☀️ June 2026

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Happy beginning of summer! We hope you all are staying cool and enjoying the end of the school year (and all of the sporting festivities around the city!).

Keep reading for the latest updates from a busy month of community building and advocacy across YJC, student opportunities, and a spotlight on recent student reporting.

⭐️ End of Year with YJC

We celebrated the end of the school year with our annual picnic, a happy hour with our adult community, and a reunion with students from our February J4A School Newsroom Launchpad.

We also said a bittersweet farewell to three YJC student leaders! Congratulations to graduates Autumn, Jeremiah, and Natalie! From City Hall testimony to DOE roundtables, you’ve made incredible contributions towards our work, and you will be missed. We are so proud of you, and can’t wait to see what you do next.

📚 Teacher PD Day

Earlier this month, our pilot cohort of Journalism for All teachers gathered for the last time at CUNY Newmark. The day included an audiojournalism workshop from The Bell, reflections from a formative first year, and plans for the fall.

Teachers also shared lessons and takeaways from their courses, from meeting ELA learning standards to supporting multilingual learners to incorporating breaking news. Thank you to the teachers who presented for sharing your wisdom, and the entire cohort for an amazing year of partnership and learning!

📣 YJC at City Hall

Did you catch us at City Hall last week? We testified to urge the City Council to invest in Journalism for All in FY27! Look out for the video on our social media later this month.

Our speakers included five high school journalists and an SJAG alum. We also submitted 45 written testimonies from students, teachers, and professionals across our coalition. A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped make our collective voice heard.

📰 Thank you to The Revson Foundation

Last week, we also had the opportunity to present to the Board and staff of The Charles H. Revson Foundation, the seed funder who helped make YJC possible!

It was an honor to show what their initial support has sparked. We shared updates on the explosive growth of our Coalition, the impact we are making citywide, and milestones from the first year of Journalism for All. The showstopper was getting to hear the personal impact stories of students Autumn and Summer, who both attend Journalism for All schools and will be interning at local newsrooms this summer through the J4A summer internship program.

✨ Student Opportunities

Community Food Advocates: Youth Food Advocates
Application Deadline: Monday, June 15
Open to: NYC high school students
YFA interns play an active role in the decision-making process to bring about change in three major school food areas: Cafeteria Environment, Menu Inclusivity, and Communication and Student Voice. Interns receive an annual stipend and an NYCPS Seal of Recognition for Service on their diploma.

Made by Us Youth250 Initiative: Letters to America
Application Deadline: Saturday, June 27
Open to: 14-30 year-olds, nationwide
Submit essays, videos, speeches and artwork that share your vision for the future of America. Select submissions will be shared by media partners, museums, and civic organizations for National Youth Takeover Day on June 27.

NYPL: The Schomburg Center’s Junior Scholars Program
Application Deadline: Monday, June 29
Open to: NYC 6th-12th grade students
A tuition-free Saturday program during the academic year where students generate individual research, original writing, art portfolios, and collaborative multimedia arts projects from their intensive study of the Center’s archives and resources.

The Bell: Firsthand
Application Deadline: Tuesday, June 30
Open to: Rising 10th-12th graders in public and charter high schools nationwide
Submit your pitch for this new editorial initiative featuring student reporting on the most pressing issues in American schools. Selected students receive a stipend, byline credit, coaching and mentorship, and virtual opportunities to collaborate with student journalists across the country.

The Moth: Summer Moth Story Lab
Application Deadline: Friday, July 3
Open to: Rising 10th-12th graders, nationwide
A free, out-of-school storytelling workshop series that has both in-person and virtual options culminating in a performance.

Young Invincibles: Student Media Fellowship
Application Deadline: Sunday, July 5
Open to: College students, nationwide
Young Invincibles is starting a new fellowship to help college students highlight important issues on their campus. Selected students receive expert training, coaching, and support to improve your writing, video, and social media skills, a $1,000 stipend, and all expenses covered for a national summit in D.C.

New York Jewish Week: Teen Journalism Fellowship
Application Deadline: Sunday, September 20
Open to: 15-18 year old Jewish students in NYC (outside of NYC? check out the nationwide opportunity)
Through a journalistic, hybrid fellowship that runs September to December, selected students provide a story idea and receive training and support to publish an article. Teens of all backgrounds, identities, genders, cultures and connections to Judaism are encouraged to apply.

🔦 Spotlight on Student Reporting

Check out our Newsstand featuring school publications across the city!

The Importance of LGBTQ+ Representation and Safe Spaces

Navigating New Beginnings: Immigration Stories at HSTAT

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