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DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20250430T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20250430T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20250326T152338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251106T211322Z
UID:10000074-1746032400-1746032400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Trial by media? The free press and the criminal justice system
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, April 30\, 20255 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT  \nIn today’s fast-moving information landscape\, investigative journalism plays a critical role in uncovering the truth. Yet journalists face growing challenges and threats to press freedoms. \nJoin us for an engaging edWebinar – just in time to mark World Press Freedom Day on May 3\, 2025 – about the work and impact of investigative reporters in the criminal justice space\, and what students can learn from this fascinating field. During this conversation led by the NLP’s Brittney Smith and Jostin Grimes\, we’ll explore how investigative journalists challenge perceptions and navigate misinformation. \nAttendees will learn how this important domain of journalism sheds light on complex systems\, including the criminal justice system. You’ll also get a hands-on look at the Checkology® virtual classroom\, a free\, digital learning platform that helps students develop essential news literacy skills. \nRegister\nYou’ll leave with actionable strategies for equipping learners with the tools to think critically about the news and how it is reported and to understand the importance of press freedoms. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage your students with one of today’s most compelling topics! \nThis edWebinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, school leaders\, district leaders\, and education technology leaders. This event complements NLP’s “Spring Sprints” resources. \n🎁 All attendees will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a care package of NLP goodies. \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/trial-by-media-the-free-press-and-the-criminal-justice-system/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://newslit.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/04.30-EdWebinar_SprgSpr25_EvenPgFeatured.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20250416T153000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20250416T153000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20250321T154335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251106T211506Z
UID:10000075-1744817400-1744817400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:30-minute webinar: Preview Checkology
DESCRIPTION:Educators\, maybe you’ve heard of the Checkology virtual classroom\, the News Literacy Project’s free\, award-winning e-learning platform with 20 interactive lessons for students in grades 5-12. But have you had the chance to teach with Checkology? Join us for an engaging 30-minute webinar led by NLP staff to learn more about Checkology’s foundational lessons in essential news literacy topics\, including: \n\nRecognizing and debunking misinformation.\nUnderstanding algorithms and generative artificial intelligence.\nIdentifying credible sources.\n\nYou’ll come away with a plan for getting started on Checkology and with practical tips for integrating lessons into your curriculum. There will also be time for questions. This is designed to complement NLP’s “Spring Sprints” resources and webinars. We’re holding two sessions of the same event — choose the one that works best for your schedule! \nApril 16 at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT\nApril 17 at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT\n🎁 All attendees will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a care package of NLP goodies. (Can’t make it at these times but still interested? Email us at info@newslit.org so we can set up a solo session that works better for your schedule.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/30-minute-webinar-preview-checkology-2/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://newslit.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PreviewCheckology-25JanFeb-Event.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20250409T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20250409T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20250321T182554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251106T211449Z
UID:10000076-1744218000-1744218000@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Cracking the code: How AI shapes what we see (and what we miss)
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, April 9\, 20255 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT  \nFrom shaping our social media feeds to influencing the news we see\, algorithms and artificial intelligence are transforming the way we consume information. But how do these technologies work\, and what impact do they have on our ability to distinguish fact from fiction? \nJoin the News Literacy Project for an in-depth conversation about the evolving role of AI and algorithms in news and social media. \nYou’ll learn directly from reporter Mia Sato\, who covers the tech world and AI’s influence for The Verge. \nTogether\, we’ll explore the rise of AI-generated content\, machine learning systems that use data to shape our information bubbles\, and the challenges posed by deepfakes. We’ll equip you with strategies to help students develop a more critical approach to digital news consumption. \nRegister\nBy the end of the session\, you’ll be armed with information about the ongoing evolution of AI\, a deeper understanding of how we shape—and are shaped by—algorithms\, and a toolbox of resources to support you in teaching your students. We will highlight Checkology®\, our free\, interactive e-learning platform designed to help educators provide essential news literacy skills to students. \nThis edWebinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, school leaders\, district leaders\, and education technology leaders. This event complements NLP’s “Spring Sprints” resources. \n🎁 All attendees will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a care package of NLP goodies. \n  \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/cracking-the-code-how-ai-shapes-what-we-see-and-what-we-miss/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://newslit.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/04.09-EdWebinar_SprgSpr25_EvenPgFeatured.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250206T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250206T140000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20251106T212803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251106T212809Z
UID:10000137-1738846800-1738850400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Hard hits\, hidden truths: How investigative journalism tackled the NFL’s concussion problem
DESCRIPTION:Thurday\, Feb. 6\, 20251 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT\nToday\, most of us know that a professional football player can sustain potentially devastating brain injuries after years of repeated high-impact collisions with other players. That awareness is due in large part to the reporting of investigative journalist Jeanne Marie Laskas\, whose 2009 GQ magazine article Game Brain profiled scientists who had made a stunning discovery: Concussions in pro football players could lead to dementia. It was a story the NFL didn’t want made public. But Laskas took on one of the most powerful corporations in the country to tell the story of those affected. \nDuring this one-hour webinar\, hosted by the News Literacy Project as part of National News Literacy Week\, we will: \n\nLearn how Laskas conducted her reporting\, despite resistance from the NFL.\nLearn about the watchdog role investigative journalists play in a democracy by documenting abuses by individuals\, corporations and government entities.\nExplore free classroom resources for teaching about the watchdog role of a free press\, including the “Democracy’s Watchdog” lesson on NLP’s Checkology® virtual classroom.\n\nRegister\n🎁 All attendees will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a care package of NLP goodies. \nEducators are welcome to join with or without their students. There will be time for questions at the end of the webinar. This event is presented as a virtual Newsroom to Classroom visit. \nThis event will be hosted by NLP’s Senior Manager of District Partnerships Brittney Smith\, and will feature Laskas\, the author of the New York Times bestseller Concussion\, the basis for the 2015 Golden Globe-nominated film of the same name. Laskas is the author of eight books and a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine\, a correspondent at GQ and a two-time National Magazine Award finalist in feature writing. She serves as a Distinguished Professor of English and founding director of the  Center for Creativity  at the University of Pittsburgh.
URL:https://newslit.org/event/hard-hits-hidden-truths-how-investigative-journalism-tackled-the-nfls-concussion-problem-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250206T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250206T140000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20241219T151757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251106T213008Z
UID:10000143-1738846800-1738850400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Hard hits\, hidden truths: How investigative journalism tackled the NFL’s concussion problem
DESCRIPTION:Thurday\, Feb. 6\, 20251 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT\nToday\, most of us know that a professional football player can sustain potentially devastating brain injuries after years of repeated high-impact collisions with other players. That awareness is due in large part to the reporting of investigative journalist Jeanne Marie Laskas\, whose 2009 GQ magazine article Game Brain profiled scientists who had made a stunning discovery: Concussions in pro football players could lead to dementia. It was a story the NFL didn’t want made public. But Laskas took on one of the most powerful corporations in the country to tell the story of those affected. \nDuring this one-hour webinar\, hosted by the News Literacy Project as part of National News Literacy Week\, we will: \n\nLearn how Laskas conducted her reporting\, despite resistance from the NFL.\nLearn about the watchdog role investigative journalists play in a democracy by documenting abuses by individuals\, corporations and government entities.\nExplore free classroom resources for teaching about the watchdog role of a free press\, including the “Democracy’s Watchdog” lesson on NLP’s Checkology® virtual classroom.\n\nRegister\n🎁 All attendees will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a care package of NLP goodies. \nEducators are welcome to join with or without their students. There will be time for questions at the end of the webinar. This event is presented as a virtual Newsroom to Classroom visit. \nThis event will be hosted by NLP’s Senior Manager of District Partnerships Brittney Smith\, and will feature Laskas\, the author of the New York Times bestseller Concussion\, the basis for the 2015 Golden Globe-nominated film of the same name. Laskas is the author of eight books and a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine\, a correspondent at GQ and a two-time National Magazine Award finalist in feature writing. She serves as a Distinguished Professor of English and founding director of the  Center for Creativity  at the University of Pittsburgh.
URL:https://newslit.org/event/hard-hits-hidden-truths-how-investigative-journalism-tackled-the-nfls-concussion-problem/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250204T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250204T180000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20241218T161442Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251106T212725Z
UID:10000002-1738688400-1738692000@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Evaluating news media bias: A nuanced approach to a vital topic
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, Feb. 4\, 2025 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT \nPeople frequently perceive and allege bias in news coverage\, but what does this really mean? What makes a piece of news biased\, and who decides? What roles do our own biases play in our perceptions of bias? \nIn this free edWebinar\, Peter Adams\, NLP’s Senior Vice President of Research and Design\, and Brittney Smith\, NLP’s Senior Manager of District Partnerships (East)\, will help you teach this vital\, controversial and complex topic in ways that empower students to meaningfully evaluate the fairness and impartiality of news coverage. \nRegister\n🎁 All attendees will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a care package of NLP goodies. \nAttendees will:  \n\nLearn about an approach for helping students evaluate potential bias in news by recognizing different forms that bias could take in news coverage.\nApply this approach to actual examples from news and other information in ways that demonstrate when bias is—and isn’t—obvious.\nReflect on the nuanced\, highly subjective nature of perceived bias in news.\nExplore the limitations and pitfalls of popular media bias charts and rankings.\nLearn about free News Literacy Project classroom resources for teaching about news media bias\, including the “Understanding Bias” lesson on NLP’s Checkology® virtual classroom.\n\nThis edWebinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, school leaders\, district leaders and education technology leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.
URL:https://newslit.org/event/evaluating-news-media-bias-a-nuanced-approach-to-a-vital-topic/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20241119T143000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20241119T150000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20241112T124223Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251106T212648Z
UID:10000077-1732026600-1732028400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:30-minute webinar: Preview Checkology
DESCRIPTION:Educators\, maybe you’ve heard of the Checkology virtual classroom\, the News Literacy Project’s free\, award-winning e-learning platform with 20 interactive lessons for students in grades 5-12. But have you had the chance to teach with Checkology? Join us for an engaging 30-minute webinar led by NLP staff to learn more about Checkology’s foundational lessons in essential news literacy topics\, including: \n\nRecognizing and debunking misinformation\nUnderstanding algorithms and generative artificial intelligence\nIdentifying credible sources\n\nYou’ll come away with a plan for getting started on Checkology and with practical tips for integrating lessons into your curriculum. There will also be time for questions. We’re holding multiple sessions of the same event — choose the one that works best for your schedule! \nNov. 19\, 2:30-3 CT\nNov. 19\, 4-4:30 CT\nNov. 20\, 6-6:30 CT\nNov. 20\, 8-8:30 CT\n🎁 All attendees will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a care package of NLP goodies. (Can’t make it at these times but still interested? Email us at info@newslit.org so we can set up a solo session that works better for your schedule.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/30-minute-webinar-preview-checkology/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://newslit.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/checkology.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20241114T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20241114T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20241025T222110Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251005T021702Z
UID:10000078-1731603600-1731603600@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Teach with TikTok: Help students stick to the facts on social media!
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, Nov. 14\, 20245 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT  \nHear us out—TikTok has a place in your classroom! Social media continues to shape the way information is shared and consumed\, especially by young adults. \nGiven the deluge of online content\, students are bound to encounter mis- and disinformation created and amplified by bad actors. And the sheer volume of daily social media posts makes these sites  difficult to monitor and regulate. Nonetheless\, TikTok is a regular news source for more than half of its users\, according to the Pew Research Center. \nIn this free webinar\, the News Literacy Project’s Alexa Volland and Brittney Smith will share insights and practical strategies to help students identify and debunk falsehoods\, misinformation and conspiracy theories on social media. \nRegister\nUsing the lens of news literacy\, attendees will: \n\nInvestigate examples of misinformation on platforms like TikTok\, Instagram and X.\nLearn tips to fact-check viral posts before sharing.\nExplore strategies to help students identify credible sources on social media.\n\nThis edWebinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, school leaders\, district leaders and education technology leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/teach-with-tiktok-help-students-stick-to-the-facts-on-social-media/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://newslit.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Teach-with-TikTok_Event-page_1200w.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20241009T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20241009T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240924T172306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T160804Z
UID:10000079-1728493200-1728493200@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Navigating election misinformation: Lies\, myths\, and scares— oh my!
