Six Iowa Students Attend Media Now Through Iowa Newspaper Foundation Scholarships
The future of local journalism starts by giving young storytellers opportunities to learn, grow and discover what’s possible.
This summer, the INF sponsored six Iowa high school students to attend Media Now, one of the nation’s premier journalism camps, held at Drake University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Des Moines. For four days, students immersed themselves in hands-on learning alongside aspiring journalists from across the country while building skills, friendships and confidence that will serve them long after camp ends.
Scholarship recipients include Lillian Erickson, Lillyana Villa, Suriah Muhammad, and Kassie Wilson all of Des Moines East High School; Ella Basinger of Norwalk High School and James Kleine of Abraham Lincoln High School.
Now in its 17th summer, Media Now combines nationally recognized journalism instruction with the energy of a traditional summer camp. Students choose specialized tracks in writing, photography, design, videography, sports broadcasting, social media and more, learning directly from award-winning professional journalists and educators.
Throughout the week, campers ventured beyond the classroom for real-world reporting experiences. Students interviewed athletes, photographed events around Des Moines, toured professional media organizations and produced stories under deadline—gaining practical experience while exploring careers in journalism.
But Media Now is about much more than developing technical skills.
As one organizer reflected after camp, students spent the week connecting without their phones, singing together, competing in friendly games, creating lasting friendships and discovering they belong to a community of passionate storytellers. Between tie-dye, talent shows, paint wars and late-night conversations in the residence halls, campers found something just as valuable as new journalism skills: a network of peers who share their passion for telling meaningful stories.
That sense of community has become one of Media Now’s defining characteristics.
As one camper put it, “Our love for journalism bonds us together.”
The Iowa Newspaper Foundation is proud to invest in opportunities like Media Now that inspire and prepare the next generation of journalists. Experiences like these help students sharpen their storytelling abilities, explore career pathways and return to their school newsrooms with new ideas, confidence and enthusiasm.
For Iowa newspapers, that investment represents something even bigger: strengthening the pipeline of future reporters, photographers, editors and multimedia storytellers who will one day serve communities across our state.
Congratulations to this year’s six Iowa students for representing our state so well, and thank you to the instructors, volunteers and organizers who continue making Media Now an unforgettable experience for young journalists every summer.
Sidebar:
Programs like Media Now are possible because of generous support for the Iowa Newspaper Foundation. Your investment helps provide scholarships, leadership development, internships, training and hands-on learning opportunities that strengthen the future of local journalism in Iowa.
If you believe the next generation of storytellers deserves opportunities like these, please consider making a gift to the Iowa Newspaper Foundation. Every donation helps us continue investing in students, newspapers and the future of community journalism.