SE Seattle FreedomNet

, including business cards, press credentials, a reporter’s notebook, a code of ethics, and list of sources to be contacted on an agreed upon schedule for producing headlines, interviews, stories, and other reports. Participants will have access to digital cameras (still and video), iPads, and desktop computers, as well as appropriate social media access and training. MEETING AND INTERACTING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Participants will meet with a broad spectrum of community leaders and organizations to learn about the opportunities for civic engagement. They will receive briefings from leadership prior to community meetings and encouraged to voice their questions, thoughts, and opinions on the same stage as adult meeting participants. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHANCING VERBAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS
They will have a special opportunity for enhancing their verbal and written presentation skills by participating in Empire Nights. EXPERIENCE TEAMWORK THROUGH ASSIGNED "BEATS"
The youth will work in multiple teams to cover different beats spanning the neighborhood, loosely structured around the Action Team Areas historically monitored by the Rainier Beach Community Empowerment Coalition. GAIN RECOGNITION FOR ADVANCING IN SKILLS AND EXPERTISE
They will advance through levels of skill and expertise, from “cub” reporters to writers, editors, and producers in preparing headlines for the Rainier Beach News Wire, articles on the SE Seattle FreedomNet blog, and guest articles on comments on other popular blogs and sites serving the community. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING THROUGH CULTIVATING NEWS SOURCES
They will also develop skill in relationship building by cultivating news sources, some of which they will recruit themselves.