The Pittsburgh Black Media Federation is seeking your participation in a highly competitive training program for high school students and recent graduates. The 32nd annual Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop will take place Saturday, Aug. 1, through Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, at Point Park University, Downtown.
Members of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation and other media professionals who work for The New Pittsburgh Courier, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, WTAE, WPXI, WQED, KDKA, KQV, Sheridan Broadcasting Network, WPGH and a variety of other media outlets annually devote their time to the workshop as instructors.
This program, which is free for students, is designed to encourage African-American high school students to pursue careers in journalism, but students of any ethnicity and geographic region are welcome to apply.
Students will meet with instructors, all of whom are employed in the media, during a one-week residential program for a rigorous curriculum that includes writing to meet a deadline; producing and editing a newspaper; producing and delivering television and radio news; and completing photography and social media projects.
Workshop applicants must be students who will be high school juniors or seniors in the 2015-16 school year, or seniors graduating in 2015, and be interested in careers in journalism.
The application packet is composed of a student application and essay form, a parent/guardian permission form and two recommendation forms.
The deadline to submit applications and supporting documents has been extended to Monday, June 22, 2015.
Applications may be mailed to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Attn: Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop, P.O. Box 292, Pittsburgh, PA 15230. Documents may be emailed to Christopher T. Moore at ; the parent/guardian permission form and teacher/administrator recommendation forms require signatures, so they may be emailed as scanned documents. The application form also may be completed online at www.pbmf.org.
For more information, email Moore or call him at 412-596-9735.
APPLICATION FOR THE 32nd ANNUAL
FRANK BOLDEN URBAN JOURNALISM WORKSHOP
Sponsored by the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation
Please submit a completed application form and supporting documents by Monday, June 22, 2015, to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Attn: Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop, P.O. Box 292, Pittsburgh, PA 15230, or by e-mail to Christopher T. Moore at . The application form also can be completed online at www.pbmf.org. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For more information, email Moore or call him at 412-596-9735.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE? The workshop focuses on attracting African-American students from Pittsburgh-area high schools, but students of any ethnicity and geographic region are welcome to apply. Applicants must be high school juniors or seniors in the 2015-16 school year, or 2015 graduates.
THE DATES AND PLACE? The workshop is a residential program that will take place from Saturday, Aug. 1, through Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, at Point Park University.
THE FOCUS? Students will explore journalism careers through practical exercises in basic news and feature writing, copyediting, interviewing, newsgathering, photography and/or broadcasting.
THE STAFF? Members of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation and other professionals from a wide range of media outlets will serve as workshop instructors.
REQUIREMENTS? Workshop students should have a command of the English language and an interest, or avid curiosity, in exploring journalism as a career.
Name:
Street address:
City: State: Zip code:
Telephone:
High school:
Classification (must be a junior or senior in 2015-16, or a 2015 graduate):
T-shirt size (small, medium, large, X-large, XX-large or XXX-large):
Name of parent/guardian:
Home address (if different from student’s address):
Home telephone:
Cell telephone:
Name of the person who gave you this form:
What journalism-related courses have you taken?
List your journalistic activities, such as working on a school newspaper or in a yearbook club. Include some samples of your work; if you don’t have published work, include writing samples from class work.
Please list your school and extracurricular activities (include jobs):
What are your career plans?
What newspapers/magazines do you read?
What books have you read recently? Who are your favorite authors?
Please list two people to whom you have given recommendation forms (teachers and/or school administrators). The forms are attached. Please ask the people who make your recommendations to send them directly to us.
Name and title:
Name and title:
Please write a one-page essay (you may print a typed version if you wish) on ONE of the following topics:
Option 1) HOW CAN DIVERSE NEWS STAFFS BENEFIT JOURNALISM COVERAGE?
Option 2) WHY WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THE WORKSHOP?
PARENT/GUARDIAN PERMISSION FORM
(parent/guardian), permit
(student) to participate in the 32nd annual Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop.
I understand that the student will be chaperoned at all times. The student will be housed with a roommate or roommates of the same sex and will be subjected to random bed checks each night. All meals will be provided. There is no cost to the student or family.
I hereby release the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Point Park University and all underwriters of the workshop, their officers and members from any liability that results from injury to (student).
Failure to return this form signed by a parent or guardian disqualifies the student from participation in the workshop.
Signature of parent/guardian:
Date:
TEACHER/ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION FORM #1
FOR THE 32nd ANNUAL FRANK BOLDEN URBAN JOURNALISM WORKSHOP
TO THE STUDENT: Please give a copy of this form to two faculty members or other adults who can rate your work.
TO THE FACULTY MEMBER: Please mail this completed form directly to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Attn: Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop, P.O. Box 292,
Pittsburgh, PA 15230, or email a scanned copy to Christopher T. Moore at by Monday, June 22, 2015.
Name of student:
School:
How did you become acquainted with the student?
Based on your knowledge of the student, what is your recommendation?
What can you tell us about the level of motivation and interest of this student? (in general, but also specifically toward journalism, if you have that information)
What can you tell us about the student’s writing ability and/or the student’s command of the English language?
Additional comments, if any:
In case the selection committee needs to contact you, please provide your contact information and the best times to reach you:
Work telephone:
Cell or home telephone:
Email:
Best times to reach you:
Your name:
Title:
Signature:
Date:
TEACHER/ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION FORM #2
FOR THE 32nd ANNUAL FRANK BOLDEN URBAN JOURNALISM WORKSHOP
TO THE STUDENT: Please give a copy of this form to two faculty members or other adults who can rate your work.
TO THE FACULTY MEMBER: Please mail this completed form directly to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Attn: Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop, P.O. Box 292,
Pittsburgh, PA 15230, or email a scanned copy to Christopher T. Moore at by Monday, June 22, 2015.
Name of student:
School:
How did you become acquainted with the student?
Based on your knowledge of the student, what is your recommendation?
What can you tell us about the level of motivation and interest of this student? (in general, but also specifically toward journalism, if you have that information)
What can you tell us about the student’s writing ability and/or the student’s command of the English language?
Additional comments, if any:
In case the selection committee needs to contact you, please provide your contact information and the best times to reach you:
Work telephone:
Cell or home telephone:
Email:
Best times to reach you:
Your name:
Title:
Signature:
Date: