Frequently Asked Questions
When’s the training/where’s it held?
The training date is set for June 20th at
Air America Radio
641 Avenue of the Americas (btw 19th and 20th Streets),4th Floor
What happens during the training? Interested new members will learn about the history & purpose of Children’s PressLine, the roles of CPL Reporter/Editors, receive training in the skills of CPL Reporter/Editors, learn how to right good interview questions & perform a peer-to-peer interview or participate in a round table discussion. The entire training is peer-led & involves group work with leadership skills. And pizza!
What are the responsibilities of the Editors and Reporters?
Editors (14-18 years old) are responsible for following the news and being proactive about story ideas. Their job is to lead and mentors their team through the interview process and work in the editorial department to produced professional quality news stories. Editors are expected to be role models. Editors must commit to two days a week from July 1-Aug. 15.
Reporters (10 to 13 years old) are the ones that conduct the actual interviews. Reporters are responsible for writing questions and working as a team to make an interview exciting and interesting. Reporters must be courteous during interviews and must respect their editors. Reporters must commit to one day a week from July 1-Aug. 15.
Are the interviews done locally? For the summer project with The NY Daily News, CPL will be traveling off-site frequently to conduct interviews. The teams will be supervised by a college intern, staff member or team photographer. Parents will be notified if the members will be leaving the building.
If I come to the training, does that mean I have to join? No. Coming to the training does not commit you to joining CPL. The training is a way to figure out if this is the right program for you.
Can CPL count as my community service/internship/SYEP (Summer Youth Employment Program)? Yes. Teens who have CPL as their internship site will have different schedules than other members and that is fine. While teens are responsible for keeping track of their time sheets, CPL will fill out any necessary paperwork. CPL counts as a SYEP-approved work site only through another organization. We cannot provide SYEP on our own. Internship & SYEP coordinators should contact Children’s Pressline directly.
Can parents/guardians stay and watch the training? The CPL methodology is successful because we give the members a lot of supervised independence & leadership within the program. Parents/guardians are welcome to come in with their child & see the offices. CEO Marsha Ralls will hold a parents’ session from 12:30-1:30 on the training day. Our office is small, so you might find it more comfortable to leave once your questions are answered.
What if I can’t make this training? If you want to be a part of CPL this summer, you must attend this training. No exceptions.
What days does CPL meet? CPL will meet Monday-Thursday, July 1-August 15. Reporters need to pick one day Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to make their CPL day. Editors will come in twice a week: One day to work with their reporters and another day in the office working on story set-up, editing or workshops. Tentatively, the teams will be meeting Tuesday (Brooklyn), Wednesday (Queens) and Thursday (Bronx). The arrive/drop-off time for the news team will usually be at noon; Departure/pick-up time around 6 p.m. It will vary each week based on the assignment. Based on parents’ schedules, we are flexible and allow kids to be dropped off earlier if needed. Please discuss all scheduling with Allison .
Do I need to bring anything with me to the training? There are 3 forms that we’ll need to complete your child’s participation in the training: a CPL application, a member consent form and a medical authorization form. The forms can also be downloaded from here (“Forms you need to join CPL”), or you can call the phone number above to receive the forms by fax. Please bring the completed forms with you to the training. Blank forms will also be available on-site.
Is there a cost to join? CPL does not charge members to participate. Although donations are not necessary, they are always welcomed. Because of the intensity of the program, it costs CPL several thousand dollars a year to work with each young journalist. Tax-deductible donations can be made through our website, www.cplmedia.org, or by check (Made out to “Children’s PressLine” Federal ID: 01-0595925). Again, all donations are fully tax-deductible.
