If you have teenage children or spend any significant time talking with them, you know it’s practically indiscernible whether the messages or lessons you’re delivering are getting through.

You remain in the dark until you’re lucky enough to hear them telling someone else what they’ve learned or their comments are captured on video.

About two years ago, The Bulletin became host to a student intern program called Future Journalists of America (funded by donations and grants). The students gather in our conference room — which they say makes them feel important — to learn about news literacy, fact-based journalism and business sustainability. 

These internships are competitive. The students have to apply and go through a brief interview. The three most common reasons they want to participate: a love of writing, considering a career in journalism or something that’s journalism adjacent, or they want to know more about working in the news business.

The interns have a regional publication, The Obsidian, which is written for youth by youth. They write about pop culture, school news, communities and more. It’s an interesting insight into their generation and into a demographic most news publications struggle to attract.  

They’re silly and serious. Smart and thoughtful. And, let me tell you, they barely miss a thing. Especially not when it comes to their instructor — me. 

But what have they learned, other than the obvious journalism skills, from the internship and all the lessons? 

Recently, videographer intern Milan Anderson recorded a clip in which he and Adri Jolie talked about why journalism matters and why their generation needs to learn about it.  

Here are a few of their comments:

“Fact-based journalism is important in a world crowded with content that has no standards for correctness or bias. 

The internship is good for fostering young journalists, and at the same time, bringing new perspectives into the newsroom. Taught me how to work with people, how to make a deadline and how to be a leader.

Journalism is more important than a lot of people realize. Journalism is the backbone in our society of what we know and why we know it.

It has the ability to connect everyone within your community, especially at a time when we need to be communicating with each other. I think it’s super cool we have people who want to spend their careers looking for the truth.”

Their comments give me even greater hope for the future of journalism. 

– Jody Lawrence-Turner, projects editor