DESCRIPTION:Navigating election misinformation: Lies\, myths\, and scares— oh my! \nWednesday\, October 9\, 2024\n5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT  \nIt’s October and we’re heading into a very spooky time—not just Halloween\, but also election season! Over these remaining weeks before Election Day\, helping students develop news literacy skills is critical for the next generation to become engaged critical thinkers prepared to make educated decisions at the polls. \nThis free webinar is designed to empower educators with free\, nonpartisan tools and resources to take the “scare factor” out of teaching about election-season topics. Join NLP’s Brittney Smith and Dan Evon as they share insights and practical strategies to help future voters understand how to think about the news\, not what to think. \nRegister\nUsing the lens of news literacy\, attendees will: \n\nExplore strategies to help students identify credible sources\, understand the role of a free press in democracy\, and identify and even debunk misinformation.\nLearn about NLP’s new election-focused misinformation dashboard and its potential uses in the classroom.\n\nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/navigating-election-misinformation-lies-myths-and-scares-oh-my/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://newslit.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EdWebinar100924_NavigatingElectionMisinfo-event-header_1200w.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240821T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240821T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240724T192609Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T160937Z
UID:10000080-1724259600-1724259600@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Building a foundation with news literacy: Essential tools for educators
DESCRIPTION:Building a foundation with news literacy: Essential tools for educators\nWednesday\, August 21\, 2024\n5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT  \nIn today’s world\, news literacy is too important to leave out of your curriculum – in fact\, it’s where you must start if you want to ensure that your students understand how to think critically and identify news\, sources and information they can trust. News literacy skills have a part to play in nearly any subject or grade level\, so why not develop them from the get-go? \nIn this edWebinar\, let the News Literacy Project help you kick off the back-to-school season with free foundational tools you can count on! You’ll hear about what makes news literacy the key building block of media literacy\, why it’s so critical today\, and how many states are meeting this moment with news and media literacy education requirements. \nWatch\nThe News Literacy Project’s Brittney Smith and Susan Minichiello will cover the resources every educator needs in their teaching toolkit this year\, including a key framework for developing and assessing news literacy skills\, a newsletter that helps you bring teachable moments from the news straight to your students\, and standards-aligned Checkology® lessons. \nThis edWebinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, and school and district leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/building-a-foundation-with-news-literacy-essential-tools-for-educators/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240815T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240815T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240724T191016Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161015Z
UID:10000081-1723741200-1723741200@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Webinar: Get started with Checkology®️ and discover what’s new for 2024-25
DESCRIPTION:Webinar: Get started with Checkology and discover what’s new for 2024-25\nThursday\, August 15\, 2024\n5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT  \nIn this free\, 30-minute webinar designed for educators\, learn all you need to know about using the Checkology virtual classroom\, the News Literacy Project’s award-winning\, free e-learning platform. The News Literacy Project’s Brittney Smith and Erin Olson will lead this discussion\, which will include insights and recommendations for educators new to Checkology as well as those who’ve used it in the past. \nWatch\nAttendees will:  \n\nReceive a primer on how to set up your account and assign lessons.\nExplore some of the best lessons for beginning to develop news literacy skills.\nGet one of the first looks at our rebooted lesson on algorithms and generative AI.\n\nAdd this short webinar to your back-to-school prep\, and gain time-saving tips and tools to help you ease into a new school year! \nThis webinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, and school and district leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/webinar-get-started-with-checkology%ef%b8%8f-and-discover-whats-new-for-2024-25/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240529T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240529T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240521T175502Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161110Z
UID:10000082-1717002000-1717002000@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Webinar: Introducing Camp Fact-Check
DESCRIPTION:Webinar: Introducing Camp Fact-Check\nWednesday\, May 29\, 2024\n5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT  \nIn this free\, 30-minute webinar designed for educators teaching summer school or planning for next school year\, learn about our Camp Fact-Check kit – which builds valuable fact-checking skills that students in grades 6-12 can apply across subjects. You’ll come away with a better understanding of lessons in the Checkology®️ virtual classroom\, as well as other free classroom resources\, including infographics\, posters and even TikToks to help guide your teaching of news literacy concepts. \nRegister today (it’s free!)\nYou’ll learn how to develop and boost students’ abilities in areas such as: \n\nAssessing the credibility of sources and claims.\nGoogling “like a pro.”\nDebunking rumors and conspiratorial thinking.\n\nNLP educator-experts Erin Olson and Shaelynn Farnsworth will lead this 30-minute session. \nThis webinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, and school and district leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/webinar-introducing-camp-fact-check/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=EST:20240524T235900
DTEND;TZID=EST:20240524T235900
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231201T110049Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161136Z
UID:10000083-1716595140-1716595140@newslit.org
SUMMARY:PitchIt! FLORIDA Student Essay Contest
DESCRIPTION:Contest Deadline: May 24\, 2024\, 11:59 p.m. EST.\nTIMELINE:\n\nNov. 1\, 2023 – Feb. 16\, 2024: Educator RSVP is open! Suggested time frame to teach using Checkology® virtual classroom and other NLP resources. (All free!)\nFeb. 19 – March 15\, 2024: Regular essay submission period. Suggested time frame to teach using Checkology® virtual classroom and other free NLP resources.\nMarch 18 – May 24\, 2024: Extended entry submission period. Suggested time frame to workshop essays for submission.\nMay 24: Absolute essay submission deadline.\n\nABOUT\nStudent voice is a catalyst for positive change in schools and communities. For this reason\, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS)\, in partnership with the News Literacy Project\, is hosting a writing contest to empower Florida students to be civically informed and engaged. \nThe PitchIt! Florida student essay contest is an opportunity for students to write about some of the most important topics of our time and explore how they can help combat misinformation or work to protect freedom of the press. \nTEACHING AND LEARNING GOALS\nTeachers have an authentic and engaging writing assignment that amplifies student voices and explores issues aligned to district curricula\, standards and required topics\, such as the First Amendment. \nStudents analyze different types of misinformation and show the ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information. \nStudents apply their news and media literacy skills to solve the misinformation problem. \nStudents develop their 21st century civics and media literacy skills (see our Google Drive documents\, academic contexts and connections). \n\n“Our learning goals for this contest include helping students analyze different types of misinformation and showcasing their ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information. When we fail to teach news literacy\, we actively disempower students from being engaged members of their communities. That’s why we hope students and teachers from across the district will enter and participate.”— Monica Valdes\, social studies and film teacher\, M-DCPS \n\nAWARDS\nThe below are given for each grade band in 6-8 and 9-12. \n\nGRAND PRIZE – PITCH:\n$100 gift card scholarship for student winner\, gift card for teacher and a school banner celebrating both.\nFIRST PLACE – ESSAY\n$75 gift card (teacher and student)\nSECOND PLACE – ESSAY\n$50 gift card (teacher and student)\nTHIRD PLACE – ESSAY\n$25 gift card (teacher and student)\n\nNote: First-\, second- and third place essay winners will prepare a presentation to “pitch” in the virtual PitchIt! Grand Prize event on Zoom (date TBA) and receive feedback from working journalists. The Grand Prize winners will be chosen at this time. \nOVERVIEW\nThis contest is open to middle and high school students in Florida who participate with support from a teacher. Schools are encouraged to conduct their own internal essay competition to coordinate\, and teachers submit their top three essays per grade band (6-8 and 9-12). \nEducators are provided with free resources\, as well as planning and organizational support for instructional purposes in the PitchIt! Student Essay Contest folder on NLP’s Google Drive. Join the NewsLitNation Facebook Group for additional tips on how to best blend key news literacy concepts into your existing curriculum. \nFor this project\, students will write a 500- to 1\,000-word essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts\, using a news article as inspiration. Submitted essays will be judged by NLP ambassadors. \nThe selected first- through third-place essay contest prize winners (three from middle school and three from high school) then compete at the virtual PitchIt! Grand Prize event\, where they receive real-time feedback from journalists on their “pitch\,” a presentation about their essay topic. The grand prize winners will be chosen at this time. \nLEARNING TASK AND CHOOSING THE ESSAY TOPIC\nNews literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other content to identify different types of information and to use the standards of fact-based journalism to determine what to trust\, share and act on. Being news literate also means recognizing the critical role of the First Amendment and a free press in a democracy and interacting with news and information in ways that promote engaged participation in civic life. \nOBJECTIVE\nStudents will be able to develop critical thinking and news literacy skills to find reliable information to make decisions\, take action and responsibly share news through social media. \nTASK\nStudents compose an essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts below\, discussing how it relates to a local\, national or international news article of their choice. They should form a thesis based on their chosen prompt and aim to convince their audience that the thesis is accurate and valid. \nSUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT\nStudents will be evaluated using the PitchIt! rubric found among the PitchIt! Student Essay Contest documents in Google Drive. Teachers should provide students with a written copy of the rubric and relevant supporting materials. \nPROCESS\n\nStep 1. Teacher introduces the writing assignment to students\, the rubric*  and the process by which the top essays will advance. News literacy topics are explored with students as they relate to the curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to use the free educator resources on NewsLitNation® and the Checkology® virtual classroom on topics like the First Amendment.More resources are at the M-DCPS library\, which includes access to The New York Times\, articles on ProQuest or any other available sources.\nStep 2. Students work with their teacher to select a news article/topic\, picking one of the prompts below to follow in writing the essay. Encourage students to use the student planning document* as an outline and review the essay formatting requirements before handing in a final draft.\nStep 3. Teachers choose up to five student essays per grade\, per school\, and submit with cover letter via email to Monica Valdes\, Florida’s NewsLitNation ambassador: mdvaldes@dadeschools.net. While not required\, we encourage schools to conduct their own internal essay contest to establish the top essays for submission.\nStep 4. NLP’s educator panel selects six essays (three from middle school and three from high school) to advance to the Grand Prize phase of the contest (the “pitch”!).\nStep 5. Panel notifies the teacher by May 24\, 2024. The selected students then begin creating a visual presentation of their essay (PowerPoint or Google Slides) no more than three minutes in length\, to compete in the final phase of the contest.\nStep 6. First-\, second- and third-place essay winners make their three-minute presentation (“pitch”) to a panel of journalists during the PitchIt! Florida Grand Prize event on Zoom and receive personalized feedback. Panelists choose the Grand Prize winners for middle school and high school competitors\, who will be awarded during the event.\n\n*Click here for the Google Drive folder with PitchIt! educator resources.  \nPROMPTS\nStudents should pick one of the following prompts:  \n\nPrompt #1: Explain how the First Amendment protects freedom of the press. Use a recent local\, national or international news story to illustrate the importance of freedom of the press and how other freedoms are required to protect it.\nPrompt #2: What steps should someone take to fact-check statements by a public figure? What are the potential consequences of sharing it online? Consider a recent event in the news to analyze the ways in which the press can hold public figures accountable for what they say and share publicly.\nPrompt #3: People have civic responsibilities\, things they should do but are not required by law. Explain which news literacy skills are essential to responsible civic participation by example of a recent event in the news.\nPrompt #4: Social media platforms are under increased public pressure to fact-check online content generated and shared by users. Which news literacy standards should social media platforms adopt to evaluate fact from fiction? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news media.\nPrompt #5: What is the role of the media in our society\, and how can we become responsible consumers and producers of news and information in the digital age? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news.\nPrompt #6: How does confirmation bias\, stereotyping and other cognitive biases impact how we interpret events\, news and information? What are potential consequences of not verifying the accuracy of such information? Analyze a current news event with these multiple issues in mind for your essay.\n\nCRITERIA\n\nSubmission must be original\, unpublished work of one student.\nEssay is between 500-1\,000 words\, clearly addressing one of the prompts.\nEssay is typed in 12-point\, Times New Roman\, double-spaced with 1” margins and numbered pages.\nSubmissions must have a title.\nStudents must include at least three credible sources to support their thesis.\nProper citation of sources is required.\n\n\nOnly five essays from each grade may be submitted per school.\nEssays must be proofread and should follow the rules for standard English (grammar\, punctuation\, mechanics) in writing. See Purdue Owl Grammar.\nA cover page MUST be included with the following information: student name\, student ID\, grade level\, student’s complete address\, best phone number for student\, school’s name\, principal’s name\, teacher’s name\, best phone number and email address for teacher and title of essay.\nFinalists must be able to virtually participate in the PitchIt! Grand Prize event\, with camera on\, and submit a media release form (date TBA).\n\nSUBMISSION:\nSchools/teachers should submit their top five winning essays per grade with required cover letter via email to: Monica Valdes\, Florida news literacy ambassador\, mdvaldes@dadeschools.net. Entries must be received by May 24\, 2024. \nFAQs:\nIs there a submission fee? No fees! Better yet\, there is no catch. All our educator resources are free\, including Checkology! \nWhat does “teacher support” mean? Successful writers are made through direct instruction. Teachers are encouraged to support students in both content selection and the writing process. The teacher’s name and contact information must be indicated in the cover letter as the primary point of contact regarding the entry. \nHow are the essays judged? During the first phase of the contest\, essays are reviewed by news literacy ambassadors for readability\, accuracy and originality\, using the PitchIt! Rubric. Successful essays are about a local\, national or international story that would have benefited from news literacy skills being applied to stop the spread of misinformation. For example\, consider the impact a story had\, and whether false claims about it could be debunked using reputable and verifiable sources of information. \nDo you have essay tips for the students? Essays must have a recognizable beginning (opening or introduction)\, multiple body paragraphs and a conclusion. See Purdue Owl Argumentative Essays. Hook the reader with a strong opener. Readers will use the first few sentences to decide whether they will read the whole essay. Keep your paragraphs short. Popular essays tend to average three sentences per paragraph. Submit thoroughly thought-out\, tightly focused essays. Originality is also important. In the conclusion\, include a call to action. Encourage readers to take some positive steps. For instance\, if you’ve given them a list of tips\, prompt them to put some of the tips into practice. \nHow is the “pitch” judged? The first-\, second- and third-place essay winners advance to the Grand Prize event phase of the contest. To prepare\, they must create a visual presentation based on their essay theme. During the event they will each have three minutes to “pitch” their essay idea to a panel of journalists and will receive real-time feedback. Student presentations will be judged for creativity\, delivery\, impact and accuracy during the event. \nWho can participate? The PitchIt! contest is open to all middle and high school students in the State of Florida. If you live in Pennsylvania\, Colorado or New York\, please visit the main PitchIt! page for details. \nWhat document formats are accepted? The following formats are accepted: Microsoft Word\, PDF\, Google Doc. \nHow are the finalists announced? Email notifications will be sent to teachers by early May. \nI have more questions! Questions about NLP resources can be directed to Terry Berna\, educator success manager\, tberma@newslit.org\, or you can submit a request via the NLP Education Help Center or the NewsLitNation Facebook Group. Questions about rules can be directed to Miriam Romais\, director of NewsLitNation\, at network@newslit.org\, and questions about entries can be directed to our Florida ambassador Monica Valdes at mdvaldes@dadeschools.net.
