MB ‘Summer Camp’ gives kids a taste of digital journalism
It is undeniable that the digital world is a fastemerging market nowadays. Since the Internet’s introduction, we have seen how people have gradually moved to the online space. The news industry is a perfect example of an industry that has acknowledged the potential of this new media to inform, educate, and even entertain readers and viewers.
And so, aside from the usual production of news for print,
Manila Bulletin decided to include in this year’s “Junior Journalists’ Summer Camp” discussions related to the use of the Internet.
“[T]hat is the trend. It’s not leaving out of the print. It’s just embracing digital,” said Badette Cunanan, Manila Bulletin’s
corporate communications manager and project head of the “Summer Camp.”
One day was dedicated to digital and social media lessons, and even video production and broadcasting were touched on.
John Alvin Veri, video content producer, taught the youngsters how to improve their videos from shooting to editing for broadcast. “[I] knew topics on digital were really fresh for the students. There was one who was into vlogging. So, I noticed that everything I discussed really mattered to her,” he said.
The learners expressed satisfaction with their 10-day camp that started on May 21. Yancy
Raine Capanas, an incoming Grade 7 student, particularly liked their activity on pop-up books, which tested their creativity. “That was really fun, to the point that we almost ran out of time doing it,” she beamed.
The budding journalist added how the “Summer Camp” has become a breath of fresh air from traditional schooling. “This is more enjoyable unlike in regular school, where we are taught subjects that we find heavy,” she said.
Meanwhile, an aspiring broadcast journalist, Benedict Bravo, also appreciated the exercise. He has been joining the “Junior Journalists’ Summer Camp” since it first opened in 2014. “It’s very new to me. For the past four years, we were only doing layout for newspaper.”
But more than gaining new knowledge, honing skills, and making new friends, the Summer Camp has helped learners build their confidence. “I couldn’t imagine that my two daughters, who were naturally shy, would even raise their hands. Although they answered wrong, it was okay. I mean they had the confidence to do that,” said Jergen Relucio, who enrolled all of her four kids to the “Junior Journalists’ Summer Camp.”
Benedict added, “This summer camp really boosted my confidence, showing the real me.”
In response to this positive feedback, Cunanan said: “I made sure we would address their confidence issues within such a short period of time.”
More than just gaining new knowledge, honing skills, and making new friends, the ‘Summer Camp’ helped learners build their confidence.