Fourteen middle school students from Prince George’s County, Md., are learning valuable lessons this summer on the power of the media thanks to a two-week camp co-sponsored by Sojourner Truth Preparatory Charter School and Loyola College in Maryland’s School of Education.

Sojourner Truth, set to open in fall 2010, will focus on teaching middle school students how to critically analyze elements of media and popular culture as well as produce their own media content. The camp is designed to raise awareness of the school’s focus in the months leading up to the school’s launch. Campers will participate in discussions of the purposes of media, both beneficial and otherwise; receive training from Critical Exposure, a non-profit that works to support young people in developing skills as documentary photographers and advocates; use software to create original public service announcements; and take a field trip to the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

On the camp’s final day, the students will present their media projects, which are designed to show the power of media in the world today.

“This particular age group is absolutely inundated with media messages,” said Stephanie Flores-Koulish, an associate professor of education at Loyola who serves on the board of Sojourner Truth and helped develop the camp curriculum. “It’s very important for them to begin to recognize the influence media has on their lives, as well as how to appreciate non-mediated moments, like playing sports or eating dinner with their families.” 

While students will gather each morning at Carole Highlands Elementary School in Takoma Park, Md., and the final presentations will be made there, the majority of the camp activities take place at Loyola’s Columbia Graduate Center. Loyola covered the costs of transporting the students from Carole Highlands and provided the cameras used for their work with Critical Exposure and for their final project.