Press Releases

School of Journalism and Communication Invites High School Students to Virtual Summer Camp

May 14, 2020 | Collegedale, Tenn. | North American Division

From June 15-17, 2020, the School of Journalism and Communication (SJC) at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee, will host a three-day virtual photo/journalism summer boot camp for high school students.

The workshop, to be held via Zoom, is designed for students interested in photography, writing, videography, social media, or overall storytelling. Participants will be encouraged to find stories within their churches, conferences, and communities for publication, either as photo, written, and/or multimedia projects.

As part of the boot camp, high school students in the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists are invited to participate in a contest for “The Best Multimedia Project,” thanks to a generous donation by the Southern Union Communication department. A $100 prize will be awarded to winners in each of the eight conferences under the Southern Union for multimedia projects comprised of writing, photos, and/or video. Winning projects will be featured in Southern Tidings magazine, online, and on social media.

Classes will be taught by SJC professors Stephen Ruf, a veteran photographer and former TV reporter, and Alva James-Johnson, an awarding-winning journalist.

“The virtual photo/journalism boot camp is an opportunity to equip talented high school students with the skills they need to become powerful storytellers in today’s rapidly changing world,” James-Johnson said. “We want to help them take their creative talents to the next level.”

Students interested in photography will learn to shoot, edit, and package their photos for publication. Those with a knack for writing will learn to develop a story idea, gather facts, conduct interviews, and write a compelling article. In either case, participants will learn the secrets for crafting multimedia stories and building an online audience through social media.

This is one of five virtual summer camp options through Southern Adventist University. The cost of the three-day camp is $65. Participants must register by June 1. For more details and/or to sign up, visit southern.edu/camps.

— Janell Hullquist is editorial manager for Marketing and University Relations at Southern Adventist University.

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