2025 Summer Journalism Camp

Are you a high school student interested in expanding your writing, reporting and research skills? Do you have a special interest in climate, health or the environment in your community? Or do you simply enjoy storytelling and writing about issues you care about?

The Detroit Writing Room’s 2025 Summer Journalism Camp in partnership with Planet Detroit and Coaching Detroit Forward is for you!

The two-week day camp will be held this July at Wayne State University’s Journalism Institute for Media Diversity. Students will learn from over 20 Detroit Writing Room coaches and award-winning journalists who have worked at publications from The New York Times to The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press.

The camp provides an immersive experience that teaches high school students fundamental writing and reporting skills while focusing on issues impacting their neighborhoods. Most importantly, they’ll receive the tools and confidence to write about issues that matter to them and their communities. With access to some of the top editors, journalists and photographers in Detroit, students also gain mentors who can guide them to future internship and job opportunities.

This year’s camp is in partnership with Planet Detroit, a nonprofit news outlet that covers important stories about the environmental, public health and social justice in Detroit. Each day, students will learn from journalists covering these beats and participate in interactive workshops and real-world reporting exercises.

What Students Will Learn:

Environmental reporting with Emilia Askari and Jena Brooker
Public health reporting with Isabelle Tavares
Opinion writing with Laura Berman
Race and social justice reporting with Kat Stafford
Food writing with Dorothy Hernandez
Story structure with Walter Middlebrook
Ledes with Anna Clark
AP Style and nutgrafs with Krishnan Anantharaman
Headline writing and SEO with Kate Abbey-Lambertz
Publication design with Michelle Sheridan
Video storytelling with SaMya Overall
Interviewing and journalism ethics with Stephanie Steinberg

Publication Opportunities:

Over the two weeks, students will report and write a story focused on an environmental, health or equity topic they choose. They will also be paired with an Editing Coach to receive feedback and one-on-one editing. On the last day, students will share their stories with the group.

Each student will have their article published online at planetdetroit.org and detroitwritingroom.com. Articles will also be printed in the sixth edition of Perspectives Magazine, an annual print publication produced by students in our journalism and photography camps. Local media outlets, including Chalkbeat Detroit, Bridge Magazine and El Central Hispanic News, may also republish the students’ stories. Students’ stories will also be entered for Society of Professional Journalist Detroit Awards.

Check out stories written by students in our 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020 camps.

Students Who Attend Will Receive:

A welcome package with writing supplies, T-shirt, water bottle, press pass and “A Newshound’s Guide to Student Journalism”
Daily lunch and snacks
Daily parking pass or rideshare transportation stipend
A certificate of completion
Copies of Perspectives Magazine
Invitations to a Perspectives Magazine Launch Party at Playground Detroit in November 2025
Free tickets to select Detroit Writing Room workshops and events throughout the year

A Bonus for the College Bound:

Our coaches also help write letters of recommendation for college, scholarships, internships and more! We’re proud to share our former students have been accepted to the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Northwestern University, Howard University, Texas A&M University, University of Florida, Indiana University and other schools to study journalism, communications, English and more.

Photos feature Journalism Camp 2023 and 2021 (by Dominick Sokotoff)

Dates:

The camp is held weekdays Monday through Friday.

July 7-18, 2025

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST

Location:

Wayne State University’s Manoogian Hall

Requirements:

Students must plan their own transportation to and from camp. Students driving themselves will receive a parking pass.
Students will need a laptop each day. Coaching Detroit Forward laptops are available for Detroit students to borrow.

Cost:

$599 for 2 weeks

*Add $15 for credit card payments

Scholarship Opportunities:

Detroit Students:

Students who live in the city of Detroit or attend a Detroit high school are eligible to apply for a scholarship to attend the journalism camp free of charge.

These scholarships are made possible by Coaching Detroit Forward donors, a Michigan Environmental Council award and several sponsors.

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To Apply:

Fill out the application below. The deadline to apply is May 2, 2025. Students will be notified of acceptance by mid May.

Journalism Camp 2025 Application

Student's Name

First Name

Last Name

Student's Pronouns

Student's Address

Address 1

Address 2

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal Code

Country

Student's Email

Student's Phone

(###)

###

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Parent's Name

First Name

Last Name

Parent's Email

Parent's Phone

(###)

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2nd Parent's Name

First Name

Last Name

2nd Parent's Email

Student's School

Student's Age

Student's Birthday

Student's Current Year in School

Do you participate in a student yearbook or newspaper?

Are you involved in other extra curricular activities? (Please list)

Do you have any previous journalism experience or knowledge? If so, please explain.

Why do you want to attend our journalism camp?

What do you hope to learn by attending the camp?

Detroit high school students may apply for a scholarship to attend this camp. If you are a Detroit high school student or resident, please explain why you would like to apply for this scholarship?

Coaching Detroit Forward has laptops for Detroit students to use during camp. If you are a Detroit student, would you like to borrow a laptop?

For students outside of Detroit who would like a scholarship to attend the camp, please indicate your financial need and why you would benefit from a scholarship.

SelecIf accepted to the camp, I would like:

What is your T-shirt size?

How did you find out about the camp?

Do you have any allergies or things we should be aware of?

Anything else you would like us to know?

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2025 Camp Coaches

Kate Abbey-Lambertz, Outlier Media product and engagement editor
Krishnan Anantharaman, Chalkbeat Detroit editor
Emilia Askari, University of Michigan environmental journalism lecturer
Laura Berman, former Detroit News columnist
Jena Brooker, BridgeDetroit environmental reporter
Della Cassia, writer, former journalist and adjunct English instructor at Oakland Community College
Anna Clark, ProPublica reporter
Patrick Dunn, Concentrate managing editor
Randy Essex, Detroit Free Press health, environment and courts editor
Bob Goetz, former New York Times sports editor
Dorothy Hernandez, Chicago Sun Times editor
Lori Higgins, Chalkbeat Detroit editor
Nina Ignaczak, Planet Detroit founder
Amy Parlapiano, The Washington Post emerging news products
Katina Paron, author of “A NewsHound’s Guide to Student Journalism”
Walter T. Middlebrook, former Detroit News assistant managing editor
SaMya Overall, Outlier Media reporter
Michelle Sheridan, Detroit Jewish News and SEEN Magazine creative director
Kat Stafford, Reuters global race and justice editor
Josh Sharpe, investigative journalist and author
Stephanie Steinberg, Detroit Writing Room founder & U.S. News & World Report contributing editor
Isabelle Tavares, Planet Detroit reporter
Sydnee Thompson, freelance editor
Bill Vlasic, former New York Times Detroit bureau chief