Summer institute teaches North Carolina teens media skills

Aspiring television journalist Madeline Topham of East Mecklenburg High in Charlotte stands outside the Curtis Media Center, practicing her stand-up comedy routine for a student-produced news program.

Photojournalist Josh Mouser of First Flight High in Kill Devil Hills edits photos from a treasure hunt that challenged him — he had to find something different than everyone else.

Sofia Ahmad, assistant editor of the school newspaper at West Johnston High in Benson, is writing a profile of state lawmaker Tim Longest, whom she and other students had interviewed at a news conference minutes earlier.

The three were among 150 students from 24 high schools across the state who, accompanied by chaperones from their schools, came to Chapel Hill last month for a three-day immersion in all aspects of media. During the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association’s annual summer institute, students are treated like the professionals they admire while learning from qualified educators, many of them from the Hussman School of Journalism and Media.

“I was a bit nervous because I didn’t have a lot of experience and I didn’t know how hard the assignments would be,” said Topham, who added that she is now more likely to study media at university. “But once I got here and we started doing it, I really enjoyed it.”

The tradition of students coming from across North Carolina to study journalism at UNC Chapel Hill has a long history.

“It all started in 1936 when Daily Tar Heel students first invited area high school students to join them for events, which led to the formation of this association,” said NCSMA Director Monica Hill.

Carolina students remain at the forefront of the association. A team of four student assistants assist with outreach and preparation for the institute and other programs, including a sports journalism camp and seasonal state workshops.

“It’s really intense because we have a lot of programs and competitions all over the state,” Hill said. “They work with K-12 teachers and students and parents, and their work is very mission-driven. These are students who want to help students.”

Audrey Kashatus ’25, a media and journalism major, said she appreciated the opportunity to tell high school students what they can “expect and count on” in college. On the opening day of the camp, she moderated a question-and-answer session on college journalism with her Daily Tar Heel colleague Emmy Martin ’25, a former editor-in-chief of the newspaper.

Some of the institute’s participants have gone on to success in Carolina and beyond. NCSMA student assistant Abigail Welch ’24 later became editor-in-chief of Cellar Door, Carolina’s oldest literary magazine for students. Former NCSMA student assistants have become communications professionals, including Kendra Douglas ’16, a reporter for the Orlando Magic, and Timothy Daye ’18, a social media content manager for the Chicago Bears.

The institute also attracts alumni as teachers, such as Julia Wall ’13, a professional photographer and videographer who has worked for The News & Observer and The Assembly. She said her current job wasn’t on her radar when she was the age of her students.

The institute highlights media as a potential career path, but also shows how training can be useful in other professions. Ahmad, for example, is interested in law, but said reporting is “just a great skill.”

While some of the participants may become future Tar Heels, the institute’s goal is to prepare students to succeed wherever they go.

“It is important that they are interested in academic journalism, regardless of which university they attend,” Kashatus said.