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Information for Youth Journalists

Network Guidelines How To Send Information

The beauty of Teen Voices of Democracy is that it is inclusive.

Young people from middle school through high school are invited ... encouraged ... to participate as reporters and writers of factual articles and opinions ranging in length from one sentence to complete essays and articles. Photos and links to YouTube videos also are welcome.

We intend for this to be YOUR network, which will include ONLY articles and comments you think are important. The content of what you have to say won't be changed by Teen Voices of Democracy because we put a high value on making the Network a YOUTH NETWORK.

You don't need to get prior approval from anybody to send us your articles and comments. Be sure to check the "Network Guidelines" and "How To Send Information" buttons above for details.

And spread the word to your friends so they can write us, too.

* * *

Warren Buffet, famed investor and philanthropist, said: "The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. [For] to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves - and the better the teacher, the better the student body."

The youth citizen-journalists will write about the issues confronting our nation as well as broader topics such as democracy and the importance of voting.

As the 2012 Presidential Election approaches, youth journalists will write about candidates for public office, specifically the Presidential, Senatorial and Congressional candidates who will be on their states' ballots.

Students' work, to be published by Teen Voices of Democracy, will serve to energize the nation's youth and urge them to participate in the National Student/Parent Mock Election.

Today's Technology

The use of today's technology ... the cell phone and E-mail ... are the primary ways young journalists will communicate with Teen Voices of Democracy.

These are the media that have become important tools professional journalists use to send text, photos and video to their newspapers and broadcast stations.

Those who have iPhone and iPod Touch devices can retrieve a free app from Apple's App Store. The Teen Voices app is named "Teen Voices." Those who have other smartphones powered by Google's Android operating sytem can retrieve an app at http://www.teenvoicesmobile.org.

What to Submit

Anything from one sentence to an essay, from a quote you have heard to a complete report on an interview is fair game with Teen Voices of Democracy.

You can write a summary sentence of something you have written on your personal blog or website, upload a picture of a candidate visiting in your community or an interview you did with a public official.

Professional editors will monitor all submissions to assure they follow recognized journalistic standards and ethical codes before appearing on this website.

If you, as a citizen-journalist, have an idea for an article related to democracy, social issues or the importance of voting, you can use Google, Yahoo, Twitter or another service to gather quotes and facts. You are encouraged to use the Reporter Tools link on this website.

In this way, your effort is multiplied and the final impact of what you publish on Teen Voices of Democracy is even greater.

How Teen Voices Will Publish Your Work

Information sent to Teen Voices of Democracy will be "published" first within each state's collection of articles.

Our editors will read every article, every video, every opinion. Editors and professional mentors will help youth citizen-journalists to develop, expand and fine-tune their contributions to improve communications and reporting skills.

As common threads or themes are identified, they will be merged into articles for the national news presentation.

Where to Send What You Write

Web links to articles, graphics and photos can be sent to Teen Voices on a special form.

If you don't have a blog or a Web site to send  your article to, click here for instructions.


Content published on the Teen Voices of Democracy and Youth Issues Forum Web sites is based on work supported by a grant from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Any opinion, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed on this Web site are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EAC or the Institute of Democratic Education. Youth correspondents are encouraged to freely express their opinions and must abide by the guidelines posted on this Web site. Professional editors will monitor all submissions to assure they follow recognized journalistic standards and ethical codes before content appears on this Web site.