URL:https://newslit.org/event/pitchit-florida-student-essay-contest/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240521T190000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240521T190000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240422T203821Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161149Z
UID:10000084-1716318000-1716318000@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Vetting election information
DESCRIPTION:Vetting election information: How service members\, veterans and military families can get credible voting information\nFree\nVirtual panel discussion\n7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT Tuesday\, May 21 \nAs the 2024 election season is underway\, falsehoods about voting and ballot issues already are circulating widely. Bad actors exploit a charged political atmosphere by spreading false claims about candidates\, disinformation about how to vote and baseless rumors that undermine trust in election systems and infrastructure. \nMilitary service members\, veterans and their families in particular encounter conspiracy theories and other types of mis-and disinformation frequently. In a recent poll of Military Times readers\, 57% said  they personally have been targeted. \nTo break through this confusing and often misleading information landscape\, the News Literacy Project is hosting a panel of experts who work with the military community for a virtual discussion about common types of election-related misinformation and practical tips and tools for finding reliable news sources before voting. \nWatch now\n\nAbout the panelists\n\n\nRichard Brookshire is the CEO and co-founder of the Black Veterans Project\, which advances reforms to address racial inequalities in veterans benefits and advocates for reparations. He is a former infantry combat medic and Army veteran. He also is a creative producer of the film Just Call Me Lucki\, which is about the first Black woman to graduate from the U.S. Army’s Intelligence School.\n\n\n\nJoe Plenzler is a Marine Corps veteran and a board member and communications advisor for We the Veterans and Military Families. He has served as a poll worker as part of the organization’s Vet the Vote program\, which encourages military veterans and families to continue serving their country as election volunteers.\n\n\n\nNikki Wentling covers disinformation and extremism for Military Times as a Military Veterans in Journalism Fellow. She has reported on veterans and military communities for eight years and has also covered technology and politics.\n\n\n\nScott Wiedmann is the director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program\, which administers federal responsibilities of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. He has been with the program\, which is part of the U.S. Department of Defense\, since 1993.\n\nAbout the moderator\n\n\nZack Baddorf is a Navy veteran\, journalist and co-founder of Military Veterans in Journalism\, which seeks to get more military veterans working in America’s newsrooms. He has more than 15 years of reporting experience from more than 30 countries and has had his work published in the New York Times\, Washington Post\, BBC\, Reuters and more.\n\nWatch now
URL:https://newslit.org/event/vetting-election-information/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240501T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240501T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240328T194224Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161205Z
UID:10000085-1714582800-1714582800@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Why Press Freedom Matters: Exploring Evan Gershkovich’s Case
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, May 1\, 2024\n5:00 PM ET \nJoin the News Literacy Project and The Wall Street Journal for an important conversation ahead of World Press Freedom Day (May 3). \nPress freedoms\, the legal and/or constitutional protections that journalists have in order to do their jobs\, are fundamental to democracy. Without press freedoms and the standards-based reporting they enable\, we risk the further spread of misinformation\, disinformation\, and declining trust in institutions. \nIn this edWebinar\, we’ll look at a high-profile example of the denial of press freedoms: the case of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich\, who was wrongfully detained in Russia last year on bogus charges of spying. Wall Street Journal Assistant Editor Paul Beckett\, who leads the Journal’s efforts at securing Gershkovich’s release\, will discuss the case with New Literacy Project’s Brittney Smith. \nRegister today (it’s free!)\nTopics to be covered include:\n\nHow press freedoms impact newsgathering around the world\nStrategies for teaching about press freedoms\, from a news literacy lens\nBest practices for teaching about standards-based journalism\nHow to use journalistic practices to uncover and expose mis- and disinformation\n\nAttendees will also learn about free News Literacy Project resources\, including the Misinfo 101 course and classroom resources and the “Press Freedoms Around the World” lesson\, offered on the News Literacy Project’s free  Checkology®️ virtual classroom. \nThis edWebinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, and school and district leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.) \n\nAbout the speakers\n\n\nPaul Beckett is Assistant Editor at The Wall Street Journal\, where he focuses on the efforts supporting Evan Gershkovich\, the WSJ reporter who has been wrongfully detained by Russia since March 2023. Previously\, Paul was the Journal‘s Washington D.C. bureau chief\, responsible for news across politics and government\, economics\, national security\, the Supreme Court\, financial regulation and the intersection of business and Washington. Before taking the helm of the bureau in 2017\, Paul served in multiple overseas postings\, including postings in Hong Kong and India.\n\n\n\n\nBrittney Smith is a Senior Manager of Education Partnerships (East) at The News Literacy Project. Brittney joined NLP in July 2022 after eight years of teaching life science in Cincinnati\, Ohio. She was a high school teacher to diverse populations of students\, including English language learners. In her tenure as science department chair\, she focused on building partnerships with community stakeholders to enrich and improve students’ educational experiences. \nShe holds a bachelor’s degree in biological science from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree in teaching science to adolescents and young adults from Mount St. Joseph University. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in educational practice and innovation with a STEM focus at the University of South Carolina. \n\n\nRegister
URL:https://newslit.org/event/why-press-freedom-matters-exploring-evan-gershkovichs-case/
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DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240426T235900
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240426T235900
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231221T170010Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161220Z
UID:10000086-1714175940-1714175940@newslit.org
SUMMARY:PitchIt! TEXAS Student Essay Contest 2024
DESCRIPTION:Contest Deadline: April 26\, 2024\, 11:59 p.m. CT\nEducators! Give your students the opportunity to write about some of the most important topics of our time and explore how they can help combat misinformation and work to protect the freedom of the press. \nTIMELINE:\n\nNow through Jan. 31: Educator RSVP is open! It is also the suggested time frame to teach using lessons from Checkology® virtual classroom and other free NLP resources.\nFeb. 1 – April 26: Suggested time frame to workshop essays for submission.\nApril 26: Essay deadline.\nMay 1: PitchIt! Texas essay winners announced as well as time frame for students to create presentations to “pitch” during Grand Prize event.\nMay TBD: PitchIt! Texas Grand prize event (week of May 13).\n\nABOUT\nStudent voice is a catalyst for positive change in schools and communities. For this reason\, the Texas Association of Journalism Educators\, in partnership with the News Literacy Project\, is hosting a writing contest to empower students in Texas to be civically informed and engaged. \nTEACHING GOALS\n\nTeachers have an authentic and engaging writing assignment that amplifies student voices and explores issues aligned to district curricula\, standards and required topics\, such as the First Amendment.\nStudents analyze different types of misinformation and show the ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information.\nStudents apply their news and media literacy skills to solve the misinformation problem.\nStudents develop their 21st century civics and media literacy skills (see our Google Drive documents\, academic contexts and connections).\n\nAWARDS for each grade band (6-8 and 9-12)\nGRAND PRIZE – PITCH:\n$100 gift card scholarship for student winner\, gift card for teacher and a school banner celebrating both. \nFIRST PLACE – ESSAY\n$75 gift card (teacher and student) \nSECOND PLACE – ESSAY\n$50 gift card (teacher and student) \nTHIRD PLACE – ESSAY\n$25 gift card (teacher and student) \nNote: First-\, second- and third-place essay winners will prepare a presentation to “pitch” in the virtual PitchIt! Grand Prize event on Zoom (date TBA) and receive feedback from working journalists. The Grand Prize winners will be chosen at this time. \nOVERVIEW\nTexas middle and high school teachers may choose to assign the competition curriculum for individual classes or hold a schoolwide event. Each participating school may submit up to five entries per grade (6-12). \nEducators are provided with free resources\, as well as planning and organizational support for instructional purposes in the PitchIt! Student Essay Contest folder on NLP’s Google Drive. Join the NewsLitNation Facebook Group\, for additional tips on how to best blend key news literacy concepts into your existing curriculum. \nFor this project\, students will write a 500- to 1\,000-word essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts\, using a news article as inspiration. Submitted essays will be judged by NLP ambassadors. \nThe selected first- through third-place essay contest prize winners (three from middle school and three from high school) then compete at the virtual PitchIt! Grand Prize event\, where they receive real-time feedback from journalists on their “pitch\,” a presentation about their essay topic. The grand prize winners will be chosen at this time. \nLEARNING TASK AND CHOOSING THE ESSAY TOPIC\nNews literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other content to identify different types of information and to use the standards of fact-based journalism to determine what to trust\, share and act on. Being news literate also means recognizing the critical role of the First Amendment and a free press in a democracy and interacting with news and information in ways that promote engaged participation in civic life. \nOBJECTIVE\nStudents will be able to develop critical thinking and news literacy skills to find reliable information to make decisions\, take action and responsibly share news through social media. \nTASK\nStudents compose an essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts below\, discussing how it relates to a local\, national or international news article of their choice. They should form a thesis based on their chosen prompt and aim to convince their audience that the thesis is accurate and valid. \nSUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT\nStudents will be evaluated using the PitchIt! rubric found among the PitchIt! Student Essay Contest documents in Google Drive. Teachers should provide students with a written copy of the rubric and relevant supporting materials. \nPROCESS\nSTEP 1.\nTeacher introduces the writing assignment to their class\, the rubric* and the process by which the top essays will advance. News literacy topics are explored with students as they relate to the curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to explore the free educator resources on NewsLitNation® and the Checkology® virtual classroom on topics like the First Amendment. \nSTEP 2.\nStudents work with their teacher to select a news article/topic of their choice and to select one of the prompts below to follow in writing the essay. Encourage students to use the student planning document* as an outline before handing in a final draft. \nSTEP 3.\nTeachers select up to five student essay finalists per grade\, per school\, and submit with cover letter to Sara Gonzales\, Texas NewsLitNation ambassador: saraegonzales@katyisd.org \nSTEP 4.\nNLP’s educator panel selects six essays (three from middle school and three from high school) to advance to the Grand Prize phase of the contest (the “pitch”!). \nSTEP 5.\nPanel notifies the teacher at the beginning of May. The selected students then begin creating a visual presentation of their essay (PowerPoint or Google Slides\, no more than three minutes in length)\, to compete in the final phase of the contest. \nSTEP 6.\nFirst-\, second- and third-place essay winners make their presentation (“pitch”) to a panel of journalists during the PitchIt! Texas Grand Prize event on Zoom and receive personalized feedback. Panelists choose the Grand Prize winners for middle school and high school competitors\, who will be awarded during the event. \n*Click here for the Google Drive folder with PitchIt! educator resources. \nPROMPTS\nStudents should pick one of the following prompts: \n\nPrompt #1: Explain how the First Amendment protects freedom of the press. Use a recent local\, national or international news story to illustrate the importance of freedom of the press and how other freedoms are required to protect it.\nPrompt #2: What steps should someone take to fact-check statements by a public figure? Consider a recent event in the news to analyze the ways in which the press can hold public figures accountable for what they say and share publicly.\nPrompt #3: People have civic responsibilities\, things they should do but are not required by law. Explain which news literacy skills are essential to responsible civic participation by example of a recent event in the news.\nPrompt #4: Social media platforms are under increased public pressure to fact-check online content generated and shared by users. Which news literacy standards should social media platforms adopt to evaluate fact from fiction? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news media.\n\nPrompt #5: What is the role of the media in our society\, and how can we become responsible consumers and producers of news and information in the digital age? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news.\nPrompt #6: How does confirmation bias\, stereotyping and other cognitive biases impact how we interpret events\, news and information? What are potential consequences of not verifying the accuracy of such information? Analyze a current news event with these multiple issues in mind for your essay.\n\nESSAY CRITERIA\n\nSubmission must be original\, unpublished work of one student.\nEssays are between 500-1\,000 words\, clearly addressing one of the prompts.\nEssay is typed in 12-point\, Times New Roman\, double-spaced with 1” margins and numbered pages.\nAll essays and presentations must have a title.\nStudents must include at least three credible sources to support their thesis.\nEssays must use MLA formatting\, complete with in-text citations and a Works Cited page (not included in the word count). See Purdue Owl MLA Guide.\nOrganization: Students must include an introduction with a thesis statement\, multiple body paragraphs and a conclusion. See Purdue Owl Argumentative Essays.\nEssays must be proofread and should follow the rules for standard English (grammar\, punctuation\, mechanics) in writing. See Purdue Owl Grammar.\nPlagiarism: Any submission that is in part or wholly plagiarized will be disqualified from the PitchIt! competition. See Purdue Owl Plagiarism.\nA cover page MUST be included with the following information: Title of essay\, student name\, grade level\, student’s complete mailing address\, student’s email address\, school’s name\, principal’s name\, teacher’s name\, and best phone number and email address for the teacher.\nOnly five essays from each grade may be submitted per school.\nFinalists must be able to virtually participate in the PitchIt! Grand Prize event mid-May (TBD).\n\nSUBMISSION\nSchools/teachers should submit their top five winning essays per grade with cover letter via email to: Sara Gonzales\, news literacy ambassador\, saraegonzales@katyisd.org \nWhile not required\, we encourage schools to conduct their own internal essay contest to establish the top essays for submission. Entries must be received by April 15. \nFAQs:\nIs there a submission fee? No fees! Better yet\, there is no catch. All our educator resources are free\, including Checkology! \nWhat does “teacher support” mean? Successful writers are made through direct instruction. Teachers are encouraged to support students in both content and the writing process. The teacher’s name and contact information must also be indicated in the cover letter as the primary point of contact regarding the entry. \nHow are the essays judged? Essays will be reviewed by news literacy ambassadors using the PitchIt! rubric. Successful essays are about a local\, national or international story that would have benefited from news literacy skills being applied to stop the spread of misinformation. For example\, consider the impact a story had\, and whether false claims about it could be debunked using reputable and verifiable sources of information. \nDo you have essay tips for the students? Essays must have a recognizable beginning (opening or introduction)\, multiple body paragraphs and a conclusion. See Purdue Owl Argumentative Essays. Hook the reader with a strong opener. Readers will use the first few sentences to decide whether they will read the whole essay. Keep your paragraphs short. Popular essays tend to average three sentences per paragraph. Submit thoroughly thought-out\, tightly focused essays. Originality is also important. In the conclusion\, include a call to action. Encourage readers to take some positive steps. For instance\, if you’ve given them a list of tips\, prompt them to put some of the tips into practice. \nHow is the “pitch” judged? The first-\, second- and third-place essay winners advance to the Grand Prize Event phase of the contest. To prepare\, they must create a visual presentation based on their essay theme (PowerPoint or Google Slides). During the event they will each have three minutes to “pitch” their essay idea to a panel of journalists and will receive real-time feedback from the panel. Student presentations will be judged for creativity\, delivery\, impact and accuracy during the event (mid-March). \nWhat document formats are accepted? Please submit the essay as a Google Doc\, PDF or a Word document. The “pitch” presentation should be Google Slides or PowerPoint. \nHow are the finalists announced? Email notifications will be sent to teachers mid-May \nWho can participate? The PitchIt! contest is open to all middle and high school students in Texas. If you live in Colorado\, Florida\, New York or Pennsylvania\, please visit the main PitchIt! page for details. \nI have more questions! Questions about NLP resources can be directed to Terry Berna\, educator success manager\, tberna@newslit.org\, or you can submit a request via the NLP Education Help Center or the NewsLitNation Facebook Group. Questions about rules can be directed to Miriam Romais\, director of NewsLitNation\, at network@newslit.org\, and questions about entries can be directed to our Texas ambassador Sara Gonzales\, saraegonzales@katyisd.org \n“Our nation will vote in the next presidential election and a culminating issue will be media literacy. By using PitchIt!\, as educators\, we can exhibit for our students how to break down the news in a way that allows them to become news literate\, and see the democratic process come to life through meaningful writing\, conversation\, research and presentation.” ––Sara Gonzales\, journalism teacher and advisor\, Patricia E. Paetow High School in Katy\, Texas
