Taught by a seasoned journalist and based on the acclaimed course at The School of The New York Times Summer Academy, this storytelling workshop introduces students to the practice of New York Times–style journalism—rigorous, ethical, and globally minded. Students learn how to ask sharper questions, navigate complex stories, and produce original stories that are both accurate and meaningful.

Beyond the mechanics of reporting and writing, this course emphasizes the values that guide great journalism and enrich our everyday lives. Through exercises in interviewing, storytelling, and critical thinking, students cultivate skills that extend far beyond context of journalism. Together, we explore how qualities such as curiosity, empathy, integrity, independence, discernment, and resilience not only make us stronger reporters and storytellers, but also better global citizens.

Multiple program formats are available so schools can select the model that best fits their calendar and student needs.

Course Options

1. Weekend Intensive (In-Person or Hybrid)

• Format: 4–6 weekends (Saturdays or Sundays only), 5-6 hours per day

• Highlights: Workshops, newsroom simulations, guest journalist talks

• Best For: Enrichment without disrupting weekdays

2. Holiday Immersion (Winter or Spring Break)

• Format: 5 consecutive days, 5–6 hours per day

• Highlights: Intensive newsroom experience, reporting project, final showcase

• Best For: Vacation programming or study-abroad tie-ins

3. Evening Seminar Series (During School Year)

• Format: 8–10 weekly sessions, 90 minutes each

• Highlights: Long-form reporting project developed over time, sustained mentorship

• Best For: Academic-year enrichment, complements journalism clubs & Model UN

4. Global Online Cohort (Fully Virtual)

• Format: 6–8 weeks, one weekly live seminar (90 min) + asynchronous assignments

• Highlights: International peer collaboration, digital newsroom tools

• Best For: Schools seeking flexibility and global engagement

Core Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• Develops interviewing and reporting skills: Practicing how to ask insightful questions, listen actively, and report information accurately helps students become better researchers, communicators, and storytellers, preparing them for both academic projects and real-world careers.

• Enhance their creativity and imagination: By crafting stories, students practice thinking creatively, exploring new perspectives, and expressing unique ideas in engaging ways.

• Strengthen their critical thinking and empathy: Analyzing and telling stories requires understanding characters, motivations, and outcomes, helping students see situations from different viewpoints and sharpen problem-solving skills.

• Improve their communication skills: Storytelling teaches students how to structure ideas clearly, use persuasive language, and connect with an audience, which is valuable in both academic and personal settings.

• Build their confidence and public speaking ability: Sharing stories aloud helps students overcome stage fright, develop a stronger voice, and gain confidence in expressing themselves.

• Prepare themselves for real-world success: Whether in interviews, leadership roles, or future careers, the ability to tell compelling stories helps students stand out, make ideas memorable, and inspire others

Why Partner?

• Adaptable formats tailored to your calendar

• Direct mentorship from a professional journalist

• Prepares students for global studies, Model UN, and college-level journalism

• Brings the prestige and rigor of a New York Times–inspired program to your community

About the Instructor:

I’m a freelance writer and photojournalist, based in New York City, who has contributed to The New York Times for over a decade, from all seven continents, as well as to a range of magazines, including National Geographic. Reporting on a range of subjects -- from science and the environment, to travel and culture -- I’ve embedded with anti- immigration vigilantes on the Mexican border and Afghanistan-bound Marines in the Nevada mountains, and covered the 2008 U.S. election from Barack Obama's Kenyan family’s home. I also lived for a month on the world's remotest inhabited island, and a month aboard a Norwegian research vessel drifting in Arctic sea ice. I’m on the faculty of the School of the New York Times. — Andy Isaacson