Gina Gray, the journalism teacher at Dalton Middle School, has a passion for seeing her students understand the many career possibilities that are available in digital media and journalism. She works hard to provide engaging, real world projects for her students using digital video, photography and writing. Ms. Gray’s efforts have been recognized as she was the only teacher in Georgia selected to participate in the PBS NewsHour Teacher Workshop to be held in Washington, D.C. in July. In addition, her class will have opportunity to submit videos on current events and topics as part of the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs.
Gray also received a grant for new equipment from Education Sports Entertainment (ESE) Networks, who partners with the Georgia Governor’s office, to provide funding to have instructional videos online for use by parents and teachers. With the ESE grant, Ms. Gray’s class received 2 Sony video-cameras, computer and webcasting software along with storage space on their network. These tools will allow her to provide more opportunities to video instruction at the school as well as provide live streaming of events and activities to parents and the community.
Gray was one of only 32 teachers selected nationwide and Dalton Middle was the only Georgia School selected to participate in the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs program (@reportinglabs). The PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs program connects middle and high school students to local PBS stations and news professionals in their community to produce original, student-generated video reports. The students who participate in the project learn how to think critically, problem-solve, synthesize information and investigate important topics. The annual teacher workshop is held in the nation’s capital. The selected teachers and program leader will work alongside public media mentors to produce original news stories. They will also help program leaders develop curriculum to engage young people in news and public affairs, and ensure that the youth voice is active in all conversations about the critical issues facing the nation, and spark a life-long interest in current events.
“Passionate educators are the glue that hold this program together,” said Leah Clapman, managing editor of education for the PBS NewsHour. “Every year we discover new ways to expand and improve SRL, with the most innovative and effective ideas coming straight from the teachers on the front lines.”
Gray says she’s excited to participate in the teacher workshop because she’s anxious to learn new techniques that she can share with her students. “The teacher workshop promises to be not only informative but an opportunity to network with fellow journalism teachers from across the country,” Gray said. “I’m excited to bring back some new ideas and activities that will help my students take their journalism skills to the next level.”
The Dalton Middle School Parents Teachers Organization (PTO) and the Dalton Education Foundation also provided grant funds to Gray to provide students with iPads and accessories that further the production abilities at the school. “My students were able to create over 70 videos for the student website www.dmscourgarnews.com last year,” Gray said. “The PBS program and the ESE grant will allow me to expand on a class that is already doing a great job of covering school activities and events. My students are doing incredible work, and I’m excited that they will have the opportunity to do even more next year.”
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