Black Belt News Network expands youth journalism program to summer academy

The Black Belt News Network expanded its youth journalism efforts this summer, bringing lessons in reporting, photography and newspaper production to elementary school-aged children participating in the inaugural Triple A+ Summer Academy.

BBNN Publisher Cindy Fisher spent two months working weekly with 25 children attending the summer program at the YMCA in Selma, helping them document their experiences and create a newspaper that was distributed to parents and the community at their graduation on Thursday. Read the paper here.

The summer academy was organized by the Coalition of Concerned Families after the YMCA board decided not to offer its annual summer camp this year. Coalition leader Angela Benjamin stepped in to help provide local children with an opportunity to continue learning and participating in activities throughout the summer.

Benjamin invited teachers from the Selma and Dallas County school systems, along with professionals from a variety of career fields, to work with the students and expose them to new skills and career possibilities.

Fisher was invited to teach journalism and guide the children through the process of producing their own newspaper.

She adapted lessons from BBNN's Teen Press Initiative, which launched at Keith High School in Orrville in January 2026. During the spring semester, 22 Keith students learned the basics of journalism and produced editions of their own student newspaper, Bear Nation News, with guidance from BBNN and teacher Kiesela Foster.

"After seeing how excited the Keith High students were to tell the stories of their school, we knew these same skills could be introduced to younger children," Fisher said. "Journalism teaches students so much more than how to write a story. It teaches them to ask questions, listen to others, communicate clearly and recognize that their experiences and their community are worth documenting."

During the Triple A+ Summer Academy, students learned how to take photographs, develop story ideas and conduct interviews. They interviewed the academy's teenage interns from the Selma community and then used the information they gathered to help create stories for the summer newspaper.

The publication highlights many of the experiences students had throughout the program, including lessons on saving money using piggy banks, learning to play the piano and developing public speaking skills.

Students also participated in swimming lessons at the YMCA pool, helping children learn water safety, become more comfortable in the water and, for some, learn how to swim.

Another story documents a hands-on lesson in making homemade ice cream. Students helped develop a recipe and step-by-step instructions so readers can try the activity themselves.

Fisher said the goal of BBNN's youth journalism work is to give young people in the Black Belt practical communication skills while encouraging them to become more engaged with what is happening around them.

The Triple A+ Summer Academy newspaper represents the latest expansion of that effort and shows that students do not have to wait until high school to begin learning how to tell their community's stories. The program could also spark an interest in children to become journalists in their community.

Through its Teen Press Initiative and other youth programs, BBNN hopes to continue introducing students across Alabama's Black Belt to journalism while building a new generation of storytellers who understand the value of local news. 

Fisher has established a curriculum for a journalism class, including a template newspaper, that is available to other teachers and classrooms across the Black Belt. To find out more, email cfisher@blackbeltnewsnetwork.com.

--