URL:https://newslit.org/event/pitchit-texas-student-essay-contest-2024/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240424T180000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240424T180000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240329T181043Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161234Z
UID:10000087-1713981600-1713981600@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Finding water in a news desert
DESCRIPTION:Finding water in a news desert\nPreparing for elections when news coverage is scarce\nFree\nVirtual panel discussion\n6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT Wednesday\, April 24 \nWhen local news coverage is scarce\, how do you find out what’s on the ballot in your community? As legacy news sources struggle – especially in rural areas – information becomes harder to find\, and it can feel especially fraught as we prepare to vote. Meanwhile\, pink-slime news outfits\, which masquerade as local news sources but are funded by political partisans\, and social media rumor mills are popping up to fill the void left by downsized or shuttered local news outlets. \nEven with these challenges there are still ways you can be informed about ballot initiatives and candidates running for office – including reports on their spending and where they stand on the issues. \nThe News Literacy Project has invited three experts – Benjy Hamm\, director of the University of Kentucky’s Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues; Alana Rocha\, editor of the Rural News Network; and Brianna Lennon\, county clerk for Boone County\, Missouri and co-host of the podcast High Turnout Wide Margins – to walk us through how people living in news deserts can prepare to vote in 2024. We’ll talk about obstacles to finding credible information\, as well as tools you can use to investigate the who\, what\, when\, where\, why and how of the 2024 elections. \nWatch recording\n\nAbout the panelists\n\n\nBenjy Hamm is the director of the University of Kentucky’s Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues\, which researches trends\, issues and ideas in rural journalism and gives advice and workshops for professionals. Hamm is a veteran newspaper editor\, having led news operations for Landmark Community Newspapers in Shelbyville\, Kentucky\, as well as the Herald-Journal and the Lancaster News\, both in South Carolina.\n\n\n\nAlana Rocha leads the Rural News Network\, a resource hub for newsrooms who are members of the Institute for Nonprofit News. Rocha works with 70 network outlets in 46 states to amplify coverage from rural areas. She was a longtime news and politics journalist in Florida\, Kansas and Texas.\n\n\n\nBrianna Lennon is the county clerk for Boone County\, Missouri. Before she was elected to that office in 2018\, she served in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and also was deputy director of elections in the Missouri Secretary of State’s Election Integrity Unit. She co-hosts the award-winning podcast High Turnout Wide Margins\, which covers issues for election administrators and gives insight into election processes for voters.\n\nAbout the moderator\n\n\nHannah Covington is the News Literacy Project’s senior director of education content and hosts the video series News Goggles\, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at news coverage and journalists’ work. As a journalist\, Hannah covered local government and breaking news at the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune. She has also written for the Tulsa World and The Oklahoman. Previously\, she was an adjunct instructor\, working with high school and undergraduate students at Tulsa Community College and the University of Tulsa.\n\nWatch recording
URL:https://newslit.org/event/finding-water-in-a-news-desert/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://newslit.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NewsDesert-election_webpg-1200w.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=EST:20240419T235900
DTEND;TZID=EST:20240419T235900
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231201T110039Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161252Z
UID:10000088-1713571140-1713571140@newslit.org
SUMMARY:PitchIt! New York Student Essay Contest
DESCRIPTION:Contest Deadline: April 19\, 2024\, 11:59 p.m. EST.\nTIMELINE:\n\nNov. 1\, 2023 – Feb. 13: Educator RSVP is open!   Suggested time frame to teach using Checkology® virtual classroom and other free NLP resources.\nFeb. 14 – March 13: Suggested time frame to teach using NLP resources or workshop essays for early submission.\nMarch 14 – April 18: Suggested time frame to using NLP resources or workshop essays for regular essay submission period.\nApril 19: Essay submission deadline\, 11:59 p.m. EST.\n\nABOUT\nStudent voice is a catalyst for positive change in schools and communities. For this reason\, the News Literacy Project is hosting a writing contest to empower New York students to be civically informed and engaged. \nThe PitchIt! New York student essay contest is an opportunity for students to write about some of the most important topics of our time and explore how they can help combat misinformation or work to protect freedom of the press. \nTEACHING AND LEARNING GOALS\n\nTeachers have an authentic and engaging writing assignment that amplifies student voices and explores issues aligned to district curricula\, standards and required topics\, such as the First Amendment.\nStudents analyze different types of misinformation and show the ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information.\nStudents apply their news and media literacy skills to solve the misinformation problem.\nThis project challenges students to develop their 21st century civics and media literacy skills.\n\nAWARDS\nThe below are given to students for each grade band in 6-8 and 9-12.  \nGRAND PRIZE – PITCH:\n$200 gift card scholarship and school banner \nFIRST PLACE – ESSAY\n$150 gift card scholarship \nSECOND PLACE – ESSAY\n$100 gift card scholarship \nTHIRD PLACE – ESSAY\n$50 gift card scholarship \nNote: First-\, second- and third place essay winners will prepare a presentation to “pitch” in the virtual PitchIt! Grand Prize event on Zoom (date TBA) and receive feedback from working journalists. The Grand Prize winners will be chosen at this time. \nOVERVIEW\nThis contest is open to middle and high school students in New York State who participate with the support from a teacher and/or school. Participating teachers may choose to adapt the competition curriculum for individual classes or hold a schoolwide event. Each participating school may submit up to five entries per grade (6-12). \nEducators are provided with free resources\, as well as planning and organizational support for instructional purposes in the PitchIt! Student Essay Contest folder on NLP’s Google Drive. Join the NewsLitNation Facebook Group\, for additional tips on how to best blend key news literacy concepts into your existing curriculum. \nFor this project\, students will write a 500- to 1\,000-word essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts\, using a news article as inspiration. Submitted essays will be judged by NLP ambassadors. \nThe selected first- through third-place essay contest prize winners (three from middle school and three from high school) then compete at the virtual PitchIt! Grand Prize event\, where they receive real-time feedback from journalists on their “pitch\,” a presentation about their essay topic. The grand prize winners will be chosen at this time. \nLEARNING TASK AND CHOOSING THE ESSAY TOPIC\nNews literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other content to identify different types of information and to use the standards of fact-based journalism to determine what to trust\, share and act on. Being news literate also means recognizing the critical role of the First Amendment and a free press in a democracy and interacting with news and information in ways that promote engaged participation in civic life. \nOBJECTIVE\nStudents will be able to develop critical thinking and news literacy skills to find reliable information to make decisions\, take action and responsibly share news through social media. \nTASK\nStudents compose an essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts below\, discussing how it relates to a local\, national or international news article of their choice. They should form a thesis based on their chosen prompt and aim to convince their audience that the thesis is accurate and valid. \nSUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT\nStudents will be evaluated using the PitchIt! rubric found among the PitchIt! Student Essay Contest documents in Google Drive. Teachers should provide students with a written copy of the rubric and relevant supporting materials. \nPROCESS\nStep 1. Teacher introduces the writing assignment to their class\, the rubric* and the process by which the top essays will advance. News literacy topics are explored with students as they relate to the curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to use the free educator resources on NewsLitNation® or the Checkology® virtual classroom on topics like the First Amendment. See resources from the New York Public Library\, which includes access to The New York Times\, or any other available news sources. \nStep 2. Students work with their teacher to select a news article/topic of their choice and select one of the prompts below to follow in writing the essay. Encourage students to use the essay planning document* as an outline before handing in a final draft. \nStep 3. Teachers select up to five student essays per grade\, per school\, and submit with cover letter via email to Alesha Smith\, New York’s NewsLitNation ambassador: Aleshasmith292@gmail.com. \nStep 4. NLP’s educator panel selects six essays (three from middle school and three from high school) to advance to the Grand Prize phase of the contest (the “pitch”!). \nStep 5. Panel notifies the teacher by May 6\, 2024. The selected students then begin creating a visual presentation of their essay (PowerPoint or Google Slides) no more than three minutes in length\, to compete in the final phase of the contest. \nStep 6: First-\, second- and third-place essay winners make their three-minute presentation (“pitch”) to a panel of journalists during the PitchIt! New York Grand Prize event on Zoom and receive personalized feedback. Panelists choose the Grand Prize winners for middle school and high school competitors\, who will be awarded during the event. \n*Click here for the Google Drive folder with PitchIt! educator resources.  \nPROMPTS\nStudents should pick one of the following prompts:   \nPrompt #1: Explain how the First Amendment protects freedom of the press. Use a recent local\, national or international news story to illustrate the importance of freedom of the press and how other freedoms are required to protect it. \nPrompt #2: What steps should someone take to fact-check statements by a public figure? Consider a recent event in the news to analyze the ways in which the press can hold public figures accountable for what they say and share publicly. \nPrompt #3: People have civic responsibilities\, things they should do but are not required by law. Explain which news literacy skills are essential to responsible civic participation by example of a recent event in the news. \nPrompt #4: Social media platforms are under increased public pressure to fact-check online content generated and shared by users. Which news literacy standards should social media platforms adopt to evaluate fact from fiction? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news media. \nPrompt #5: What is the role of the media in our society\, and how can we become responsible consumers and producers of news and information in the digital age? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news. \nPrompt #6: How does confirmation bias\, stereotyping and other cognitive biases impact how we interpret events\, news and information? What are potential consequences of not verifying the accuracy of such information? Analyze a current news event with these multiple issues in mind for your essay. \nESSAY CRITERIA\n\nSubmission must be original\, unpublished work of one student.\nEssay is between 500-1\,000 words\, clearly addressing one of the prompts.\nEssay is typed in 12-point\, Times New Roman\, double-spaced with 1” margins and numbered pages.\nSubmissions must have a title.\nStudents must include at least three credible sources to support their thesis.\nEssays must use MLA formatting\, complete with in-text citations and a Works Cited page (not included in the word count). See Purdue Owl MLA Guide.\nEssays must be proofread and should follow the rules for standard English (grammar\, punctuation\, mechanics) in writing. See Purdue Owl Grammar.\nPlagiarism: any submission that is in part or wholly plagiarized will be disqualified from the PitchIt! competition. See Purdue Owl Plagiarism.\nA cover page MUST be included with the following information: title of essay\, student name\, grade level\, student’s complete mailing address\, student’s email address\, school’s name\, principal’s name\, teacher’s name\, and best phone number and email address for the teacher.\nFinalists must be able to virtually participate in the PitchIt! New York Grand Prize event at the end of May 2024.\n\nSUBMISSION:\nSchools/teachers should submit their top five winning essays per grade with required cover letter to: Alesha Smith\, NLP’s New York NewsLitNation ambassador\, at aleshasmith292@gmail.com. Entries must be received by April 19\, 2024. \nWhile not required\, we encourage schools to conduct their own internal essay contest to establish the top essays for submission. \nFAQs:\nIs there a submission fee? No fees! Better yet\, there is no catch. All our educator resources are free\, including Checkology! \nWhat does “teacher support” mean? Successful writers are made through direct instruction. Teachers are encouraged to support students in both content and the writing process. The teacher’s name and contact information must also be indicated in the cover letter as the primary point of contact regarding the entry. \nHow are the essays judged? During the first phase of the contest\, essays are reviewed by news literacy ambassadors for readability\, accuracy and originality\, using the PitchIt! Rubric. Successful essays are about a local\, national or international story tied in with the student’s knowledge of news literacy concepts. For example\, using one of the prompts\, consider the impact a story had\, and whether false claims about it could be debunked using reputable and verifiable sources of information. \nDo you have essay tips for the students? Essays must have a recognizable beginning (opening or introduction)\, multiple body paragraphs and a conclusion. See Purdue Owl Argumentative Essays. Hook the reader with a strong opener. Readers will use the first few sentences to decide whether they will read the whole essay. Keep your paragraphs short. Popular essays tend to average three sentences per paragraph. Submit thoroughly thought-out\, tightly focused essays. Originality is also important. In the conclusion\, include a call to action. Encourage readers to take some positive steps. For instance\, if you’ve given them a list of tips\, prompt them to put some of the tips into practice. \nHow is the “pitch” judged? The first-\, second- and third-place essay winners advance to the Grand Prize event phase of the contest. To prepare\, they must create a visual presentation based on their essay theme (PowerPoint or Google Slides). During the event they will each have three minutes to “pitch” their essay idea to a panel of journalists and will receive real-time feedback. Students’ presentations will be judged for creativity\, delivery\, impact and accuracy during the PitchIt! New York Grand Prize event\, end of May\, 2024. \nWho can participate? The PitchIt! contest is open to all middle and high school students in New York State. If you live in Colorado\, Pennsylvania or Florida\, please visit the main PitchIt! page for details. \nWhat document formats are accepted? Please submit the essay as a Docx\, Word document\, PDF file or Google Doc. \nHow are the finalists announced? Email notifications will be sent to teachers by May 6\, 2024. \nI have more questions! Questions about NLP resources can be directed to Terry Berna\, educator success manager\, tberna@newslit.org\, or you can submit a request via the NLP Education Help Center or the NewsLitNation Facebook Group. Questions about rules can be directed to Miriam Romais\, director of NewsLitNation\, at network@newslit.org\, and questions about entries can be directed to our New York ambassador\, Alesha Smith\, Aleshasmith292@gmail.com. \n\n“I once read that the belief in misinformation can result in adverse physical and psychological consequences. Our learning goals for this contest are for students to learn how to hone their skills in identifying\, researching\, analyzing and synthesizing information from credible sources that can be verified; this is an essential trait of news literacy. Guiding students to be successful in news literacy equips our scholars with the ability to analyze any issue through a more critical lens\, which encourages higher-level thinking in their current roles as students and beyond. This expertise will be impactful in their daily academic and practical lives. For the stated reasons\, we are hopeful that teachers and students from across the district and state will participate in this unique opportunity.” \n—Alesha Smith\, ELA lead teacher-coach/ social studies teacher\, NYC DOE \n\n\n“Participating in PitchIt! NYC was a great experience for me! I enjoyed the combination of essay writing and the oral pitching components in the competition. I am very grateful that I was given the opportunity to participate in the contest and compete as a finalist—I would definitely recommend this contest to my fellow students!” \n-Patricia\, winning essay student
