SchoolNet News Network
http://www.snn-rdr.ca

Way back in 1996, a number of my grade six students were involved with this award-winning student journalism program.
It was a great experience for both students and teacher!

Now in its eighth year,  SchoolNet News Network (SNN) and its French counterpart, Rédaction de Rescol (RDR) have worked with students and teachers throughout Canada to promote student expression and to provide a vehicle for students' to publish their writing and multimedia work. SNN provides Canadian youth with an opportunity to be heard and a place to publish their work in an emerging
media form.  Students publish articles dealing with human rights, teen issues, stereotyping, their environment, their school, their community, their dreams.  

The SNN Website provides writing/reporting tools, story ideas, lesson plans and discussion forums for teachers and students. Students can use many media forms to express their ideas:  print, photography, audio and video. SNN also connects young people with professional journalists who assist them with developing their writing, interviewing and investigative skills.

The SNN Student Magazine is published online the 25th of every month during the school year.  Each month students from across Canada submit articles covering different news genres: current events, editorials/opinions, sports, profiles and entertainment.  This year SNN has partnered with a school, Gander Collegiate, Gander, NL to produce a student half-hour newscast which is broadcast on the web the last Friday of every month.  The broadcast is called "Spotlight on Schools" and is produced by the students themselves featuring stories from schools across Canada.

To celebrate student expression, each year SNN hosts a Student Journalism Award where students submit three samples of their writing/multimedia work.  Submissions are reviewed by professional journalists and journalism teachers.  Students can win up to $500.

What a great way to motivate budding future journalists!

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