay 100% of registration and hotel rooms for three nights (double occupancy). Registration includes breakfast and lunch on Thursday and Friday, all materials, use of recording and editing equipment, necessary transportation inside Atlanta for reporting. Participants are responsible for all other travel expenses (to and from Atlanta, to and from the hotel), dinners, and other personal costs.

NFCB is committed to bringing together a diverse group of students. We strive to ensure racial, gender, class and geographic diversity.

Quality journalism is also basic to a healthy democracy. This project will arm students with a basic knowledge of journalistic principles and ethics; a working knowledge of reporting, editing and mixing equipment; an understanding of how to select, research, report and write a story; a positive experience working with strangers under deadline; and the satisfaction of completing a challenging assignment. With these new and refreshed skills our selected students can practice journalism in their communities, and create work that will revitalize the practice and protection of the First Amendment.

The journalism training will be led by the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation (RTNDF) High School Journalism Project. Students will receive a grounding in journalism principles and journalistic ethics. They will familiarize themselves with the reporting, editing and mixing equipment that they will use to produce their stories. Working in teams (three students, one trainer), participants will decide what story to cover and how to cover it. The story (not necessarily related to the First Amendment) will be on a topic that can be covered using sources in Atlanta. They will do background research where appropriate, and will go into the field to conduct interviews and get relevant sound. By the end of the seminar, each team will have produced a news story.

We’ll also have some time for ice breakers, social events, and seeing parts of Atlanta that students may find interesting.

Every adult leader who accompanies students to the Project will be required to write an assessment of the impact of the Project on the students and on the youth in radio project as a whole.

1. Do I have to be part of a youth in radio project to participate?
   Yes. We want participants to take what they learn and teach it to their peers in their radio project. Ultimately we would like all the students involved in radio/audio projects to become First Amendment warriors.
   
   
2. Do I have to have basic journalism skills in order to participate?
   No. This seminar is for students at all levels of journalism from beginning to
   advanced.
   
   
3. Is it necessary for an adult leader to accompany each group of students?
   Yes, unless the students are coming from Atlanta. NFCB cannot be responsible for the well-being of 18 teenagers.
   
   
4. What role will the adult leaders have?
   We would like all the adult leaders to attend and participate in the First Amendment training so that you can support your students in their First Amendment work when you all return home. Some adult leaders will be asked to assist with the journalism training. Those who are not needed are free to attend workshops and roundtables at the Community Radio Conference.
   
   
5. I’m an adult. Do I have to share a room?
   Yes and no. We’re operating this project on a very small budget. We have enough for 5 rooms for the adult leaders. Depending on how the genders break down, one person will have her/his own room. Other than that, you will have to pay for your own room, and you are welcome to do that.
   
   
6. Can one group submit more than two applications?
   No.
   
   
7. Once our students have been accepted, can we make a substitution?
   Maybe. We want a group that is truly diverse in geography, race, class and gender. If your substitution contributes to that diversity, it will be fine. Keep in
   mind that we are accepting your two students as a group. If one backs out, the other has to back out too, and we will select another group.
   
   
8. Why 2 from each group?
   Everybody comes to the Conference knowing one person. We hope the students from each group will continue to talk to each other about journalism and the First Amendment when they go home, that they will support each other and be allies as Defenders of a Free Press.
   

This project is funded by: