Capitol reporting workshop elevates student leadership and tackles political drama

ThreeSixty reporters Margarita Rosales Alarcon (right) and Angeline Patrick Pacheco interview Minneapolis Public Schools lobbyist Josh Downham for a story about the district’s legislative priorities. Photo credit: David Pierini for ThreeSixty Journalism

Against a backdrop of political division and a snowstorm, 21 high school students from across the Twin Cities came together to cover news related to Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session in February.

Together, they worked in teams of three to produce one story across three mediums: print, audio and vertical video for social media.

Student journalists did more than participate in the program’s second annual Capitol Reporting Workshop—they helped lead it.

Six of the program’s youth leadership board members along with Angeline Patrick-Pacheco of Johnson Senior High School began working in December to select reporting topics and learn about state business so they could effectively guide their teams through the reporting process. Madison McVan and Michelle Griffith, both experienced Capitol reporters from the Minnesota Reformer, mentored them.

Students selected a wide range of topics, including the political divide and the rocky beginning of the session, the future of Medicaid, and funding for transportation, special education, mental health, and rural eldercare.

Student reporters tour the Minnesota Capitol. Photo credit: David Pierini for ThreeSixty Journalism

The four-day workshop included a day at the Minnesota Capitol. Students had access to the Pioneer Press reporting corps office, interviewed sources, captured audio and video b-roll, took a tour, and engaged in conversation with veteran statehouse reporters, Deena Winter from the Minnesota Star Tribune and J. Patrick Coolican from the Minnesota Reformer.

The workshop was supported by ThreeSixty staff and contract program manager, Marianne Combs, veteran radio reporter and award-winning youth mentor. Her support was essential to student success.

“Her coaching with the script reading was incredibly helpful, I’ve always struggled with enunciation, but I felt a lot better with how the audio went thanks to her,” said Aketzally Murillo, a Minneapolis FAIR High School senior and ThreeSixty youth board member.

Despite less-than-ideal—yet entirely realistic—political and weather conditions, students learned about the importance of journalism in democracy and had a valuable experience.

“Throughout the programs I’ve participated in with ThreeSixty, I’ve met a wide variety of people; some who I never thought I’d have the chance to meet, some that I’ve made lasting friendships with and even people who became mentors to me—all of which have helped me grow immensely as a person and continue to do so,” said Murillo.

Audio stories have aired on KRSM and WFNU community radio. Listen to them on ThreeSixty’s podcast, The Youth Pulse. Print stories will be published via our partners in community media in the coming weeks.

Volunteer journalists from local newsrooms worked closely with students throughout the workshop. Thank you, Anne Guttridge of MPR News; Madison McVan of the Minnestota Reformer; Sara Porter and Ashley Miller of the Minnesota Star Tribune; Katelyn Vue, Alfonzo Galvan, Samantha HoangLong, and Alberto Villafan of Sahan Journal; and Bill Wareham for their support.

ThreeSixty’s 2025 Capitol Reporting Workshop was sponsored by the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation.