High school students advance their knowledge and skills during the Summer Media Academy

Nearly 70 middle and high school students from around the country explored Grady College majors firsthand during the Summer Media Academy in June. 

Broadcast journalism students produced a newscast and multimedia journalism participants wrote articles for a news website. Participants in the advertising and public relations session crafted a mock campaign for Athens Area Humane Society. Entertainment and media studies participants wrote scripts and made short films. View their final projects here.

Instructors included Joe Dennis (MA ’07, PhD ’16); Isabella Martinez (AB ‘23), Kimberlee Smith (MA ’23); and Denetra Walker, assistant professor of journalism at Grady College. EMST major Luka Briglevich and journalism graduate students Averi Caldwell (AB ‘23), Karmen Morrison and Sam Tupper assisted.

Industry professionals, many of whom are faculty, staff and alumni, visited classrooms to teach on specialty topics. Participants also took field trips related to their area of study. Trips included tours of Athena Studios, The Red and Black, See.Spark.Go agency and WUGA.

The Summer Media Academy is a partnership between the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and UGA’s Georgia Center for Continuing Education’s Summer Academy program. Read more about the partnership in this feature story on UGA’s Public Service and Outreach’s website.

Information about 2025 Summer Media Academy opportunities and need-based scholarships will be available at www.ugagspa.org/camp in early winter.