Dear Media and Journalism Leaders,
We are the editorial board of The Russ, San Diego High School’s entirely student-led, student-run, extracurricular Journalism Club: Isa Iturra, Kennedy Murphy, and Nathan Williams. San Diego High is an inner-city public school serving students from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Some of us, like Senior Kennedy Murphy, have spent our entire high school career working in journalism. While others of us, like Freshman Isa Iturra, might be new to journalism, we are learning quickly and even taking on leadership positions. Diverse in grade level, experience, background, and view, we are united in our commitment to provide coverage that informs and inspires our school community.
Journalism shapes how communities are understood, represented, and remembered. Yet too often, voices from inner-city and historically underrepresented backgrounds are missing from newsrooms. These voices are not absent due to a lack of talent or interest in journalism; they are not heard because of limitations in access, training, mentorship, scholastic, and professional opportunities. So long as there are voices excluded, bias and blind spots will persist in the media upon which we all rely.
Our mission at SDHS Journalism is to be a force for positive change in the industry and in the individual lives of our community. However, we need your help to accomplish this.
We are fundraising to attend the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention, one of the most valuable educational and professional development opportunities available to student journalists. The conference offers hands-on training in ethical reporting, media literacy, leadership, and storytelling, along with direct exposure to professional journalists and real-world newsroom practices. More information about the JEA/NSPA Convention can be found at their website, https://spring.journalismconvention.org/
For editors and journalists in our program, attending this convention is a gateway that other communities might take for granted. The knowledge, skills, and networking offered would empower our diverse and too-often disadvantaged students to learn alongside peers from across the country, to craft more confident voices, and to bring back those skills to the broader San Diego High community. Our future journalists able to attend the JEA/NSPA Convention will leverage their lived experiences with their newfound skills to report with authenticity, helping to shape a better future for San Diego High and a future media landscape that is more representative, accurate, and accountable.
Funds raised here directly support conference registration, travel, lodging, and essential materials, ensuring that financial barriers do not determine who has access to these opportunities. Any-sized donation is greatly appreciated, and we are open to sponsorships. If you have questions about these or any matters, please reach out to our club advisor, Dr. Weise ([email protected]). We use any additional resources to fund our news site platform and have ambitions to procure the necessary equipment to improve our photo, video, and audio offerings.
Thank you for supporting San Diego High School’s student journalists.
