About

In partnership with the Youth Journalism Coalition and with support from The Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY produced the curriculum for a year-long high school journalism course, which includes 160 activity-based lessons focused on news literacy, reporting and writing, media law and ethics and news production. The curriculum, which will launch new courses in at least 30 NYC public high schools in Fall 2025, is free and accessible to all on this website.

PROJECT LEAD

This unprecedented curriculum was designed by Katina Paron, who has helped thousands of NYC teens earn bylines in professional publications, variously running Children’s PressLine, Teen Voices at Women’s eNews and playing a lead role in the award-winning Since Parkland project. She previously managed the annual high school journalism training and “Newsies” awards gathering at Baruch College and helped launched Teach for Chicago Journalism at Northwestern University. Currently, she edits teen journalism fellowships for New York Jewish Week and Jewish Telegraphic Agency, oversees the Dateline: CUNY website highlighting the best stories published in CUNY undergraduate publications, and is the author of “A NewsHound’s Guide to Student Journalism.” Katina is also the program lead in the J4A Professional Development at the Newmark J-School, a 6-month training to support teachers committed to teaching the Journalism For All curriculum at their public high schools.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Newmark J-School would like to thank Profs. Geanne Belton (Baruch College) and Sissel McCarthy (Hunter College) for their content expertise and consultation on the law and media literacy units, respectively. Newmark’s Jeremy Caplan and Barbara Gray provided valuable assistance on individual lesson support. Jere Hester (Newmark) made the dream of a Journalism for All curriculum a reality. Graciela Mochkofsky, Allison Lichter, Judith Watson and Andrew Mendelson, all from Newmark, provided support, guidance and cheerleading. Many thanks and much respect for the J+ team at Newmark: Marie Gilot and Emma Myint. CUNY’s David Lavelle provided invaluable insights on the technical aspects of curriculum development. 

Many lessons were used in full or adapted from various organizations and programs that do amazing work in journalism education. These lessons were used with permission, and a complete list can be found here. 

Liz Rosenberg made every lesson stronger with her attention and thoughtfulness. Gabriela Flores lent her support and fresh eyes in helping to get the curriculum over the finish line. The NYC Youth Journalism Coalition provided insight, cheerleading and overall structure to the development timeline.

And finally, the development of this essential curriculum would not have been possible without support from the Charles H. Revson Foundation.

Please direct any questions or comments to [email protected].