The News Literacy Project looks back on an extraordinary year

Eleven months after launching our inaugural pilot, we look back upon a year of extraordinary progress. We now have programs under way in New York City, Bethesda, Maryland, and Chicago and plans for expansion in the months ahead.

In the past year, we:

• Reached more than 1,200 students in six middle schools and high schools and worked with 16 history, government and English teachers in three regions.
• Engaged more than 70 volunteer journalists in our classroom and after-school programs, video productions and special events.
• Demonstrated that our innovative model and original curriculum heightens students’ understanding of what to believe in a digital age. From sixth to 12th grade, from English to social studies, we’ve proven NLP’s ability to give students critical-thinking skills that help them consume and create credible information.
• Produced three videos that capture our first month in the classroom (“Check It Out”), exemplary student projects (“Students as Teachers”) and the work of students in our after-school apprenticeship program (“East Harlem IS.”) Each is available on our website and YouTube channel.

The coming year promises to be one of significant growth. We are poised to add teachers and schools in New York, Maryland and Chicago, expand to Los Angeles and use video and digital media to reach students coast to coast.

We want to thank NLP’s numerous participants, supporters and friends for your valuable contributions to making the past year so successful. Whether you have personally been involved with our program, or your organization is a participant, or you have generously provided funding or donated in-kind services, you have our deep appreciation.

We look forward to continuing to work with you in the year ahead.

Best wishes for the New Year!

Vivian Schiller, chair

Alan C. Miller, executive director