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Challenge | 1-2 Weeks

I’m voting because…


OVERVIEW

first time voter

Turning 18 years old is a major milestone for entering adulthood– including voting for the first time! As the 2024 elections approach, Student Reporting Labs wants to hear directly from young people: what are you thinking as you prepare to go vote for the first time on November 5, 2024.

Note: Students that are not eligible to vote can still participate in this challenge as we explore what young people care about.

YOUR CHALLENGE

Record a short video (under 3 minutes) explaining what is motivating you or a peer as a first-time voter, what issues you care about, how you’re feeling, what you’re hoping to see happen in your country/community, and what older people should know.

Please submit raw, unedited footage only, with no music or graphics. SRL’s editors will create a montage of the submissions. Submission Deadline: Fri. Oct. 11, 2024

OPTIONS:

Record another student: Record a student in your school and/or community using the sentence starters below.

Record yourself: This could be in the form of a video diary, where you record yourself talking straight to the camera using the sentence starters below.

Go HERE to complete the full assignment.

Journalism

Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information.

Source: American Press institute

Issue

​​A subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about

Source: Cambridge Dictionary

Community

A group of people who live in the same area (such as a city, town, or neighborhood). It can also be a group of people who have the same interests, religion, race, etc.

Source: Merriam Webster

Human Interest

People are interested in other people. Everyone has something to celebrate and something to complain about. We like unusual stories of people who accomplish amazing feats or handle a life crisis because we can identify with them.

Story

An account of past or current events. In journalism, stories are presented with a combination of people, facts, and typically includes a beginning, middle and end.

Character

A person or other physical being in a narrative. Stories are made up of different characters who provide information and help shape the narrative with their knowledge, experience and perspective.

Script

A document with transcribed (written-out) soundbites and voiceover narration. A VIDEO script is a two-column document with the audio (soundbites and voice over) in the right-hand column and a description of what the audience sees (visuals) in the left-hand column.

Empathy

The term “empathy” is used to describe a wide range of experiences. A generally definition is the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. In media-making, creators can have empathy for their subjects and the audience can empathize with the characters.

Video profile

The story of one person, has voiceover (VO), b-roll, pictures, nats (natural sound), interviews of family members or peers of that one person.

Opinion

A view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

Curiosity

A desire to learn and know about something or anything.

Topics

Journalism

Representation

Video Production

Elections

Education

Projects

Levels

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Materials

Post It Notes

Camera or Mobile Phone

Mobile Phone

Internet

Notebook

Estimated Time

1-2 Weeks