TEEN TEAM

Are you a high school student or do you know a high school student interested in journalism? You should learn more about our Teen Team program!

 

This program, managed by the Express-News Diversity & Inclusion Committee, gives young people in and around San Antonio a close-up view of what it's like to work in the industry.

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Teen Team is based off a similar program the Express-News offered in the early 2000s, but this time, the Express-News brought it back with a heavy focus on mentorship. 

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Over the course of the 2022-23 school year, students have the opportunity to shadow reporters, photographers and other staffers with the Express-News. The students are also paired up with an Express-News journalist for one-on-one guidance on reporting skills, writing and career planning. They will meet with their mentor at least once a month.

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During twice monthly group meetings, Express-News journalists host workshops on news writing, journalism ethics, reporting techniques, social media engagement and more. Students also have the chance to produce paid stories for the newspaper.

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Luz Moreno-Lozano, a journalist at the Austin American-Statesman who was part of the 2008 Teen Team, said the program was her “first foot in the door in launching my now seven-year career as a journalist."
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“Today, the skills I have learned have carried through to my daily reporting -- from a community news reporter in Atascosa and Medina counties to covering the social injustices of Austin and its surrounding communities,”  Moreno-Lozano said. “And it all started with the Teen Team.”

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Other former Teen Team graduates include Madalyn Mendoza, a reporter for Axios San Antonio; Francisco Vara-Orta, director of diversity and inclusion at Investigative Reporters & Editors; and Bonnie Kavoussi, former Huffington Post journalist and fellow at Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

 

To be eligible, applicants must be current juniors and seniors. Students don’t need to have any journalism experience, and students with all backgrounds who are interested in areas ranging from writing to photography to social media to graphic design are encouraged to apply. 

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The Express-News recruits participants through high school journalism and English departments. Outreach efforts are heavily focused on schools in underserved communities and those without journalism programs.

 

Have a question? Would you like a presentation at your school? Contact Emilie Eaton at teenteam@express-news.net.