AMERICAN PRESS INSTITUTE—Taylor McGraw, Executive Director and co-founder of The Bell and a leader of the NYC Youth Journalism Coalition, has published a new article in the American Press Institute outlining a scalable model to expand journalism access in high schools.
In “A blueprint for expanding journalism access in high schools,” McGraw describes the urgent need to rebuild pathways into journalism for young people, noting that in New York City only a small fraction of public high school students currently have access to journalism education.
The article highlights Journalism for All, a public-private initiative developed through the NYC Youth Journalism Coalition with early support from the Charles H. Revson Foundation. The initiative brings together schools, universities, nonprofits, and newsrooms to launch credit-bearing journalism courses, provide teacher training, and create paid internship opportunities for students.
Since its launch, the program has expanded journalism courses to dozens of New York City public schools, reaching hundreds of students and helping build a more inclusive pipeline into the news industry.
McGraw emphasizes that strengthening early access to journalism is essential not only for developing future reporters, but also for fostering informed, engaged communities and sustaining a healthy democracy.
The article reflects the Coalition’s broader goal: ensuring that all students—regardless of background—have the opportunity to develop their voices and participate in civic life through journalism.
Read the full article here.