Pittsburgh Black Media Federation P.O. Box 292, Pittsburgh, PA 15230 www.pbmf.org info@pbmf.org 412-339-0730 The Pittsburgh Black Media Federation is seeking your participation in a highly competitive training program for high school students and new graduates in 2017. The 34 th annual Frank Bolden Urban Multimedia Workshop will take place on four consecutive Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 15 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 22, July 29 and Aug. 5, 2017, at Point Park University, Downtown. In addition, students in the workshop s broadcasting section will participate in a newscast taping at KDKA, Downtown, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 3. Members of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation and other media professionals who work for The New Pittsburgh Courier, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Tribune-Review, American Urban Radio Networks, WTAE, WPXI, WQED, KDKA, KQV and a variety of other media outlets annually devote their time to the workshop as instructors. This program, which is free for students, is designed to encourage African-American high school students to pursue careers in journalism, but students of any ethnicity and geographic region are welcome to apply. Housing is not provided. During the workshop, students will meet with instructors for a rigorous curriculum that includes writing to meet deadlines; producing and editing an online newspaper; producing and delivering broadcast news and a podcast; and completing photography, videography, blogging and social media projects. The 2017 workshop projects will include neighborhood narratives as told through the eyes of students. Workshop applicants must be students who will be high school juniors or seniors in the 2017-18 school year, or seniors graduating in 2017, and be interested in careers in journalism. The application packet is composed of a student application and essay form, a parent/guardian permission form and two recommendation forms. The deadline to submit applications and supporting documents is May 21, 2017. Applications may be mailed to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Attn: Frank Bolden Urban Multimedia Workshop, P.O. Box 292, Pittsburgh, PA 15230. Documents may be emailed to Codirector Olga George at ogeorge@kdka.com; the parent/guardian permission form and teacher/administrator recommendation forms require signatures, so they may be emailed as scanned documents. The application form also may be completed online at www.pbmf.org. For more information, email George or call her at 412-575-2445.
APPLICATION FOR THE 34 th ANNUAL FRANK BOLDEN URBAN MULTIMEDIA WORKSHOP Sponsored by the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation Please submit a completed application form and supporting documents by May 21, 2017, to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Attn: Frank Bolden Urban Multimedia Workshop, P.O. Box 292, Pittsburgh, PA 15230, or by e-mail to Co-director Olga George at ogeorge@kdka.com. The application form also can be completed online at www.pbmf.org. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For more information, email George or call her at 412-575-2445. WHO IS ELIGIBLE? The workshop focuses on attracting African-American students from Pittsburgh-area high schools, but students of any ethnicity and geographic region are welcome to apply. Housing will not be provided. Applicants must be high school juniors or seniors in the 2017-18 school year, or 2017 graduates. THE DATES AND PLACE? The workshop will take place on four consecutive Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 15 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 22, July 29 and Aug. 5, 2017, at Point Park University. In addition, students in the workshop s broadcasting section will participate in a newscast taping at KDKA, Downtown, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 3. THE FOCUS? The workshop helps students explore media careers through practical exercises in online news; media blogging and social media management; TV broadcasting; podcasting; and visual arts (photography, videography and web production). Students will gain hands-on experience in news gathering, interviewing and writing; copy editing; public speaking; using mobile technology for storytelling; and other crucial media skills. The 2017 workshop projects will include neighborhood narratives as told through the eyes of students. THE STAFF? Members of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation and other professionals from a wide range of media outlets will serve as workshop instructors. REQUIREMENTS? Workshop students should have a command of the English language and an interest, or avid curiosity, in exploring journalism as a career. Students are expected to attend all workshop sessions and can be dismissed for unexcused absences. Name: Street address: Age: Sex: City: State: Zip code: Telephone: Email:
High school: Classification (must be a junior or senior in 2017-18, or a 2017 graduate): T-shirt size (small, medium, large, X-large, XX-large or XXX-large): Name of parent/guardian: Home address (if different from student s address): Home telephone: Cell telephone: Work telephone: Email: Name of the person who gave you this form: What journalism-related courses have you taken? List your journalistic activities, such as working on a school newspaper or in a yearbook club. Include some samples of your work; if you don t have published work, include writing samples from class work. Please list your school and extracurricular activities (include jobs): What are your career plans? What newspapers/magazines do you read?
