EarthEcho International

 “Empowering youth as Citizen Journalists gives them tools they need now and in the future to develop sustainable solutions to our water planet’s pressing environmental issues.”

—Philippe Cousteau

STREAM Citizen Journalism Institute
July 23-25, 2012
Charleston, SC
Registration deadline has passed!

EarthEcho International will host a three-day STREAM Citizen Journalism Institute for middle and high school educators in Charleston, South Carolina, from July 23-25, 2012, at the South Carolina Aquarium (day 1) and Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science (days 2-3).

Building on the exceptional resources of EarthEcho International in partnership with Cathryn Berger Kaye, an education consultant and author known for bringing outstanding programming to school districts throughout the United States and abroad, we present a unique opportunity for educators.

The STREAM Citizen Journalism Institute offers a three-day program for middle and high school educators that kicks off a year-long program to:

• examine critical environmental issues locally that have global implications;
• interact with and learn from local and international experts in science, media, service-learning, journalism, and the most pressing environmental concerns of the day;
• develop skills as citizen journalists;
• explore water-related themes through EarthEcho’s Water Planet Challenge Action Guides, prepared units of study designed with a service-learning framework;
• produce high quality, environmental-related journalism for online, digital, and print media; and
• return to the classroom with all the knowledge, resources, and teaching strategies to transform students into Citizen Journalists for water issues in their own backyard.

As part of the Institute, all attendees receive a Flip Camera for digital video recording, books—including The Complete Guide to Service Learning and Going Blue—and copies of seven Water Planet Challenge Action Guides, a $300 value.

The Institute centers on three key themes of water, energy, and food from EarthEcho’s Water Planet Challenge. The experiential process allows attendees to understand the content and the methodology for encouraging participation in citizen journalism by their students. The program includes:

• field trips to see first-hand the water-related issues in the area. Potential locations include: Medical University of South Carolina’s Urban Farm, GreenHouse Learning Center, and ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve;
• interviews with leaders and “big thinkers,” including EarthEcho’s co-founder and president Philippe Cousteau;
• in-depth sessions on each of the key themes water, energy, and food; and
• workshops and activities to develop knowledge and skills as journalists, including interviewing, writing, camera work, editing, and bringing a story to completion.

The program prepares you to engage your students in STREAM. Established as an EarthEcho program in the wake of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, STREAM stands for STudents Reporting Environmental Action thought Media and includes a website designed for youth reporters. The STREAM website provides a platform for youth citizen journalism produced through the Institute and throughout the year to be disseminated to a national audience.

Why Service-Learning and Citizen Journalism?

Through service-learning, youth develop solutions that address critical environmental concerns. Combining service-learning with abilities garnered through the study and practice of citizen journalism creates opportunities for young people to join the call to an informed and active citizenry as the eyes, ears, and voice of their community for environmental issues. EarthEcho also provides a platform for students to share their journalism through the STREAM website.

Participants who complete the program are eligible to receive Professional Development Certification credits through the College of Charleston for an additional fee.

DAY BY DAY

Snapshot: Day One - HELD AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM
Orientation to citizen journalism
Interview with Philippe Cousteau
Field Experience to one of six locales, including documentation and interview
Presentation of initial media coverage

Snapshot: Day Two - HELD AT JERRY ZUCKER MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE
Service-learning overview
Water Planet Challenge workshops
Citizen journalism interviews with big thinkers
Writing and video media practicum

        Snapshot: Day Three - HELD AT JERRY ZUCKER MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE
        Field Experience: On the scene interviews
        Writing and video media practicum, continued
        Completion of field stories
        Continuing and developing citizen journalism at school
        Next Steps: Webinars and onsite workshops

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This Citizen Journalist Institute accommodates up to 40 attendees:

• Middle and high school educators from Charleston, South Carolina and surrounding school districts.
• A limited number of middle and high school educators from schools throughout the nation and around the globe are welcome. 

Registration includes a program commitment for participation throughout the year to establish a viable Citizen Journalism and Water Planet Challenge program at each participating school. This year-long commitment includes two additional in-person training sessions (held in Charleston), several expert-led webinars, and a culminating celebration event at the end of the school year in Charleston.

FEES and LOGISTICS

Fees for the three-day Institute:
For educators working in South Carolina and North Carolina: $75
For educators who work outside the state of South Carolina or North Carolina: $250

Costs include three days of programming, materials (listed below), Institute-related transportation, and meals (breakfast and lunch) during the Institute. Each Citizen Journalist Institute participant receives:

• The Complete Guide to Service Learning by Cathryn Berger Kaye
• Going Blue: A Teen Guide to Saving Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands by Cathryn Berger Kaye with Philippe Cousteau and EarthEcho International
• A copy of each of the seven Water Planet Challenge Action Guides
• One FLIP Camera for digital video recordings
• Certificate of attendance

Total value of the materials is an estimated $300.

If housing for a group is arranged a distance from the Institute site, transportation to and from the hotel may be covered by the Institute.

Not covered in the registration fee are:

• Transportation to the Charleston area
• Lodging
• Dinners
• Additional meals or activities participants wish to attend
• Professional Development Certification credits provided through the College of Charleston

*Local educators may receive partial scholarship, making a registration payment to ensure commitment and attendance. Please contact Mia DeMezza at mia@earthecho.org for more information.

This Institute will be led by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A.
Cathryn Berger Kaye, president of CBK Associates, offers professional development, keynotes, institutes, and resources with an emphasis on literacy, service learning, and the environment. Her book, The Complete Guide to Service Learning, is used by schools and universities to promote academics with purpose. She also authored Going Blue: A Teen Guide to Saving Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands by Cathryn Berger Kaye with Philippe Cousteau and EarthEcho International and EarthEcho International’s Action Guides, and their upcoming Make a Splash! A Kids Guide to Saving Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands will be released in October 2012.