URL:https://newslit.org/event/pitchit-new-york-student-essay-contest/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240416T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240416T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240329T163335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161307Z
UID:10000089-1713286800-1713286800@newslit.org
SUMMARY:AI\, the Digital Landscape\, and Misinformation-Busting Superpowers for Students
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, April 16\, 2024\n5:00 PM ET \nIn today’s world\, misinformation is more than an inconvenience—it’s one of the greatest threats to our democracy. Whether or not your students are voting this fall\, you can help ensure that they don’t fall for rumors\, falsehoods\, or AI-generated deceptions by empowering them with critical news literacy skills. \nJoin NLP’s Peter Adams and Brittney Smith for an educator’s guide to misinformation in today’s digital landscape\, including a close look at generative AI. In addition to discussing fundamental tools and tips for fact checking and misinformation busting\, they will explore how AI technology continues to evolve and how it can even be used to enrich the learning experience. \nRegister today (it’s free!)\nTopics to be covered include:\n\nThe state of today’s digital landscape and its implications in an election year\nStrategies for helping students determine the credibility of evidence and sources\nBest practices for teaching about misinformation and conspiratorial thinking\n\nAttendees will leave with a roadmap for getting started with teaching about misinformation\, including how to use the Misinfo 101 Checkology® course and free classroom resources. \nThis edWebinar will be of interest to middle and high school teachers\, librarians\, and school and district leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.) \n\nAbout the speakers\n\n\n\nPeter Adams became the News Literacy Project’s Senior Vice President of Research and Design after several years as the organization’s Head of Education. He began his career as a classroom teacher in the New York City schools through Teach For America. He has also taught in the Chicago public schools\, at Roosevelt University\, and at Chicago City Colleges’ Wilbur Wright campus. In addition\, he has worked with the NYC Teaching Fellows program\, with After School Matters\, and as an independent education consultant. \nSince joining NLP in 2009\, he has coordinated classroom and after-school programs\, served as Chicago program manager\, worked on organizational strategy\, and developed NLP’s digital program. He has also provided news literacy training and workshops to educators and others throughout the area. He was promoted to his current position in January 2014 and oversees NLP’s education team\, which develops resources and training for teachers. He and the other team members are based in Chicago. Peter is a graduate of Indiana University\, where he majored in English and African American studies and co-founded an independent monthly student newspaper. He has a master’s degree in the humanities from the University of Chicago. \n\n\n\n\n\nBrittney Smith is a Senior Manager of Education Partnerships (East) at The News Literacy Project. Brittney joined NLP in July 2022 after eight years of teaching life science in Cincinnati\, Ohio. She was a high school teacher to diverse populations of students\, including English language learners. In her tenure as science department chair\, she focused on building partnerships with community stakeholders to enrich and improve students’ educational experiences. \nShe holds a bachelor’s degree in biological science from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree in teaching science to adolescents and young adults from Mount St. Joseph University. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in educational practice and innovation with a STEM focus at the University of South Carolina. \n\n\nRegister
URL:https://newslit.org/event/ai-the-digital-landscape-and-misinformation-busting-superpowers-for-students/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240415T235900
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240415T235900
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231108T160522Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251005T012854Z
UID:10000090-1713225540-1713225540@newslit.org
SUMMARY:PitchIt! Colorado Student Essay Contest
DESCRIPTION:Contest Deadline: April 15\, 2024\, 11:59 p.m. MT.\nDeadlines:\n\nNov. 1\, 2023: Educator RSVP opens! \nNov. 1\, 2023-Jan. 28\, 2024: Suggested time frame to teach using Checkology® virtual classroom and other NLP resources. (All free!). \nFeb. 1\, 2024-April 15\, 2024: Suggested time frame to workshop essays for submission. \nApril 15\, 2024: Essay submission deadline. \nMay 1\, 2024: PitchIt! Colorado finalists announced. \nMay (TBD): PitchIt! Colorado State Finals. \n\nTEACHING GOALS\n\nTeachers have an authentic and engaging writing assignment that amplifies student voices and explores issues aligned to district curricula\, standards and required topics\, such as the First Amendment.\nStudents analyze different types of misinformation and show the ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information.\nStudents apply their news and media literacy skills to solve the misinformation problem.\nThis project challenges students to develop their 21st century civics and media literacy skills as outlined in the Colorado Department of Education’s Academic Standards resource.\n\nAWARDS\nThe PitchIt! Colorado State Finals Event will be a hybrid (in person and Zoom) format. Students will present live for the chance at claiming the title PitchIt! Colorado State Champion. An awards ceremony will be held and first-\, second- and third-place trophies will be provided for both middle school and high school competitors\, along with a school banner for display. \nOVERVIEW\nParticipating teachers may choose to adapt the competition curriculum for individual classes or hold a schoolwide event. Each participating school may submit up to five entries per grade. \nEducators are provided with free resources\, planning and organizational support for instructional purposes in the PitchIt! Colorado 2023-2024 Resource Folder. \nFor this project\, middle and high school students will write an essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts\, using a news article as inspiration. Submitted essays will be judged by NLP ambassadors. Selected first- through third-place essay contest finalists (three from middle school and three from high school) will earn the opportunity to compete at the PitchIt! Colorado State Finals event. \nAt state finals\, each student will “pitch” their essay topic to a select panel of professional journalists and local leaders. Finalists will compete to earn the title of PitchIt! Colorado State Champion (separate titles for middle school and high school). \nELIGIBILITY\nThis contest is open to middle and high school students in Colorado who participate with the support from a teacher and/or school. Participating teachers may choose to adapt the competition curriculum for individual classes or hold a schoolwide event. Each participating school may submit up to five entries per grade band (6-12). \nEssay finalists must be able to attend the PitchIt! Colorado State Finals event either in person or virtually. The event will take place at The Colorado Sun Media Center\, Denver\, Colorado (date and time TBD). \nLEARNING TASK AND CHOOSING THE ESSAY TOPIC\nNews literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other content to identify different types of information and to use the standards of fact-based journalism to determine what to trust\, share and act on. Being news-literate also means recognizing the critical role of the First Amendment and a free press in a democracy and interacting with news and information in ways that promote engaged participation in civic life. \nObjective (Based on Colorado Academic Standards)\n\nStudents will be able to conduct research by gathering\, organizing\, and evaluating the credibility and bias of information from a variety of news media.\nStudents will be able to critically analyze information\, claims\, and sources presented to them through news media.\nStudents will be able to cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources\, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.\nStudents will be able to evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence\, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.\nStudents will be able to identify ways in which 21st century media can be evaluated for authenticity\, validity\, and reliability.\nStudents will be able to synthesize information from multiple sources to demonstrate understanding of a topic.\nStudents will be able to process and effectively communicate and present information orally\, in writing\, and through multimedia presentation.\n\nTask\nStudents compose an essay (500-1\,000 words) in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts below\, discussing how it relates to a local\, national or international news article of their choice. They should form a thesis based on their chosen prompt and aim to inform their audience about the relevancy of news literacy in the world today. \nAudience\nEducators\, professional journalists and state legislators. \nSummative Assessment\nStudents will be evaluated using the PitchIt! Colorado Essay Rubric. Teachers should provide students with a written copy of the rubric and relevant supporting materials. \nPROCESS\nStep 1. Teacher introduces the writing assignment to their class\, the rubric* and the process by which the top essays will advance. News literacy topics are explored with students as they relate to the curriculum. Teachers can explore the free educator resources on NewsLitNation® or the Checkology® virtual classroom on topics like the First Amendment. \nStep 2. Students work with their teacher to select a news article/topic of their choice and to select one of the prompts below to follow in writing the essay. Encourage students to use the essay planning document* as an outline before submitting a final draft. \nStep 3. Teachers select up to five student essay finalists per grade\, per school\, and will submit each essay using the PitchIt! Colorado Essay Submission 2023-2024 Form. \nStep 4. NLP’s educator panel selects six essays (three from middle school and three from high school) to advance to the Colorado State Finals. \nStep 5: Panel notifies the teacher and student finalists on May 1\, 2024. The selected students then begin creating a visual presentation of their essay (no more than three minutes in length) to compete in the final phase of the contest. \nStep 6: Essay finalists make their three-minute presentation (“pitch”) to a panel of journalists and state legislators during the PitchIt! Colorado State Finals Event. Panelists choose the first-\, second- and third-place\, and the state champion titles for middle school and high school competitors\, who will be awarded during the event. \nPROMPTS\nStudents should pick one of the following prompts:  \nPrompt #1: Explain how the First Amendment protects freedom of the press. Use a recent local\, national or international news story to illustrate the importance of freedom of the press and how other freedoms are required to protect it. \nPrompt #2: What steps should someone take to fact-check statements by a public figure? Consider a recent event in the news to analyze the ways in which the press can hold public figures accountable for what they say and share publicly. \nPrompt #3: People have civic responsibilities\, things they should do but are not required by law. Explain which news literacy skills are essential to responsible civic participation by example of a recent event in the news. \nPrompt #4: Social media platforms are under increased public pressure to fact-check online content generated and shared by users. Which news literacy standards should social media platforms adopt to evaluate fact from fiction? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news media. \nPrompt #5: What is the role of the media in our society\, and how can we become responsible consumers and producers of news and information in the digital age? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news. \nPrompt #6: How do confirmation bias\, stereotyping and other cognitive biases impact how we interpret events\, news and information? What are potential consequences of not verifying the accuracy of such information? Analyze a current news event with these multiple issues in mind for your essay. \nESSAY CRITERIA\n\nSubmission must be original\, unpublished work of one student.\nEssay is between 500-1\,000 words\, clearly addressing one of the prompts.\nEssay is typed in 12-point\, Times New Roman\, double-spaced with 1” margins and numbered pages.\nSubmissions must have a title.\nStudents must include at least three credible sources to support their thesis.\nEssays must use MLA formatting\, complete with in-text citations and a Works Cited page (not included in the word count). See Purdue Owl MLA Guide.\nOrganization: students must include an introduction with a thesis statement\, multiple body paragraphs and a conclusion. See Purdue Owl Argumentative Essays.\nEssays must be proofread and should follow the rules for standard English (grammar\, punctuation\, mechanics) in writing. See Purdue Owl Grammar.\nPlagiarism: any submission that is in part or wholly plagiarized will be disqualified from the PitchIt! competition. See Purdue Owl Plagiarism.\nA cover page MUST be included with the following information: Title of essay\, student name\, grade level\, student’s complete mailing address\, student’s email address\, school’s name\, principal’s name\, teacher’s name\, and best phone number and email address for the teacher.\n\nContest Deadline: April 15\, 2024\, 11:59 p.m. MT.\nSchools/teachers should submit their top essays (no more than five essays per grade) using the PitchIt! Colorado Essay Submission 2023-2024 Form. \nFAQ:\nIs there a submission fee? No fees! Better yet\, there is no catch. All our educator resources are free\, including Checkology! \nWhat does “teacher support” mean? Successful writers are made through direct instruction. Teachers are encouraged to support students in both content and the writing process. The teacher’s name and contact information must also be indicated in the cover letter as the primary point of contact regarding the entry. \nHow are the essays judged? Essays will be reviewed by news literacy ambassadors using the PitchIt! Colorado Essay Rubric. Successful essays are about a local\, national or international story tied in with news literacy skills. For example\, consider the impact a story had\, and whether false claims about it could be debunked using reputable and verifiable sources of information. \nHow is the “pitch” judged? The first-\, second- and third-place essay winners advance to the PitchIt! Colorado State Finals phase of the contest. To prepare\, they must create a visual presentation based on their essay theme. During the event they will each have three minutes to “pitch” their essay idea to a panel of journalists and state legislators\, and will receive real-time feedback from the panel. Student presentations will be judged for creativity\, delivery\, impact and accuracy during the event. \nWho can participate? The PitchIt! contest is open to all Colorado students in middle and high school. If you live in Pennsylvania\, Florida or New York\, please visit the main PitchIt! page for details. \nWhat document formats are accepted? Please submit the essay as a Docx\, Word\, or PDF file. The “pitch” presentation should be Google Slides or PowerPoint. \nHow are the finalists announced? Email notifications will be sent to teachers and finalists on May 1\, 2024. \nI live too far from Denver to attend the State Finals event in person. May I still participate? Yes! The event can be accessed via Zoom\, so you can still attend and present your pitch to the live panel. \nI have more questions!  Questions about NLP resources can be directed to Terry Berna\, educator success manager\, tberna@newslit.org\, or you can submit a request via the NLP Education Help Center or the NewsLitNation Facebook Group. Questions about rules can be directed to Miriam Romais\, director of NewsLitNation\, network@newslit.org\, and questions about entries can be directed to our Colorado ambassador\, Amanda Escheman\, at aescheman@cherrycreekschools.org. \n“I see no greater threat to democracy than media illiteracy. The democratic process can only thrive when thoughtful citizens interrogate the media that informs them.”\n––Amanda Escheman\, Colorado News Literacy Ambassador
URL:https://newslit.org/event/pitchit-colorado-student-essay-contest/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240320T190000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240320T190000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240209T202507Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161338Z
UID:10000091-1710961200-1710961200@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Is it misinformation?
