In a time when media is constantly evolving, Georgia’s young voices are rising to meet the moment.

Last month, Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) proudly launched the second year of the Student Voices Collective (SVC)—an initiative designed to amplify student journalism and strengthen media literacy across the state. Now entering year two, the Collective deepens its impact—bringing educators and students together for collaborative storytelling focused on digital citizenship, media ethics, and community narratives.

This year’s relaunch brings new collaborators, processes, prompts, and perspectives as the SVC continues to grow.

A Strong Start: The 2025–26 Kickoff Workshop

The 2025–26 program began with an energizing workshop at GPB headquarters in Atlanta on Thursday, June 12. The event welcomed 19 educators from 16 school districts across Georgia.

Supported by representatives from GPB’s Education, News, Content, Communications, Production, and Community Engagement departments, the day focused on equipping educators with tools and strategies to guide student reporting through a civic lens.

Enthusiasm from the first year carried over with new energy. One educator shared, “The Student Voices Collective provides practical techniques and support on how to tell the story—not just produce it. It gives students a place to share their voices authentically.”

Fresh Tools and Approaches for the Year Ahead

The workshop began with a Breakfast Showcase featuring student work from the 2024–25 cohort. From there, educators dove into interactive sessions focused on journalism techniques, new prompts, and updates for the year ahead. Highlights included:

  • Storytelling & News Values: GPB's Director of Digital News Kristi York Wooten guided educators through the five essential elements of newsworthiness—Timeliness, Proximity, Conflict, Human Interest, and Relevance—while sharing tips on structure and style.

  • From Prompt to Press: In a deep-dive session, Kristi Wooten, Mark Davenport, and Ambria Burton introduced the updated Story Submission Checklist, Story Blocks Graphic, and Inverted Pyramid framework. Educators also received hands-on tips for capturing strong photos and audio, with an emphasis on framing, originality, and copyright awareness.

  • New Prompts for 2025–26: Fall themes include “What Does School Spirit Mean?” and “Behind the Scenes With the Team.” Amanda Densmore, GPB's Director of Community Engagement, also introduced America250-themed prompts connected to the U.S. Semiquincentennial to support stories of local impact, historical reflection, and community service.

  • Breakout Sessions: Educators from the 2024–25 cohort reflected on their first year in the program. Their presentations offered practical insights, highlighted lessons learned, and helped build collective knowledge within the growing SVC community.

    • From Spark to Story Submission with Jennifer Barmore, Hammond Creek Middle

    • Building Student Voice and Confidence with Dr. Nicholas Griffin, Troup County Schools

    • Real Voices, Smarter Tools with Bill Phelps, Harrison High School

Amplifying Student Voices Statewide

Each participating educator will guide their students in submitting at least two projects over the school year—ranging from articles and interviews to podcasts and multimedia pieces. Students are asked to pitch story ideas using a concise summary, outline the who/what/when/where/why, and follow a structured approach shaped by GPB resources and mentorship.

This process helps students strengthen their communication skills, sharpen their news judgment, and engage more critically with the media and messages around them.

Looking Ahead: A Growing Community of Storytellers

As the Student Voices Collective enters its second year, it continues to build momentum as a statewide storytelling community—one that values student voice, civic engagement, and thoughtful media creation.

“The GPB Student Voices Collective is such an amazing and important group to me,” shared one participant. “What started as a resource to use with my students turned into a life-changing opportunity for every student who bought into the program.”

To learn more and keep up with student work from across Georgia, visit GPB.org/SVC and follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

SY 2025-26 Student Voices Collective

Jennifer Barmore Hammond Creek MS
Robert Bonner Douglas Co. College & Career Institute
Robert Calloway Arabia Mountain HS
Tracy Crum Hutchings Career Center
Joseph Fouts Etowah HS
Brianna Goodwin Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School
Dr. Nicholas Griffin Transition Facilitation
Michael Hale Greene College & Career Academy
Irisha Jones Executive Director of Communications for TCSS
Caleb Jordan Turner County HS
Kacie Luaders Spelman College, Emory University
Barbara Mitchell Rockdale Career Academy
Lindy Pals Jefferson City MS
Bill Phelps Harrison HS
Brooke Skelton Paul Duke STEM HS
Juliana Souki Dunwoody HS
Greg Walkup Otwell MS
Verda Watson Newton Co. College Career Academy
Bruce Williams BEST Academy at the Thomas W. Dortch Jr. Institute

GPB’s Student Voices Collective enters its second year with new momentum, uniting educators and students across Georgia to amplify youth storytelling, media literacy, and civic engagement. Learn how the 2025–26 cohort kicked off their journey at GPB headquarters and what’s ahead for this growing statewide initiative.