Editor’s Note – this content originally appeared on JRNOLA’s website and has been reposted with permission.
New Orleans, LA – (Feb. 12, 2019) – Out of over 9000 nationwide nominees, JRNOLA, (the New Orleans Junior Journalism Program), has been selected as one of 15 finalists for The Atlantic’s Renewal Awards, and singled out as only one of 3 finalists for the Allstate Youth Empowerment Award.
The Renewal Award winners are decided partly by online voting, the organizations with the most votes win. JRNOLA is calling on the local community and journalism supporters everywhere to cast a vote for JRNOLA by going to http://wshe.es/uShmflwY
JRNOLA, which was nominated for the award by noted New Orleanian James Carville, creates a rare opportunity to embed local high school youth into the media and communications field. JRNOLA’s headquarters in downtown New Orleans allow interested high school students the chance to get real-life experience with the media industry. Students are led by a team of educators, media professionals, consumers of media, and defenders of youth voices.
JRNOLA’s junior journalists have had the opportunity to cover WWE events, morning show appearances, movie reviews and previews, gaming events and cultural events around New Orleans, and interview sports legends at the weekly Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Quarterback Club luncheons. Major sporting event coverage has also included opportunities for our writers and photographers to cover the entire New Orleans Saints regular and postseason, New Orleans Pelicans, WWE WrestleMania, 2018 NBA All Star Game, ESPN Countdown to Kickoff, Major League Gaming, Allstate Sugar Bowl, R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Red Bull Skateboarding and numerous other events and tournaments.
“We’re beyond thrilled to be a finalist for this amazing award,” said JRNOLA founder Sam Joffray. “To have the support of our fellow journalists as well as the folks of New Orleans and beyond means a great deal to our high school participants. With luck, we’ll be able to expand the program to accommodate even more students looking to start a career in the media soon.”
Voting ends March 1 at 9 p.m. ET. Participation is limited to one vote per person. To VOTE and SHARE, please visit: http://wshe.es/uShmflwY
About the Renewal Awards:
The Renewal Awards was created to celebrate the organizations and help them make an even bigger impact. Five winners of the competition will be selected and announced at a national symposium and ceremony in Spring 2019. Each of the five winners will receive $20,000 in funding from Allstate; one of the winners will also be presented with the Allstate Youth Empowerment Award.
About JRNOLA:
JRNOLA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization consisting of passionate educators, media professionals, voracious consumers of media, and defenders of youth voices, creating rare opportunities to embed local high school youth into the media and communications field. We feel that our students are the vanguard, leading the way forward into the changing and challenging media landscape. We are working tirelessly to prepare them for that landscape. More at jrnola.org.
