By Alexis Aryeequaye, Rosemount High School
Understanding government can be hard for youth, making it feel out of reach.
“It’s easy to feel like nothing’s really happening,” said Naomi Miller, senior at Richfield High School and participant in ThreeSixty Journalism’s recent Capitol Reporting Workshop. She says her workshop experience combatted that apathy, exposing her to a whole world of advocacy and action.
Miller was one of 26 students from 18 metro high schools who participated in ThreeSixty’s third annual Capitol Reporting Workshop in February and March sponsored by the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation.
Amidst federal funding cuts and ICE violence in Minnesota, the workshop demystified the legislative process, gave students inside and community perspectives on state issues, and offered exclusive opportunities to interview elected officials, including Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy.
“People don’t realize how available and accessible [the Capitol] is. It’s free to enter. If you want to learn something about government, go sit in on a senate hearing. …You can go,” Miller said.
Students split into seven youth-led teams to write articles and report social media stories about important issues in their communities.
Over the course of three weeks of programming and months of preparation, students were supported to develop timely topics and rigorous reporting plans–and then launched into real-world, independent practice. From gun violence to SNAP benefits, to barriers to youth employment and gender-affirming care, students reported on some of the most divisive and pressing issues in the state.
Violet Ditlevson, a sophomore at St. Michael-Albertville High School said the workshop gave her access and exposure to the world of political reporting.
“For me, this workshop has been really interesting because we’ve gotten to go into a bunch of different spaces and interview people who you might not have much contact with. I got to interview legislators and kind of be exposed to those conversations and that style of reporting,” she said.
Pechulano Ngwe Ali, ThreeSixty’s associate director of programs, said the Capitol workshop has been life changing for all involved.
“It’s a space where young people come together to learn about journalism and how they can be active participants in issues affecting their communities through journalistic storytelling and leadership,” he said. “This is a powerful way to get young people involved in their communities.”
Madi McVan, a reporter at the Minnesota Reformer and veteran ThreeSixty volunteer, served the program as a reporting coach.
“I love hearing what young people think about things and the way they’re learning to wrap their minds around these complex issues. …Teenagers are smart and they don’t get enough credit for that,” she said.
McVan was one of fourteen professionals with statehouse reporting experience who powered the workshop. Others included: retired MPR journalists Nancy Lebens and Bill Wareham, Deanna Pistono formerly of MinnPost, Ngoc Bui of MPR, Samantha HoangLong and Shubhanjana Das of Sahan Journal, David Pierini of North News, Minnpost’s Matt Blake and Jackie Renzetti, retired Star Tribune and Pioneer Press reporter Dane Smith, MPR’s Matt Alvarez, the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Nate Minor, and Momentum Advocacy lobbyist Kayla Drake.
This year’s student pieces will be published on ThreeSixty’s website and social media in mid-March and shared with professional media outlets for publication consideration.
