Karyme Martinez and Angel Treviño have been selected to participate in Youthcast Media Group’s Fall 2024 Preventing Gun Violence Journalism Workshop.
Martinez and Treviño will be part of a diverse group of young journalists from across the country, working together to address pressing issues that affect their communities through learning from seasoned journalists and each other.
“I know I will be able to learn and grow from the people leading the workshop and make connections to the other students participating,” Treviño said.
Youthcast Media Group (YMG), a nonprofit organization, seeks to teach high school students to create impactful journalism highlighting local issues. The group’s mission is to amplify young people’s voices by equipping them with tools to engage their communities and improve their college and career readiness.
The workshop will provide hands-on training in journalism, preparing participants to tackle issues of gun violence and safety within their communities through print, video, and social media.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure I was going to get in. I was a bit nervous about it until I saw that Angel got in, too. Now, I’m excited about it,” Martinez said.
The experience will strengthen their journalism skills and help prepare them for future college and career opportunities.
“These students are hardworking and are actively involved in their community both in and out of school. They work hard and have honed their journalism skills for a while. Any new skills they bring back will help our community and continue building excellence in our district,” Ivan Silva, their RedGold News and UIL Journalism sponsor said.
The workshop also presents a chance for developing their journalistic skills as they embark on another year of UIL Journalism competitions.
“The YMG Workshop is a great opportunity to prepare for the upcoming UIL season and sharpen my skills going into my second year of journalism,” Treviño said.
The workshop aims to empower students from under-resourced communities and provide them with the skills to produce multimedia journalism that focuses on solutions to gun violence and related health and safety disparities.
“This opportunity is a chance for Karyme and Angel to apply the skills they know to topics that impact the lives of their generation. In participating, they will also showcase that talent we have among the Jimmy Carter journalism team,” Luis Alaniz, their UIL Journalism coach said.
Since its founding, the Youthcast Media Group has trained 416 student journalists which produced 91 articles published in 29 different media outlets.
