KLRN is proud to announce a grant from the Dan and Gloria Oppenheimer Fund and George Weldon Sheffield Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation to launch a PBS NewsHour Student Report Lab at Savannah Heights Intermediate School in Somerset ISD. The grant received, totaling $33,845, will allow for an afterschool pilot program for 5th and 6th grade students who will be taught from PBS NewsHour’s nationally recognized curriculum.
This innovative project focuses on creating opportunities to maximize youth/community engagement, it targets resources towards low socioeconomic status communities and the production of youth-focused content for broadcast & digital platforms. Students will report about their community, reveal problems and search for solutions.
“Our organization is founded on media and education, so the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Lab is an effort that allows us to teach the basics of journalism to the next generation of writers, reporters, anchors, and researchers. We are proud that many of these students will create a foundation for their future based on this program and we look forward to watching them flourish and grow in the new generation of media professionals,” said Arthur Emerson, KLRN President and CEO.
Melanie Thompson, club co-sponsor, shared, "We are excited to pilot the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Lab at Savannah Heights Intermediate School. We cannot wait to have Bulldog student reporters writing stories, capturing interviews, working with a network of public broadcasting mentors, and editing stories. It's exciting to know we are developing the next generation of public media and we are honored to partner with KLRN."
The PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs fulfill KLRN’s mission to help enrich lives by providing a quality program for middle school youth who are at a pivotal age where risk of disengagement in education begins. By teaching journalistic principles, students will embrace journalism and learn the basic principles of reporting information to others through different media platforms and in person. The courses will teach how to get answers to questions, how to check sources for credibility, and how to thoroughly research a topic. By encouraging attendance with engaging students in a cutting-edge, interactive curricula, the PBS NewsHour Student Report Labs will advance KLRN’s key priority of education.
About KLRN
KLRN is the Emmy-Award winning Public Television station for South Central Texas broadcasting to a 30-county radius. The mission of KLRN is to use the power of communications to provide quality programs and services which advance education, culture and community, to enrich the lives of people throughout our community. KLRN cultivates programs that support the station’s mission and commitment to education. It is this “beyond television” strategy that forms KLRN’s educational engagement model — to prepare children for kindergarten and academic success; to positively impact the quality of care; and to share resources that will enhance classroom instruction.
About Somerset ISD
Since 1922, Somerset ISD has been home to learning, believing, and achieving for Bulldog students. Today, Somerset has grown from our humble beginnings into a progressive district with seven campuses and more than 4,200 students! Our award winning students and staff are led by the Somerset ISD Board of Trustees, who were named the Texas School Board of the Year at the 2016 HEB Excellence in Education Awards. Students graduating from Somerset High School with 21st Century skills leave “Bulldog Nation” College Ready, Career Ready, and Citizenship Ready!
About the San Antonio Area Foundation
For more than 50 years, the San Antonio Area Foundation has served as the community foundation for the San Antonio area. The Area Foundation helps donors achieve their charitable goals and serves as a collaborative leader, investing in the future of our community by bringing people together to address key community issues. The Area Foundation manages more than 500 charitable funds and $900 million in assets. Since 1964, $305 million for scholarships and grants have been awarded to nonprofits that educate youth, preserve the environment, protect animals, fund research and provide a variety of services that enhance the quality of life in our region. Learn more about your community foundation at www.saafdn.org.