What books have you read recently? Who are your favorite authors? Every workshop student will be assigned to one of five journalism sections: online, photography, print (newspaper), radio and television. Please indicate your interest with a ranking of one through five, with one being the most preferred. Please note that preferences cannot be guaranteed. online (blogging and social media) visual arts (photography, videography and web production) online newspaper podcasting broadcasting Please list the two people to whom you have given recommendation forms (teachers and/or school administrators). The forms are attached. Please ask the people who make your recommendations to send them directly to PBMF. Name and title: Name and title:
Please write a one-page essay (you may print a typed version if you wish) on ONE of the following topics: Option 1) HOW CAN DIVERSE NEWS STAFFS BENEFIT JOURNALISM COVERAGE? Option 2) WHY WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THE WORKSHOP?
PARENT/GUARDIAN PERMISSION FORM I, (parent/guardian), permit (student) to participate in the 34 th annual Frank Bolden Urban Multimedia Workshop, which will take place on four consecutive Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 15 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 22, July 29 and Aug. 5, 2017. In addition, students in the workshop s broadcasting section will participate in a newscast taping at KDKA, Downtown, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 3. I understand that the student will be chaperoned at all times. Lunch will be provided. There is no cost to the student or family if the student participates in the workshop. I hereby release the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Point Park University and all underwriters of the workshop, their officers and members from any liability that results from injury to (student). Failure to return this form signed by a parent or guardian disqualifies the student from participation in the workshop. Signature of parent/guardian: Date:
TEACHER/ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION FORM #1 FOR THE 34 th ANNUAL FRANK BOLDEN URBAN MULTIMEDIA WORKSHOP TO THE STUDENT: Please give a copy of this form to two faculty members or other adults who can rate your work. TO THE FACULTY MEMBER: Please mail this completed form directly to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Attn: Frank Bolden Urban Multimedia Workshop, P.O. Box 292, Pittsburgh, PA 15230, or email a scanned copy to workshop Co-director Olga George at ogeorge@kdka.com by May 21, 2017. Name of student: School: How did you become acquainted with the student? Based on your knowledge of the student, what is your recommendation? Recommended highly Recommended Recommended with reservations Do not recommend What can you tell us about the level of motivation and interest of this student? (in general, but also specifically toward journalism, if you have that information)
What can you tell us about the student s writing ability and/or the student s command of the English language? Additional comments, if any: In case the selection committee needs to contact you, please provide your contact information and the best times to reach you: Work telephone: Cell or home telephone: Email: Best times to reach you: Your name: Title: Signature: Date:
TEACHER/ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION FORM #2 FOR THE 34 th ANNUAL FRANK BOLDEN URBAN MULTIMEDIA WORKSHOP TO THE STUDENT: Please give a copy of this form to two faculty members or other adults who can rate your work. TO THE FACULTY MEMBER: Please mail this completed form directly to the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, Attn: Frank Bolden Urban Multimedia Workshop, P.O. Box 292, Pittsburgh, PA 15230, or email a scanned copy to workshop Co-director Olga George at ogeorge@kdka.com by May 21, 2017. Name of student: School: How did you become acquainted with the student? Based on your knowledge of the student, what is your recommendation? Recommended highly Recommended Recommended with reservations Do not recommend What can you tell us about the level of motivation and interest of this student? (in general, but also specifically toward journalism, if you have that information)
What can you tell us about the student s writing ability and/or the student s command of the English language? Additional comments, if any: In case the selection committee needs to contact you, please provide your contact information and the best times to reach you: Work telephone: Cell or home telephone: Email: Best times to reach you: Your name: Title: Signature: Date: