The 2022 edition of the CSPA High School Journalism Workshop marks a return to in-person learning
A class of 20 students returned to the campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo after two summers away for the start of the CSPA summer journalism workshop on July 16.
Coming from as far away as Humboldt County, students settled into a campus dorm, started attending class in the Cal Poly graphic arts building and enjoyed dinner at Vista Grande dining complex before an evening of ice breakers and social time.
Instructor Gwen Wu (formerly of the San Francisco Chronicle) kicked off the workshop classes with lede writing. The first assignment paid tribute to CSPA’s long history of fictional earthquakes rattling the Central Coast.
The second day’s schedule includes newswriting, interviewing, profile writing and social media for newsgathering and classes from Wu, Meghan Bobrowsky (The Wall Street Journal) and Ellie Smith (Gannett/USA Today).
Update: The application is now closed.To receive a notification when the 2023 application goes live, click here.
After two years of moving to a remote experience due to the pandemic, the California Scholastic Press Association high school journalism workshop is returning in person to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in summer 2022 to welcome its 71st class.
Students will be selected on a rolling basis, starting on Monday, April 18. The application deadline has been extended and will close Friday, July 8 at 11:59 p.m. or when the class has been finalized, whichever comes first.
The cost of the workshop is $1,250. Need-based financial support is available for accepted students. However, it is recommended to apply early if you are interested.
Note: The deadline for applications has been extended to May 22. More details below!
After two years of moving to a remote experience due to the pandemic, the California Scholastic Press Association high school journalism workshop is returning in person to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in summer 2022 to welcome its 71st class.
Applications for the residential workshop, planned for July 16-24, will open on Friday, April 1.
Students will experience a taste of college life by living and working together for the duration of the workshop on the Cal Poly campus.
While students with experience in journalism are encouraged to apply, the workshop is also a fantastic introduction to the professional media industry for a beginner or a student interested in improving their writing skills.
Students also will learn digital skills to go along with the journalistic principles that are vital in any medium.
The workshop will be held with the health and safety of students, counselors and faculty as our top priority. All will be required to be vaccinated (with booster) and proof will be required in advance. We will also meet or exceed all campus, county, state and federal guidelines for the duration of the workshop.
Students will be selected on a rolling basis, starting on Monday, April 18. The application will close Sunday, May 22 at 11:59 p.m. or when the class has been finalized, whichever comes first.
The cost of the workshop is $1,250. Need-based financial support is available for accepted students. However, it is recommended to apply early if you are interested.
Chris Carlson, an award-winning photojournalist for the Associated Press, has been inducted into the California Scholastic Press Association’s Hall of Fame, president and chairman Todd Harmonson announced Tuesday.
“Chris has been the heart of the CSPA Workshop since he joined our staff in 1994, and he always is one of our students’ favorite instructors because of his rare combination of expertise, passion and world-class talent,” Harmonson said. “We can’t imagine conducting a workshop without him and hope we don’t have to consider that for a long time.”
Carlson has led the photojournalism curriculum at the workshop since 1994 and has been a valued member of the Board of Directors who annually dedicates his time and resources to teach multiple classes during the first week of the workshop.
In his role with the AP as a photographer and editor, and in his previous role with the Orange County Register, Carlson regularly has covered international news and sports events and has won awards for his coverage of the Obama campaign and of numerous wildfires and mass shootings.
Congratulations to @AP photographer Chris Carlson on his induction into the @cspaworkshop Hall of Fame. He’s my former colleague at the @ocregister and a huge part of the CSPA. He even joined us from Tokyo, where he is about to cover the Olympics, to teach his class today. pic.twitter.com/FtFgkvVJme
The 70th-annual California Scholastic Press Association journalism workshop kicked off Monday morning with students meeting each other and their instructors and completing their initial assignment.
Gwen Wu of the Houston Chronicle (right) and Kellen Browning of The New York Times coach students on the basics of lede writing.
The workshop, traditionally held on the campus of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, is an online-only event for a second consecutive year because of COVID-19 safety protocols, but the move online has allowed CSPA to expand its reach, and this year’s class includes students from four countries.
Over these five days, our students will learn the fundamentals of journalism and also have the opportunity to interact with professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, including print journalism, broadcast, online media, photojournalism and public relations.
Karen Raffensperger (right), who recently retired from CBS News, discusses journalism ethics with CSPA students.
The event will conclude on Friday, with a presentation from award-winning former Orange County Register reporter Larry Welborn, plus a discussion with Brittny Mejia of the Los Angeles Times and Soumya Karlamangla of The New York Times.
Update: Thanks for your interest in the workshop. Our 2021 application is now closed. Look for the 2022 application to go live in January.
For 70 years, the California Scholastic Press Association high school journalism workshop has provided students the opportunity to learn about the industry from talented professionals in the business.
Applications for this year’s workshop are now open. Again planned as a virtual workshop, it will be held July 12-16, 2021 and will cost $50. (Financial support is available for qualified students.)
Students may join from anywhere in the world, and will learn from a roster of journalists eager to share their real-world experience, spark students’ curiosity and develop critical thinking skills.
Instruction includes live lectures, small group mentoring sessions with a faculty member and optional networking and social time with counselors who are recent graduates of the program.
The workshop is open to rising high school students (grades 10-12) and graduating seniors, or the equivalent for international students. Students must be 15 years old on or before the start of the workshop.
Students must be available to attend live classes in person from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. PDT (including breaks), with one additional required hours TBD on Tuesday-Thursday.
Students also must be proficient in the English language. All classes, assignments and feedback will be conducted in English.
Reliable internet and access to a device for completing basic reporting and writing assignments on deadline is also required.
Enrollment in this year’s workshop is limited, so don’t wait — apply today!
Want to sponsor a CSPA student? Donations are being accepted to cover the cost of students with financial need for this year’s virtual workshop. All donors will be thanked with a presence on the website.
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