'J Camp' Provides Intensive Journalism Training For High School Students

AAJA, January 30, 2004

Media Contact:
Keith Kamisugi (for AAJA)
415-876-0589, keith@keithpr.com

SAN FRANCISCO (January 30, 2004) -- The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), the nation's largest professional organization for Asian Pacific American journalists, announced today that it is accepting applications from high school students for "J Camp" -- a free six-day intensive journalism training program to be held July 30-Aug. 4, 2004, at George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

J Camp students learn writing, broadcasting and photography from experienced professional journalists with some of the country's top media outlets. Past J Camp speakers include CBS News correspondent Joie Chen, Pulitzer Prize-winning Detroit News reporter Angelo B. Henderson, CNN anchor Aaron Brown, People magazine senior editor Cynthia Sanz, Pulitzer Prize-winning Sacramento Bee photographer Manny Crisostomo, Dateline NBC correspondent Hoda Kotb, and CBS Early Show co-host Rene Syler.

"Since 2001, J Camp has taught the finer points of journalism to 125 of the country's best and brightest students of color while also highlighting the importance of newsroom diversity," said Mae Cheng, AAJA national president.

"It was one of the best groups of high school journalists I've ever seen," said Sacramento Bee executive editor Rick Rodriguez, a speaker at J Camp 2001 in San Francisco and in 2003 in San Diego.

"It was inspiring," said author and magazine writer Ralph Wiley, who spoke at J Camp 2002, held at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. "It was my pleasure, getting a chance to meet the future communicators and storytellers of a newer, brighter generation. Actually, they blew me away, with their intellectual rigor, their instinct, their level of engagement, their brimming and obvious talent."

Through exposure to all facets of journalism, J Camp participants learn what it takes to succeed in the media industry. And by residing on campus for the duration of the program, students are also provided an opportunity to interact with other aspiring journalists.

"This was, by far, the greatest experience I've had," said Elio Pichardo of Bronx, New York. "Never have I had such fun while learning at the same time."

Julie Yen of San Diego, Calif. said: "My fellow campers amazed me with all their passion and achievements; my instructors challenged and refined my writing skills. Each conversation left me in more awe of the talent around me. J Camp raised my expectations of and confidence in what I can do as a journalist."

Applicants for J Camp must be high school freshmen, sophomores or juniors available to travel to and stay in Washington, D.C. for the six-day program. There is no fee to apply and students selected will have all costs covered, including airfare, housing and meals. AAJA will select a maximum of 40 participants.

Application forms are available online at www.aaja.org and must be received by April 1, 2004.

For more information, contact AAJA student programs coordinator Brandon Sugiyama at (415) 346-2051 or brandons@aaja.org.

J Camp is made possible through contributions to the AAJA Challenge Fund for Journalism, with additional funding and support from ChevronTexaco and The Washington Post. Additional sponsors to be announced.