DESCRIPTION:Is it misinformation?\n \nWhat is misinformation? How can we spot it and avoid it? \nIn this webinar\, we’ll explore current trends in misinformation so you identify and avoid it when you see it. We will learn how to identify types of misleading\, inaccurate and false information and how to recognize common propagators of falsehoods. \nReserve your spot today
URL:https://newslit.org/event/is-it-misinformation/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240301T235900
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240301T235900
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231201T104826Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161426Z
UID:10000092-1709337540-1709337540@newslit.org
SUMMARY:PitchIt! PENNSYLVANIA Student Essay Contest 2024
DESCRIPTION:Friday\, March 1: Deadline\nTIMELINE:\n\nNov. 1\, 2023 – January 2024: Educator RSVP is open! Suggested time frame to teach using Checkology® virtual classroom and other free NLP resources.\nJanuary 2024 – Feb. 26\, 2024: Suggested time frame to workshop essays for submission.\nMarch 1\, 2024: Essay deadline.\nMarch 4\, 2024: PitchIt! Pennsylvania finalists announced.\nMarch TBD\, 2024: PitchIt! Pennsylvania State Finals (week of March 18).\n\nABOUT\nStudent voice is a catalyst for positive change in schools and communities. For this reason\, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU3)\, in partnership with the News Literacy Project\, is hosting a writing contest to empower students in Pennsylvania to be civically informed and engaged. \nTEACHING GOALS\n\nTeachers have an authentic and engaging writing assignment that amplifies student voices and explores issues aligned to district curricula\, standards and required topics\, such as the First Amendment.\nStudents analyze different types of misinformation and show the ability to think critically about what is and is not verifiable information.\nStudents apply their news and media literacy skills to solve the misinformation problem.\nStudents develop their 21st century civics and media literacy skills (see our Google Drive documents\, academic contexts and connections).\n\nAWARDS for each grade band (6-8 and 9-12)\nGRAND PRIZE – PITCH:\n$100 gift card scholarship for student winner\, gift card for teacher and a school banner celebrating both. \nFIRST PLACE – ESSAY\n$75 gift card (teacher and student) \nSECOND PLACE – ESSAY\n$50 gift card (teacher and student) \nTHIRD PLACE – ESSAY\n$25 gift card (teacher and student) \nNote: First-\, second- and third-place essay winners will prepare a presentation to “pitch” in the virtual PitchIt! Grand Prize event on Zoom (date TBA) and receive feedback from working journalists. The Grand Prize winners will be chosen at this time. \nOVERVIEW\nPennsylvania middle and high school teachers may choose to assign the competition curriculum for individual classes or hold a schoolwide event. Each participating school may submit up to five entries per grade (6-12). \nEducators are provided with free resources\, as well as planning and organizational support for instructional purposes in the PitchIt! Student Essay Contest folder on NLP’s Google Drive. Join the NewsLitNation Facebook Group\, for additional tips on how to best blend key news literacy concepts into your existing curriculum. \nFor this project\, students will write a 500- to 1\,000-word essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts\, using a news article as inspiration. Submitted essays will be judged by NLP ambassadors. \nThe selected first- through third-place essay contest prize winners (three from middle school and three from high school) then compete at the virtual PitchIt! Grand Prize event\, where they receive real-time feedback from journalists on their “pitch\,” a presentation about their essay topic. The grand prize winners will be chosen at this time. \nLEARNING TASK AND CHOOSING THE ESSAY TOPIC\nNews literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other content to identify different types of information and to use the standards of fact-based journalism to determine what to trust\, share and act on. Being news literate also means recognizing the critical role of the First Amendment and a free press in a democracy and interacting with news and information in ways that promote engaged participation in civic life. \nOBJECTIVE\nStudents will be able to develop critical thinking and news literacy skills to find reliable information to make decisions\, take action and responsibly share news through social media. \nTASK\nStudents compose an essay in response to one of the news literacy writing prompts below\, discussing how it relates to a local\, national or international news article of their choice. They should form a thesis based on their chosen prompt and aim to convince their audience that the thesis is accurate and valid. \nSUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT\nStudents will be evaluated using the PitchIt! rubric found among the PitchIt! Student Essay Contest documents in Google Drive. Teachers should provide students with a written copy of the rubric and relevant supporting materials. \nPROCESS\nSTEP 1. Teacher introduces the writing assignment to their class\, the rubric* and the process by which the top essays will advance. News literacy topics are explored with students as they relate to the curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to explore the free educator resources on NewsLitNation® and the Checkology® virtual classroom on topics like the First Amendment. \nSTEP 2. Students work with their teacher to select a news article/topic of their choice and to select one of the prompts below to follow in writing the essay. Encourage students to use the student planning document* as an outline before handing in a final draft. \nSTEP 3. Teachers select up to five student essay finalists per grade\, per school\, and submit with cover letter to Deborah Domingues-Murphy\, Pennsylvania’s NewsLitNation ambassador: domingues-murphy@cityhigh.org. \nSTEP 4. NLP’s educator panel selects six essays (three from middle school and three from high school) to advance to the Grand Prize phase of the contest (the “pitch”!). \nSTEP 5. Panel notifies the teacher at the beginning of March. The selected students then begin creating a visual presentation of their essay (PowerPoint or Google Slides\, no more than three minutes in length)\, to compete in the final phase of the contest. \nSTEP 6. First-\, second- and third-place essay winners make their presentation (“pitch”) to a panel of journalists during the PitchIt! Pennsylvania Grand Prize event on Zoom and receive personalized feedback. Panelists choose the Grand Prize winners for middle school and high school competitors\, who will be awarded during the event. \n*Click here for the Google Drive folder with PitchIt! educator resources.  \nPROMPTS\nStudents should pick one of the following prompts:  \n\nPrompt #1: Explain how the First Amendment protects freedom of the press. Use a recent local\, national or international news story to illustrate the importance of freedom of the press and how other freedoms are required to protect it.\nPrompt #2: What steps should someone take to fact-check statements by a public figure? Consider a recent event in the news to analyze the ways in which the press can hold public figures accountable for what they say and share publicly.\nPrompt #3: People have civic responsibilities\, things they should do but are not required by law. Explain which news literacy skills are essential to responsible civic participation by example of a recent event in the news.\nPrompt #4: Social media platforms are under increased public pressure to fact-check online content generated and shared by users. Which news literacy standards should social media platforms adopt to evaluate fact from fiction? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news media.\nPrompt #5: What is the role of the media in our society\, and how can we become responsible consumers and producers of news and information in the digital age? Support your answer with real-world examples in the news.\nPrompt #6: How do confirmation bias\, stereotyping and other cognitive biases impact how we interpret events\, news and information? What are potential consequences of not verifying the accuracy of such information? Analyze a current news event with these multiple issues in mind for your essay.\n\nESSAY CRITERIA\n\nSubmission must be original\, unpublished work of one student.\nEssays are between 500-1\,000 words\, clearly addressing one of the prompts.\nEssay is typed in 12-point\, Times New Roman\, double-spaced with 1” margins and numbered pages.\nAll essays and presentations must have a title.\nStudents must include at least three credible sources to support their thesis.\nEssays must use MLA formatting\, complete with in-text citations and a Works Cited page (not included in the word count). See Purdue Owl MLA Guide.\nOrganization: Students must include an introduction with a thesis statement\, multiple body paragraphs and a conclusion. See Purdue Owl Argumentative Essays.\nEssays must be proofread and should follow the rules for standard English (grammar\, punctuation\, mechanics) in writing. See Purdue Owl Grammar.\nPlagiarism: Any submission that is in part or wholly plagiarized will be disqualified from the PitchIt! competition. See Purdue Owl Plagiarism.\nA cover page MUST be included with the following information: Title of essay\, student name\, grade level\, student’s complete mailing address\, student’s email address\, school’s name\, principal’s name\, teacher’s name\, and best phone number and email address for the teacher.\nOnly five essays from each grade may be submitted per school.\nFinalists must be able to virtually participate in the PitchIt! Grand Prize event at the end of May (TBD).\nSUBMISSION\n\nSchools/teachers should submit their top five winning essays per grade with cover letter via email to: Deborah Domingues-Murphy\, news literacy ambassador\, domingues-murphy@cityhigh.org. \nWhile not required\, we encourage schools to conduct their own internal essay contest to establish the top essays for submission. Entries must be received by March 1\, 2024. \nFAQs:\nIs there a submission fee? No fees! Better yet\, there is no catch. All our educator resources are free\, including Checkology! \nWhat does “teacher support” mean? Successful writers are made through direct instruction. Teachers are encouraged to support students in both content and the writing process. The teacher’s name and contact information must also be indicated in the cover letter as the primary point of contact regarding the entry. \nHow are the essays judged? Essays will be reviewed by news literacy ambassadors using the PitchIt! rubric. Successful essays are about a local\, national or international story that would have benefited from news literacy skills being applied to stop the spread of misinformation. For example\, consider the impact a story had\, and whether false claims about it could be debunked using reputable and verifiable sources of information. \nDo you have essay tips for the students? Essays must have a recognizable beginning (opening or introduction)\, multiple body paragraphs and a conclusion. See Purdue Owl Argumentative Essays. Hook the reader with a strong opener. Readers will use the first few sentences to decide whether they will read the whole essay. Keep your paragraphs short. Popular essays tend to average three sentences per paragraph. Submit thoroughly thought-out\, tightly focused essays. Originality is also important. In the conclusion\, include a call to action. Encourage readers to take some positive steps. For instance\, if you’ve given them a list of tips\, prompt them to put some of the tips into practice. \nHow is the “pitch” judged? The first-\, second- and third-place essay winners advance to the Grand Prize Event phase of the contest. To prepare\, they must create a visual presentation based on their essay theme (PowerPoint or Google Slides). During the event they will each have three minutes to “pitch” their essay idea to a panel of journalists and will receive real-time feedback from the panel. Student presentations will be judged for creativity\, delivery\, impact and accuracy during the event (mid-March). \nWhat document formats are accepted? Please submit the essay as a Google Doc\, PDF or a Word document. The “pitch” presentation should be Google Slides or PowerPoint. \nHow are the finalists announced? Email notifications will be sent to teachers by the first week in March. \nWho can participate? The PitchIt! contest is open to all middle and high school students in Pennsylvania. If you live in Colorado\, Florida or New York\, please visit the main PitchIt! page for details. \nI have more questions! Questions about NLP resources can be directed to Terry Berna\, educator success manager\, tberna@newslit.org\, or you can submit a request via the NLP Education Help Center or the NewsLitNation Facebook Group. Questions about rules can be directed to Miriam Romais\, director of NewsLitNation\, at network@newslit.org\, and questions about entries can be directed to our Pittsburgh ambassador\, Deborah Domingues-Murphy\, at domingues-murphy@cityhigh.org. \n“I want my students to want to be involved in their community\, hold our elected officials accountable. To do that\, they need to know what is happening and that requires them to be smart consumers of news information. I also want them to have a voice and to empower them to be confident in engaging with the adults in their community and be able to challenge them on what they say and do. As Dan Rather said\, “No one has a monopoly on the truth\, but the whole premise of our democracy is that truth and justice must win out.”  —Deborah Domingues-Murphy
URL:https://newslit.org/event/pitchit-pennsylvania-student-essay-contest-2024/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240229T130000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240229T130000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240209T201258Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161430Z
UID:10000093-1709211600-1709211600@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Are you informed or influenced?
