Graduation Countdown
Through Graduation Countdown, teens are given support for life after high school. They attend monthly dinner workshops, focusing on topics such as applying for college and how to live on a budget, and interact with mentors in the newsroom. Teens are also given individual support for setting and achieving goals for after graduation. They then often pass along that new knowledge to VOX's readers through the newspaper and on this Web site.
Take A Teen To Work is VOX's Job-Shadowing project, matching VOX teens with professionals in their fields of interest during breaks from school (usually Spring break). In 2005, 10 teens went to work with professionals in fields ranging from TV anchor to criminal defense lawyer, newspaper reporter and DJ. Mentors host students at work for day-and generally treat them to lunch to answer questions about their work. Teens get to experience the work place and get insights into potential careers.
I have wanted to work at Creative Loafing since I first started reading the paper about two years ago. It's creative, original, and goes "against the grain." And on a Wednesday in April, I had the opportunity to visit the Creative Loafing office in Atlanta. Alyssa Abkowitz, a new reporter for the weekly newspaper, showed me around. My expectations were very much fulfilled. I expected their office to be a grown-up version of VOX, and that is exactly what I found.
I sat in on a staff meeting (similar to those at VOX, but with more cursing and dirty jokes) and met the reporters and editors. Everyone was fun and friendly, and very much the young, hip liberals one would expect. Really, there were no differences from what I expected, except the positive knowledge that interns do, in fact, get to do a good deal of their own writing.
From this experience, I learned that assertiveness and an early start work wonders. ... I am now even more interested in working with the newspaper because I see that it's a legitimate possibility - not just a far-fetched dream. My advice to other teens: as soon as you get your foot through the most minute crack in the door, keep pushing. That is how teens become interns and interns become full-time reporters.
Mentoring
VOX teens have a chance to work with adult professionals in many career fields. Journalists, graphic designers and others volunteer in our newsroom on a regular basis to provide one-on-one support to teen staff members. Click here to fill out an application form.
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