Crazy Horse Journalism Workshop set for April 15-19, 2012

Native American high school students planning to attend college and interested in careers in the news media will learn firsthand about higher education opportunities and journalism during a week-long workshop next April at Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota's Black Hills.

Journalists and educators from around the country will teach a condensed course about the fundamentals of journalism at the Crazy Horse Journalism Workshop, April 15-19. Students will attend for free and will be selected through a competitive application process. High school juniors and seniors, regardless of where they live, will be given preference over younger applicants.

Students, under the guidance of experienced mentors, will report and write articles, take photographs and produce multimedia projects that will be published online and printed in a newspaper. They also will learn about preparing for success in college and opportunities in journalism.

The conference was created by the South Dakota Newspaper Association and is funded primarily by the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute. Co-sponsors include Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation and journalism programs at South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota.

The April 2012 workshop will be the 13th annual journalism program held at Crazy Horse Memorial. Nearly 1,700 high school and college students have completed the program, which is designed to inspire Native American students to dream about the future and consider journalism as a career.

The workshop will focus on Native American high school students who want to continue their education and be equipped for success in college and careers that follow. Students will receive classroom instruction, attend presentations and be put to work in a functioning newsroom, set up temporarily at the Crazy Horse facility.

"More American Indians are needed in journalism to improve the accuracy, breadth and depth of media coverage about Native people and issues," said Jack Marsh, president of the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute. "The workshop organizers are committed to guiding and inspiring young people to continue their education and pursue journalism as a fulfilling and important career."

Students interested in attending the workshop, or schools interested in nominating students, should contact the Freedom Forum's Janine Harris at 605/677-5424 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by March 1 for application information.