DESCRIPTION:Are you informed or influenced?\n \nAs we navigate the 2024 election\, are we being informed or influenced? \nThis webinar will teach skills for identifying credible election information. We will learn how to evaluate the purpose of the information sources share\, how to identify election misinformation trends and bias and how to prioritize finding credible sources. \nReserve your spot today
URL:https://newslit.org/event/are-you-informed-or-influenced/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240222T190000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240222T190000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240209T230524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161449Z
UID:10000094-1708628400-1708628400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Infórmate en 2024
DESCRIPTION:Click here to read the event description in English. Los hispanohablantes en los Estados Unidos están en riesgo de exponerse a desinformación durante las elecciones de 2024. De mensajes falsos en WhatsApp a subtítulos incorrectos en vídeos en redes sociales\, de anuncios engañosos a rumores falsos sobre las votaciones\, las comunidades latinas son un objetivo claro de quienes quieren generar confusión sobre los sistemas de elección. The News Literacy Project ha reunido a un panel de periodistas y expertos para ayudarnos a comprender por qué y cómo los hispanos están en riesgo. \nRegístrate\nAprenderemos sobre temas y sobre los motivos detrás de la desinformación que tiene como objetivo a los hispanohablantes\, sobre maneras de evitar la desinformación durante las elecciones en 2024 y cómo encontrar información creíble. Las panelistas son Tamoa Calzadilla\, editora en jefe de Factchequeado\, Jesús García\, editor de política en La Opinión\, Elián Zidán\, presentador del Edición Nocturna en Univision\, y Cristina Tardáguila\, consultora para el Instituto Democracia de las Américas. Alba Mendiola\, una embajadora para News Literacy Project\, es la moderadora de la conversación. Alba fue periodista por 18 años y ahora es una maestra de periodismo en Chicago. La conversación será en español con traducción directa al inglés. \nRegístrate\nSobre las panelistas\n\n\nTamoa Calzadilla es la editora en jefe de Factchequeado y es una becaria de Reynolds Journalism Institute. Dirigió el Detector\, la plataforma de verificación de hechos de Univision Noticias (la primera creada en español en EEUU). Anteriormente informó sobre la corrupción en la política venezolana y formó parte del equipo investigador de los Panamá Papers.\n\n\n\nJesús García es editor de politíca en La Opinión. Escribe sobre política\, inmigración y asuntos nacionales. Varios de sus artículos han sido premiados por la Asociación Nacional de Publicaciones Hispanas. Es autor del libro “El Chapo”: Más allá de la duda razonable. Fue editor y colaborador de los periódicos Reforma y El Financiero-Bloomberg.\n\n\n\nElián Zidán es un periodista mexicano y copresentador de la Edición Nocturna del noticero Univision. Anteriormente fue reportero y copresentador de Al Despertar y Edición Digital NY y colaborador del programa Aquí y Ahora.\n\n\n\nCristina Tardáguila es fundadora de Agência Lupa (la mayor iniciativa de verificación de datos en Brasil) y consultora de investigación del Instituto Democracia Digital de las Americas. Periodista de profesión\, Cristina ha trabajado como reportera y editora y fue la directora adjunta de International Fact-Checking Network y directora senior de programas de International Center for Journalists.\n\nSobre la moderadora\n\n\nAlba Mendiola es educadora y periodista y enseña español y periodismo en Cristo Rey Jesuit High School en Chicago. Era periodista por 18 años en Telemundo Chicago y Televisión Azteca en Veracruz\, México. Su trabajo de investigación ganó el premio regional Emmy en Chicago siete veces.\n\nRegístrate\n \nBe informed in 2024\n\nThursday\, Feb. 22 | 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT\nFree \nVirtual panel discussion\nIn Spanish with live translation to English\n\nRegister\nSpanish-speaking Americans are at high risk for mis- and disinformation during the 2024 elections. From erroneous WhatsApp messages to incorrectly subtitled social media videos\, false rumors and attack ads\, Hispanics and Latinos are targeted by bad actors who seek to disrupt voting and sow mistrust and confusion around election systems. The News Literacy Project is hosting a panel of journalists and experts to help us understand why and how Spanish speakers are at greater risk. We will learn about common trends and tropes in disinformation that target Hispanics\, discuss ways everyone can avoid being misled during the 2024 elections\, and explain how to find credible\, trustworthy information. \nRegister\nPanelists include Tamoa Calzadilla\, editor in chief of Factchequeado; Jesús García\, managing editor of politics at La Opinión; Elián Zidán\, Univision journalist and anchor of Edición Nocturna; and Cristina Tardáguila\, research consultant for the Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas. NLP ambassador Alba Mendiola will moderate the discussion. Mendiola is a veteran journalist and journalism teacher in Chicago. This conversation will be held in Spanish with live translation to English\, including spoken interpretation and subtitles. \nRegister\nAbout the panelists\n\n\nTamoa Calzadilla is the editor in chief of Factchequeado\, a Spanish-language initiative founded to counter mis- and disinformation in the Hispanic and Latino communities in the United States. She is a Reynolds Journalism Institute fellow and former director of El Detector\, Univision’s fact-checking platform. She previously reported on corruption in Venezuelan politics and was part of the team that investigated the Panama Papers in 2016.\n\n\n\nJesús García writes about politics and immigration for La Opinión. He is also the author of the book El Chapo: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. He previously wrote about politics for El Financiero\, an economics news outlet based in Mexico City\, and was politics editor for Mexican news outlet Grupo Reforma.\n\n\n\nElián Zidán is a veteran journalist and anchor of Univision’s nighttime national newscast Edición Nocturna. He previously was a reporter and co-anchor for Univision’s Al Despertar and Edición Digital NY and is a contributor to the Sunday show Aquí y Ahora.\n\n\n\nCristina Tardáguila is a research consultant for the Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas\, where she is leading WhatsApp monitoring research. She is a former program director at the International Center for Journalists and founded Agência Lupa\, the largest fact-checking initiative in Brazil. She also was associate director of the International Fact-Checking Network and was a journalist in Brazil.\n\nAbout the moderator\n\n\nAlba Mendiola\, a dedicated educator and experienced journalist\, teaches Spanish-language arts and broadcast journalism to Spanish heritage speaker students at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago. Before transitioning to the classroom\, Alba had an 18-year successful career as a Spanish-language television reporter at Telemundo Chicago and Televisión Azteca in Veracruz\, Mexico. Her investigative work earned her the prestigious Chicago Regional Emmy Award seven times\, showcasing her dedication and talent in journalism.\n\nRegister
URL:https://newslit.org/event/informate-en-2024/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240215T120000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240215T120000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240103T154317Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161527Z
UID:10000095-1707998400-1707998400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Beyond the broadcast: Covering the 2024 elections
DESCRIPTION:You can watch the livestream on YouTube.\n\n\nBeyond the broadcast: Covering the 2024 elections\nA live\, in-person panel discussion featuring: \n\nGeoff Bennett\, co-anchor\, PBS NewsHour  \nMajor  Garrett\, chief Washington correspondent\, CBS News\nMary Bruce\, chief Washington correspondent\, ABC News\nKristen Welker\, moderator\, Meet the Press\, NBC News\nModerated by David Folkenflik\, media correspondent\, NPR\n\nDoors open at 11:30 a.m. with lunch served. Program begins promptly at 12:00 p.m. \nThe 2024 elections will be a pivotal moment for democracy\, as Americans vote in presidential\, congressional\, state and local elections and decide important ballot initiatives. With so many decisions on the line\, how will the major news networks effectively cover the candidates and inform voters of the issues at stake? \nJoin us as we host anchors from four of the most highly regarded television news programs in the country and discuss key topics\, such as how the networks will choose which candidates and issues to cover; how they plan to deal with election misinformation and candidates who spread it; what the public needs to know about the candidates; how networks call the elections\, and policy versus horse race coverage. \nThis event is made possible thanks to our host committee\, Cathy Merrill Williams and Archie Smart\, and is sponsored by Politics and Prose Bookstore. \nThe News Literacy Project\, a nonpartisan education nonprofit\, is building a national movement to advance the practice of news literacy throughout American society\, creating better informed\, more engaged and more empowered individuals — and ultimately a stronger democracy. \nYou can watch live on YouTube! \n\nAbout the panelists\n\n\n\nGeoff Bennett\, co-anchor\, PBS NewsHour\nGeoff Bennett is an award-winning political correspondent who has reported from the White House under three presidents and has covered five presidential elections. His exclusive interviews with many influential political figures have grabbed national headlines. \nBennett joined PBS from NBC News\, where he was a White House correspondent and substitute anchor for MSNBC. \nAt NBC\, he earned recognition for his in-depth and exclusive reporting. He is part of the team that in 2022 won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence. Bennett also worked for NPR\, as an editor and reporter. \nBennett has appeared as a political analyst on ABC News and CBS News and has also hosted C-SPAN’s Washington Journal public affairs program. He began his journalism career at World News Tonight on ABC after graduating from Morehouse College. \n\n\n\n\n\nMajor  Garrett\, chief Washington correspondent\, CBS News\nMajor Garrett was named CBS News chief Washington correspondent in December 2018. He also serves as anchor for America Decides on CBS News Streaming and hosts The Takeout\, a weekly multi-platform interview show on politics\, policy and pop culture available on CBS News Streaming\, top radio stations across the country and all podcast platforms. Garrett also hosts Agent of Betrayal: The Double Life of Robert Hanssen\, a multi-part and incisive podcast investigation into the most damaging spy scandal in FBI history. \nFrom 2012 until 2018\, Garrett served as the network’s chief White House correspondent\, reporting extensively on former President Barack Obama’s handling of the health care website rollout\, policy failures at the Veterans Administration and ongoing efforts in 2014 to address racial strife and criminal justice reform. He traveled with Obama to Asia\, Europe and the Middle East. \nBefore joining CBS News\, Garrett was a fixture during its presidential campaign coverage in 2012 through a partnership with the National Journal\, where he was chief White House correspondent. Prior to National Journal\, Garrett was the chief White House correspondent for Fox News. Before joining Fox\, Garrett was a White House correspondent for CNN during the administrations of former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Garrett is the author of five books\, including The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of ‘The Big Lie\, which was published in 2022. He graduated in 1984 from the University of Missouri with degrees in journalism and political science and lives in Washington\, D.C. \n\n\n\n\n\nMary Bruce\, chief Washington correspondent\, ABC News\nMary Bruce is the chief White House correspondent for ABC News\, based in Washington\, D.C. Her work can be seen across the network’s shows. She regularly fills in as an anchor on Good Morning America and World News Tonight and appears on ABC News Live programs and ABC News Radio. \nAs a senior White House correspondent\, Bruce covered the Biden administration and the 2022 midterms. During the 2020 presidential election\, she served as ABC News’ lead campaign correspondent\, covering the Biden campaign extensively\, from the primaries through major events\, including the presidential and vice presidential debates and the conventions. In November 2020\, Bruce reported around the clock for five straight days until a winner was projected in the historic election. \nBruce joined ABC News in 2006 as a desk assistant. \nA native of Washington\, D.C.\, she holds a bachelor’s degree in history and Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis. \n\n\n\n\n\nKristen Welker\, moderator\, Meet the Press\, NBC News\nKristen Welker is the 13th moderator of Meet the Press\, where she assumed the position on Sept. 17\, 2023. \nPreviously\, she was co-anchor of Weekend TODAY and NBC News Chief White House Correspondent\, where her political reporting appeared across all NBC News and MSNBC platforms\, including NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt\, TODAY\, Meet the Press\, and NBCNews.com. \nShe joined Weekend TODAY as co-anchor in Jan. 2020 and began covering the White House for NBC News in Dec. 2011. Welker also covered former President Donald Trump’s administration and the 2020 presidential race and is currently leading the network’s coverage of President Joe Biden’s administration. \nPrior to the White House beat\, Welker was a network correspondent based in Burbank\, California\, joining NBC News in 2010. Welker\, a native of Philadelphia\, graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in American history. She lives in Washington\, D.C.\, with her husband John Hughes and daughter Margot Lane. \n\n\n\n\n\n David Folkenflik\, media correspondent\, NPR\nBased in New York City\, David Folkenflik serves as NPR’s media correspondent. His stories and analyses are broadcast on the network’s newsmagazines\, such as All Things Considered\, Morning Edition\, and Here & Now\, and are featured on NPR’s website and mobile platforms. Folkenflik’s reports cast light on the stories of our age\, the figures who share journalism\, and the tectonic shifts affecting the news industry. In early 2018\, his exposé about the past workplace behavior of the CEO of the Los Angeles Times forced the executive’s immediate ouster from that job and helped inspire the sale of the newspaper. \nA five-time winner of the Arthur Rowse Award for Press Criticism from the National Press Club\, Folkenflik has received numerous other recognitions\, including the inaugural 2002 Mongerson Award for Investigative Reporting on the News and top honors from the National Headliners. In 2018\, the Society of Professional Journalists recognized Folkenflik with its 2018 Ethics in Journalism Award. In 2017\, Penn State University named Folkenflik as the nation’s leading media critic with the Bart Richards Award. He also served as the inaugural Irik Sevin Fellow at Cornell. Folkenflik frequently lectures at college campuses and civic organizations across the country and often appears as a media analyst for television and radio programs in the U.S.\, the U.K.\, Canada\, Australia\, and Ireland. \nFolkenflik also is the author of Murdoch’s World: The Last of the Old Media Empires and editor of Page One: Inside the New York Times and the Future of Journalism. Folkenflik joined NPR in 2004 after more than a decade at the Baltimore Sun\, where he covered higher education\, national politics\, and the media. He started his professional career at the Durham Herald-Sun in North Carolina. He served as editor-in-chief at the Cornell Daily Sun and graduated from Cornell with a bachelor’s degree in history.
