How to work with PBS News Student Reporting Labs: New for the 2026-27 school year!

PBS News Student Reporting Labs offers FREE journalism training and publication opportunities for young people under 25 and their educators. For many projects, we pay students to do out-of-school reporting projects. Read on to learn how you can get involved this school year.

BACK TO SCHOOL KICKOFF

Back to School Kickoff – August 25 at 7 ET/4PT Join us to get oriented with SRL + StoryMaker, explore how to get started, and meet the SRL team. Register here.

START WITH STORYMAKER 

Sign up for StoryMaker, SRL’s resource platform. Use the activities and prompts on SRL’s resource platform to brainstorm reported story ideas and practice reporting skills like interviewing and filming b-roll in your classroom. When you sign up for StoryMaker, you also get access to the SRL Community Commons, a virtual hub for teachers to connect and swap advice.

Featured resources: StoryMaker Toolbox, Equipment Hub

TAKE THE NEXT STEP WITH STUDENT REPORTING OPPORTUNITIES AT EVERY LEVEL:

SRL SHORTS (Easy)

Create short (1–3 min), vertical videos for SRL social media that explore identity, pop culture, family traditions and more. Fun, personal, reflective content for and by young people. No pitch required, accepting submissions on a rolling basis starting in August. Students: join our Instagram broadcast channel here  for updates.

Topics for this year:

  • Come to my party 🎉
  • Little things, big feels 💛
  • Fired Up 🔥
  • What are you doing/learning outside of school? 👀
  • Feeling Seen on Screen 📺

CONTRIBUTE TO THE ON OUR MINDS PODCAST! (Medium)

On Our Minds is Student Reporting Labs’ award-winning teen life podcast, hosted and produced by student reporters. Stay tuned for more information and deadlines about how to contribute to Season 7! 

PITCH & PUBLISH (Advanced)

For longer reported video stories (approximately 3-5 minutes) to be considered for PBS national and local platforms, students must pitch a story idea, and if accepted, collaborate with SRL staff on a production plan and edits. This includes receiving feedback from SRL staff and making revisions. 

For the 2026-2027 school year, we invite students to pitch stories during the fall and spring semesters on these topics: mental health, young leaders, and sports. Use this rubric as a guide to help you create a strong video package.  Get in touch with Marie Cusick to answer any questions about pitching and production: marie@reportinglabs.org.

Fall 2026 topic: Feeling better: finding mental health solutions. Fall pitch form opens Aug. 1.

Pitch form opens: August 1, 2026, pitch deadline: Friday, October 9, 2026 Rough cut (first draft of video) deadline: Friday, November 13, 2026 Final cut deadline: Friday, December 11, 2026

Spring 2027 topics: Stepping up: young leaders creating change and The impact of sports. Spring pitch form opens Dec 15.

RAPID RESPONSE (varies)

Occasional calls for quick-turn videos on breaking news or cultural moments. No pitch required, just fast, thoughtful storytelling. Announcements throughout the school year via our newsletter and social media.  

MORE STUDENT & TEACHER OPPORTUNITIES

  • 2026-27 Student Advisory Team: Join monthly Zooms (Oct.– Mar.) to shape SRL’s editorial coverage. Application opens in August.
  • Content Creation Team: Apply to be a part of a dedicated crew of students who will create regular short-form vertical videos for SRL’s social media. Application opens in August.
  • SRL Summer Academy 2027: All-expenses-paid weeklong journalism camp. Application opens early spring 2027.
  • SRL on Site:  Bring an SRL PD training to your district (for district leaders)

NEED SUPPORT? WE’RE HERE TO HELP

SRL Help Desk (1:1 Support)

Schedule a one-on-one virtual meeting with an SRL staff member for:

  • An introduction to SRL’s free resources
  • Reporting and production questions
  • Story development and pitching support
  • Equipment and technical guidance
  • Local connections and free in-person opportunities with SRL staff and teacher ambassadors in your area

General Contact                                                                                                                            

Have a general question, partnership idea, or need help finding the right person? Visit our Contact Page and we’ll point you in the right direction. More about our team here. 

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