Across the country, communities are facing a growing crisis: the disappearance of local news. As legacy outlets shrink or shut down, “news deserts” are expanding—leaving residents without reliable, community-centered reporting.
At the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s Center for Community and Local Partnerships (CCLP), researchers are working to address this gap in an unexpected but powerful way: by turning to high school newsrooms.
Their idea is simple, yet transformative. By equipping student journalists with the tools, training, and mentorship to report on their own communities, high schools can help fill the void left by declining local media. Students are not just learning journalism—they are becoming essential contributors to the information ecosystems around them.
Educada has been proud to play a role in advancing this work.
Educada’s Caden Choi has helped connect USC Annenberg researchers with the editorial team of one of LAUSD’s oldest student-run publications, The Colonial Gazette. What began as a conversation has grown into a collaborative effort centered on mentorship, storytelling, and community impact.
Gazette editors David Kim, Ivan Cea Garcia, and Keshia Orprecio, alongside journalism advisor Kurt Gartman, have been working closely with Caden and veteran journalist Jeff Rowe—formerly of Wall Street Journal and Associated Press—to strengthen their newsroom. Together, they are building a model where professional journalists and researchers support student reporters in producing meaningful, locally relevant stories.
This partnership is more than a pilot—it’s a glimpse into what the future of local news could look like.
When students are trained to report on the issues that affect their neighborhoods—schools, housing, public safety, culture—they bring both proximity and authenticity to their work. They notice what others overlook. They ask questions that matter. And most importantly, they help ensure that their communities are seen and heard.
At the same time, students gain real-world experience: conducting interviews, verifying information, and understanding the responsibility that comes with telling someone else’s story. These are skills that extend far beyond journalism.
The decline of local news is a national challenge, but solutions don’t have to come only from large institutions. Sometimes, they begin in classrooms—with curious students, committed mentors, and a shared belief that every community deserves to be informed.
Through partnerships like this, we are not just filling gaps—we are building the next generation of storytellers and civic leaders.