URL:https://newslit.org/event/beyond-the-broadcast-covering-the-2024-elections/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240213T170000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240213T180000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20240130T171403Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161540Z
UID:10000096-1707843600-1707847200@newslit.org
SUMMARY:When science and health misinformation go viral: How to help students find facts
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, Feb. 13  \n5-6 p.m. ET/2-3 p.m. PT\n \nScience and health misinformation is contagious – don’t let it go viral among your students! \nAs we continue to heal from a global pandemic\, falsehoods presented as fact remain an issue in digital spaces such as social media. It is hard for young people to know what to believe\, and misinformation confuses us all about the best steps to take for our own and our community’s health. Further\, long histories of unfair and biased reporting and inhumane research practices have left certain communities often targeted by misinformation (with a distrust of news organizations and scientists\, as well). Join us to learn about some of these past examples of misinformation’s impact on targeted communities. Then\, explore steps you can take to help students avoid misleading claims and build confidence in making health decisions rooted in fact. \nRegister today (it’s free!)\nIn this edWebinar\, Brittney Smith of the News Literacy Project will host a panel conversation with special guests. They will discuss how to recognize when communities are being treated unfairly and share free resources for teaching your students tips to avoid falling for science and health misinformation. Relevant interdisciplinary lessons from the Checkology®️ virtual classroom — including “Be Health Informed” and “Harm & Distrust” — will be introduced\, along with ideas for incorporating the lessons into your curriculum during Black History Month and beyond. \nThis edWebinar will be of interest to K-12 teachers as well as school and district leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. \nDon’t miss this unique opportunity – reserve your spot today!\n(Can’t make it at this time but still interested? Register anyway\, and we’ll email you the recording.)
URL:https://newslit.org/event/when-science-and-health-misinformation-go-viral-how-to-help-students-find-facts/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240126T090000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240126T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231208T193027Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161554Z
UID:10000097-1706259600-1706288400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:NewsLitCamp®: The importance of local news
DESCRIPTION:Friday\, January 26\, 2024 \n9 A.M. – 5 P.M. EST \nThe Importance of Local News — Especially During Election Season\nNavigating news and information during an election year can be overwhelming. Often\, major news organizations seemingly focus entirely on national politics. However\, it can be that the most important races and issues\, the ones that have the most impact on our lives\, are typically found “down ballot.” To find news and information about state and local elections\, we must turn to local news organizations. \nJoin us for NewsLitCamp during National News Literacy Week for a day of news literacy and journalism-focused professional learning with professionals from affiliates of Scripps. You will have an opportunity to connect directly with journalists and learn more about how to help students navigate our increasingly complex information landscape. You will also have an opportunity to build your content-area knowledge when it comes to news literacy topics for the classroom. \nReserve your spot today\n\nThe role of local reporting in national election coverage.\nOpportunities for creative classroom-to-newsroom partnerships.\nLocal news\, social media and sorting fact from fiction online: what local stations want teachers to know.\n\nThe first session starts at 9 a.m. ET with additional sessions continuing throughout the day until 5 p.m. \nThe event is open to all educators. No matter where you are or what grade level or subject area you teach\, if you’re an educator interested in news literacy\, we hope to see you there. There is no cost to attend. \nCheck out our online agenda\, available on Eventbrite\, to see session descriptions! \nCan’t make the whole day but interested in a few sessions through the day? That’s great — you are welcome to attend the sessions that fit your schedule. Register now!\nAll sessions will be recorded and made available to everyone who registers after the event ends. \nQuestions? Email us at newslitcamp@newslit.org.  
URL:https://newslit.org/event/newslitcamp-the-importance-of-local-news/
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DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240123T130000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240123T140000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231128T211659Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161605Z
UID:10000098-1706014800-1706018400@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Behind the Scenes with the Washington Post TikTok Team
DESCRIPTION:\n\n\nTuesday\, Jan. 23\, 2024\n1-2 p.m. ET/10-11 a.m. PT\nSocial media plays such a large role in the lives of young people today that it is now one of the primary sources where young people receive their news and information\, according to a 2022 report from the Reuters Institute.  Given the evolution of Americans’ news consumption habits\, the ever-changing social media landscape and the rise of generative AI\, it’s never been more important to ensure the next generation can distinguish facts from fiction and interact with their social feeds in an informed\, responsible way. \nHere’s a chance for students to engage in a conversation about news and social media. Join us for “Behind the Scenes with the Washington Post TikTok Team\,” a special National News Literacy Week event exclusively for students and educators. \nWATCH\nParticipating classes will have the opportunity to join a live\, virtual discussion with the Washington Post TikTok team. These journalists will give a behind-the-scenes look at how their popular TikTok posts are created and shared on @washingtonpost\, and will answer student-submitted questions about their work. \nThis event is a special edition of the News Literacy Project’s unique Newsroom to Classroom visits\, which connect journalists with educators and students for in-person or virtual conversations. The visits are exclusively available through the Checkology®️ virtual classroom. \nEducators\, to participate\, make sure your class has completed at least one Checkology lesson. (If you’re not familiar with Checkology\, this free platform contains 19 browser-based\, standards-aligned lessons on topics like understanding bias\, identifying primary purpose and recognizing the role of social media algorithms. Sign up for Checkology here.) \nAfter your class has completed a Checkology lesson\, work with students to form a list of questions for the Post’s TikTok team. Please submit them to us using this form by Friday\, Jan. 19. The journalists will answer as many student questions as they are able. \nThis interactive event is a great opportunity to deepen students’ news literacy skills and engage them in meaningful discussions about the subjects introduced on Checkology\, such as understanding bias\, recognizing the role of social media algorithms\, identifying primary purpose\, assessing sources’ credibility and more.
URL:https://newslit.org/event/behind-the-scenes-with-the-washington-post-tiktok-team/
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DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240122T190000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20240122T190000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231208T210946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161621Z
UID:10000099-1705950000-1705950000@newslit.org
SUMMARY:Extra\, extra: How to solve the local news crisis
DESCRIPTION:7 p.m. ET Monday\, Jan. 22\, 2024. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. \nNational Press Club\, 529 14th St. NW\, Washington\, D.C. \n \nExtra\, extra: How to solve the local news crisis\nA live\, in-person panel discussion featuring: \n\nSarabeth Berman\, CEO of the American Journalism Project\nMargaret Sullivan\, author of Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy\nSteven Waldman\, founder and president of Rebuild Local News\nKimi Yoshino\, editor of The Baltimore Banner\nModerated by Tracie Potts\, executive director of the Eisenhower Institute\n\nProgram begins promptly at 7. Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served. \nJoin us as we kick off National News Literacy Week 2024! Seats are limited\, so register today! \nWatch the replay\nAccording to a 2022 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey\, 67% of Americans say they regularly get local news from established sources such as broadcast TV\, radio\, newspapers or magazines. But since 2005\, more than 2\,500 newspapers in the U.S. – a quarter of them – have shut down. Research shows that when a local paper closes\, communities experience lower voter turnout\, decreased civic engagement\, less accountability and increased polarization. With quality sources of local news in decline\, our democracy is at risk. \nThat’s why our theme for National News Literacy Week 2024 is spotlight on local news. We must find solutions to the local news crisis so communities are well-informed and civically engaged. To explore these issues and kick off National News Literacy Week\, we are hosting a distinguished panel of journalists\, innovators\, media critics and educators. They will discuss pressing issues facing local news coverage\, how additional funding can help\, and other possible solutions. \n\n\n\n\nAbout the panelists\n\n\n\nSarabeth Berman serves as the chief executive officer of the American Journalism Project\, the first venture philanthropy dedicated to local news. AJP makes grants to nonprofit local news organizations across the country\, supporting the successful launch of new enterprises and partnering with existing news organizations to grow and sustain their businesses. Since launching in 2019\, the organization has committed more than $44 million in investments in its growing portfolio of 37 nonprofit local news organizations. \n\n\n\n\n\nMargaret Sullivan is a weekly columnist for The Guardian\, where she writes on media\, politics and culture\, and she will become the executive director for the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security at Columbia Journalism School\, Columbia University\, on Jan. 1\, 2024. Sullivan has published two acclaimed books\, including Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy and Newsroom Confidential: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-stained Life. \n\n\n\n\n\nSteven Waldman is the founder and president of Rebuild Local News\, which advocates for nonpartisan policies to increase reporting on local issues. He is also the co-founder and former president of Report for America\, a national service program that places journalists in newsrooms across America. He previously covered national politics for Newsweek\, U.S. News and World Report and the Washington Monthly. \n\n\n\n\n\nKimi Yoshino is the editor in chief of The Baltimore Banner\, a nonprofit local news outlet in Maryland. She was previously managing editor of the Los Angeles Times\, where she worked for 21 years as a reporter\, editor and strategic leader. She was a reporter at the Fresno Bee and the Stockton Record before joining The Times. \n\n\n\n\n\nTracie Potts is executive director of the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College. She previously served as senior Washington Correspondent for NBC News\, where she covered four presidential administrations\, Congress and the federal government. She also was an anchor and reporter at local news stations in California.
URL:https://newslit.org/event/extra-extra-how-to-solve-the-local-news-crisis/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20231116T190000
DTEND;TZID=Africa/Abidjan:20231116T190000
DTSTAMP:20260408T103020
CREATED:20231103T140004Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T161647Z
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SUMMARY:Productive conversations without confrontation 
DESCRIPTION:Session 2: 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT Thursday\, Nov. 16\nRegister for Nov. 16\nWhen a friend or loved one shares a viral hoax\, fabricated photo or conspiracy theory\, how do you respond? With the holiday season and a presidential election ahead of us\, we can expect to encounter rumors and falsehoods along with heated debate. We each have an opportunity within our networks of influence to build understanding and trust in our democracy. This webinar offers strategies for productive\, civil conversations – especially when discussing misinformation. \nExperts from the News Literacy Project\, the National Institute for Civil Discourse and the League of Women Voters will talk about how and why misinformation manipulates emotions and exploits biases\, provide strategies for civil conversation and resources to help you debunk falsehoods in a productive way and discuss opportunities to help your community find reliable election information. \nWe’re hosting two different sessions of the same webinar – pick the date and time that works best for you. \nMeet the Presenters\nDeMario Phipps-Smith is the senior manager of community learning for NLP\, where he leads news literacy training for adults around the country. \nDr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer is the former executive director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse\, the founder of the nonprofit AmericaSpeaks and a leader in the field of deliberative democracy. \nChelsey Cartwright is the program manager for the League of Women Voters Democracy Truth Project\, where she works to counter mis- and disinformation and to advance a better public understanding of the democratic and electoral process. \nRegister for Nov. 16.
URL:https://newslit.org/event/productive-conversations-without-confrontation/
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