Prime Movers Media, the GW program that tutors underprivileged District high school students in journalism, has partnered with the White House Correspondents’ Association.
The organization, which comprises professional journalists in the White House press corps, will bring members to volunteer with participants in the Prime Movers program. The program pairs GW student interns with professional journalists to go into area schools and teach students about writing and reporting.
When the WHCA agreed to the partnership with the School of Media and Public Affairs – which houses Prime Movers – it also donated $20,000 to help fund the program.
Frank Sesno, director of SMPA, said the partnership will expand the opportunities afforded to the high school students.
“[The WHCA] brings some of the most accomplished journalists in the world to Prime Movers,” Sesno said. “[It] provides D.C. high school students and GW interns alike the opportunity to meet with and hear from professionals who see history unfold every day, and who turn that history into the stories that inform the world.”
Dorothy Gilliam, founder and director of Prime Movers, said the partnership will grant some high school participants access to the exclusive White House press room.
“The option would be for students to be taken to the White House to shadow the correspondents in their professional states and for two students to attend a White House briefing,” Gilliam said.
Aside from providing students with chances to see working journalists, Gilliam said she hopes the program will influence students to become interested in journalism while improving their intellect.
“We want to help students create and revitalize television programs, radio programs, newspapers and online mediums for their schools, while also helping to improve writing, speaking, critical thinking, technology and team-building skills,” Gilliam said. “The idea is to help some of these high school students to choose to become journalists.”
Gilliam said she also hopes the WHCA partnership will encourage more GW students to apply to work for the organization.
“For next semester, we are looking for eight regular interns that could do the program for various amounts of credit,” Gilliam said. “We hope that the WHCA can interact with the interns to enhance the overall experience.”
