When people deliberate on highly in-demand professions, there is a higher tendency to speak of journalism. Its incredible growth and constant evolvement have made employers in the field see experience in some specific areas (such as volunteer programs, workshops, or internships) as a crucial criterium to hiring candidates for full-time roles. This ensures that they can function very effectively while handling their duties.
Based on how important this experience is, you may be on the quest to find the best journalism internships for high school students to become familiar with the setting, thereby boosting your chances of securing your full-time dream job. So, this post will uncover some journalism internships, their benefits, and how you can get them.
What Do Journalism Interns Do?
What Do Journalism Interns Do?A journalism internship is valuable for those interested in working with a radio or TV station to gain hands-on experience. This experience is from learning the proper technique to pursue a story and produce audience-engaging articles. Besides, a journalism internship offers the chance to see what the newsroom looks like and partake in the everyday production process. As a journalism intern, you will meet and share the same space with several professionals and famous individuals.
Being an intern, you will be placed under the supervision and guidance of senior journalists to help them carry out some assigned responsibilities. You may be required to research, investigate, and fact-check details; conduct interviews; uncover interesting stories; handle administrative tasks; prepare press releases; write scripts; and report the news. As a journalist intern, you may need a tenacious personality, the ability to identify facts, and strong writing skills.
5 Benefits of Participating in a Journalism Internship
There are several ways journalism internships for high school students can serve as an important conduit. Check below for the benefits of participation in the offer.
1. Professional Connections
For your journalistic career, you need professional connections. You can get this networking through an internship program. Since you will have access to industry professionals (such as reporters, editors, and producers), you can gain from their experiences, learn from the operation of their media outlets, and get impacted through pertinent advice. With the connections you establish with these professionals, you will have no issues getting referrals when applying for competitive job positions in the field.
2. Real-World Experience and College Admission
Journalism internships create the space for you to gain practical experience, which is more valuable than the theoretical knowledge you get from a degree. Through the program, you will develop the ability to think critically and know what working in a professional newsroom is like via hands-on experience.
In addition, a journalism internship is strongly recommended before proceeding with your college admission process. You will place your college application at a better advantage when you choose prestigious international media outlets like BBC or CNN for your internship program.
3. Knowledge of the Industry’s Mode of Operation
With a journalism internship, you will have access to proper education regarding how things are done within journalism. As an intern, you will learn in the actual environments, including TV studios, radio stations, and newsrooms, or go out to the realm of practical, direct, or operation (field) to taste what they might experience in the future.
4. Job Opportunity
You may become lucky while you work as a journalism intern to be retained by the news organization. This is because many usually decide to employ interns to be full-time journalists. This will be a dream come true when you transition from being an intern to a permanent worker.
5. Inquisitive Skill Development
You can develop a greater sense of curiosity through a journalism internship. The program creates a suitable atmosphere where you can ask more questions than in a classroom. This is a powerful way to become a more efficient journalist.
5 Best Journalism Internships for High School Students
Do you know that there are several journalism summer programs for high school students you can go for? We have researched the following and found them great for you.
1. Boston University Summer Journalism Academy
Boston University summer journalism academy is one of the high school’s best summer journalism programs. It is an online program located in Boston, MA. It runs for two weeks for five to six hours each day time commitment.
This academy is unique because it exposes students only to the practical application of journalism. This implies that you will get hands-on training from top-rated journalists and build intensive experience in the chosen fields by exercising with daily reporting assignments. Besides, the program will feature leaders in various areas of journalism to speak to students on related journalism topics.
2. New York Film Academy Broadcast Journalism Camp
New York film academy broadcast journalism camp offers an internship program for three weeks with a full-time commitment. It is a valuable opportunity for students who dream of a career in cable, TV, and internet news. In the program, you will be required to deliver two projects (an interview and a field report) to develop real-life skills. In the camp, industry experts will teach you the fundamental principles of journalism.
3. Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute
Medill-Northwestern journalism institute offers great online journalism courses for high school students in Evanston, IL. It runs a five-week program with 20 hours per week time commitment. At the institute, students will be taught by professionals in various fields of journalism, and they will be exposed to hands-on workshop experiences learning digital design, creative writing, digital editing, and news writing.
4. Princeton Summer Journalism Program
Do you seek the top writing internships for high school students? Princeton summer journalism program, NJ, is one of the best you can find. The program runs only for ten days with a full-time time commitment. The program is set up to train students in journalism. Experts and professionals within the industry offer the lessons. And it ends with the opportunity for the students to have their work published in the Princeton Summer Journal.
5. JCamp
Like Princeton’s summer journalism program, JCamp is one of the free journalism programs for high school students. It is located in Los Angeles, CA, running a six-day journalism program with a full-time time commitment. It was started by the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) to provide students across the country to learn journalism under expert journalists and top media executives. In the curriculum are hands-on training, tours, and intensive workshops. So, you should prepare to learn about the cruciality of diversity in the newsroom, journalism ethics, and fundamental leadership skills.
How to Find and Apply for Journalism Internships?
Now that you have decided to be one of the students to learn from the best journalism internships, you should know how to find them and prepare your application. You should follow the steps below to have what you want.
Start with Research
It would be best if you took the time to research various companies with vacancies related to the desired roles. Check career sites and university platforms, or ask professors or colleagues for recommendations. Good research will help you with in-depth knowledge of the application process for the job and the available companies (knowing about location, time convenience, cost, and more).
Have Well-Defined Goals
You must define your goals before applying for roles. Know the specific area you would like to learn as an intern. This may include a design intern, reporter, or editor. With this, you can have a well-organized application process.
Write your Cover Letter and Resume
Now that you know the internship requirements, you may begin to write your resume and cover letter. Your cover letter will contain your interest in the role and why you should be hired, while your resume will include your background, skills, and experiences. You should draft your resume following the industry standard template and review resume samples online to know the proper way of filling them.
Get a Recommendation Letter
A letter of recommendation is something you need to handle seriously. It attests to who you are, showing that your character qualifies you for the role. You can get this letter from any individuals with authority, including your former employer and your professor.
Submit your Application
After double-checking that your provided details align with the job description, you can send the application. There is something else you must understand. You cannot limit your applications only to companies that are hiring. If you are looking for journalism internships, you should also target companies with no vacancies to work as a volunteer. You can reach their HR department to discuss the volunteer roles for networking purposes and future openings. What should you do after submitting your application? You can proceed to prepare for an interview.
Wrapping Things Up: 5 Best Journalism Internships for High School Students
This post is exceedingly impactful, discussing the five best journalism internships for high school students and other tips, such as what journalism interns do, the benefits of participating in journalism internships, and how to find and apply for journalism internships. This will guide you on the way to go and the steps to achieve your goals and have a headstart in journalism.
If you found this post helpful, you might want to check out our other study tips here.
