More than 170 people gathered recently at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for a gala to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the New England High School Journalism Collaborative.
The event honored the late Carole C. Remick who co-founded the program that serves historically excluded students in the active practice of journalism.
Kevin Merida, the executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, was the guest speaker. Merida said he remains optimistic about the future of journalism and praised the collaborative for continuing its work in training a new generation of journalists.
A highlight of the event was the announcement of a grant program called the Going Forward Initiative. Leah Lamson, managing director of NEHSJC, said a total of $5,000 will be set aside each year to give one or more grants to past participants of the program, for a project, initiative or workshop that supports journalism. Funds will be provided by NEHSJC with assistance from the Carole Remick Charitable Foundation.
“Just because you left the program doesn’t mean the program leaves you,” said Ann Moritz, board member. Moritz worked with Lamson, Milton Valencia, board chair and reporter at The Boston Globe, and Mary Kaye Leonard, director of the Carole Remick Foundation, to establish the grant program.
The first grants will be awarded beginning in January 2023 with a rolling deadline. Administrative assistance will be provided by the New England Newspaper and Press Association. More information about the program can be found at: nehsjc.org/nehsjc-grant-program/
A key component of NEHSJC is its summer program which is typically held the last week of June. In partnership with Regis College and the Gwen Ifill School of Simmons University, the program selects 15 high school students from all over New England and teaches them the fundamentals of journalism through workshops and hands-on learning. The students work side-by-side with professionals for one week and produce their work online and in their own newspaper printed by The Boston Globe.
Application information for the June 2023 program will be available on the NEHSJC website in the coming weeks.
For more information on the grant program or the summer program, contact Leah Lamson, at lamsonleah@gmail.com.