For the 14th News Decoder Storytelling Competition, the winning stories tackled human trafficking, river conservation and climate change. In its first year of working with News Decoder, the Tatnall School in the U.S. state of Delaware took both first and second prizes...
It is hard on teens when families move to cities far away. What happens when you must move to a new country, again and again? Packed boxes in a house. Credit: Brazzo/Getty Signature Images This article, by high school student Marta Jansone, was produced out of News...
Young climate activists met with experts at the American Library in Paris to discuss how to protect rivers, trees, wildlife and people through legislation. The sixth Ecologues discussion featured Tim Crosland and moderator Alice McCrum, with Linda Sheehan and Irmak...
News Decoder has launched a series of projects, funded by the European Union, to help teachers integrate climate change into the classroom. Students at the Climate Academy designed and created a mural in the grounds of their school evoking the rights of young people...
Winners of a worldwide competition will get cash prizes as well as coaching from News Decoder and publication on the News Decoder site. Announcing the Climate Champion Profiles storytelling competition Teenage journalists worldwide are invited to profile someone who...
News Decoder is a member of a consortium of organizations implementing a multifaceted project to engage youth with climate change issues and actions. In this article, News Decoder Adviser Aralynn Abare McMane invites high school students across the world to identify and interview someone in their community working to solve the climate crisis in a significant way, then write an article or produce a video or podcast about that person for submission to a worldwide contest.
Exercise: Find an individual in your community who is trying to fight climate change in a real way. Have students research that person by looking up relevant websites and reading any news articles that have been done or watching any videos that feature that person. Then invite the person to talk to your class and have students prepare questions they would need answered in order to write a profile of that person. Have each student write a profile and submit the best one to the The Writing’s on the Wall Climate Champions Storytelling Competition.
Some consider them a nuisance, but bees are critically important. Our podcast, “Plan Bee,” explains how climate change and humans put bees at risk. News Decoder · There's no Plan Bee if our friends the bees perish Bees are a vital part of our...
Climate change is affecting our planet in so many ways that the disruptions can feel overwhelming. Two students at the European School Brussels II train their sights on bees, which play a critical role in protecting our environment. In their 10-minute podcast, Isabel Fontan Ireland and Oliver Sanchez de Leon Tuomi explain why we all should fret over the fate of bees. Their conversation is an excellent example for students interested in audio as a platform for expression.
Exercise: Divide your students into teams of two and have them record a five-minute conversation about a complicated topic that they have researched. The challenge is to make it simple, understandable and engaging.
The person in the mirror is not familiar to me at all. I’m tired and empty, and she is pretty and happy. Where can I find the real ‘me’? I wish I looked like me Gasping for air I open my eyes. Distorted images of boneless hands on my skin slowly fade...
Humans were once on track to destroy Earth’s ozone shield. Collective action averted disaster. Global warming demands the same global cooperation. We’re all frustrated at the inability of governments to take necessary measures to tackle climate change. Drastic...
In a public webinar, a leading UK youth advocate and students from News Decoder’s network discussed challenges to democracy around the world. Democracy might be in trouble around the world, but it will survive the challenges it is facing in the early 21st...
Four students express frustration, anger and disappointment over climate change and urge world leaders to listen to youth before it’s too late. News Decoder · Youth speak out about climate change Frustrated. Angry. Disappointed. Climate change inspires a mix of...