Founding father's vision remains relevant
When Acel Moore founded The Inquirer's high school journalism workshop in 1985, the Inquirer editor wanted students to feel the thrill of writing a newspaper story and holding the publication in their hands.
When Acel Moore founded The Inquirer's high school journalism workshop in 1985, the Inquirer editor wanted students to feel the thrill of writing a newspaper story and holding the publication in their hands.
The teenagers learned from industry professionals and produced their own workshop newspaper, First Take.
Twenty-seven years later, that workshop continues, but with changes that reflect the impact of the digital revolution.
"It's a challenging time," said Moore, 70, who is now retired but still holds the title of associate editor emeritus at The Inquirer. "But there will always be a need for a true journalist who seeks the truth and is objective, no matter what the technology does or how it changes the gathering or reporting of information."
The program, now renamed the Acel Moore Career Development Workshop, this year includes the largest class in its history. Students from 31 schools in the Philadelphia area walked through the doors of the Philadelphia Media Network building on Feb. 5 to begin a four-week program aimed at introducing them to the field of journalism.
Inquirer and Philly.com staffers volunteered to help students learn interview techniques, and story research and construction. During the final two weeks, students reported and wrote their own story. Students also worked with Philly.com, and the graphics and photo departments to produce content that would end up in First Take and in an online edition of the paper.
The publication's theme this year is the economy.
"We chose the economy because it's a subject that won't go away," said Oscar Miller, the workshop's program director. "We wanted to look at the state of the economy through the eyes of a young person and see how it's affecting their daily lives."
The student-produced section will be distributed as part of the main press run of The Inquirer on Saturday, April 2, the final day of the workshop, when students, guests and workshop volunteers will attend an awards luncheon at The Inquirer's Center City building.
One student will receive a $1,000 scholarship and two will receive $500 scholarships for outstanding work during the workshop. The awards are provided in partnership with the Philadelphia Foundation.
Over the years, hundreds of journalists currently working in the industry wrote one of their first stories for First Take. They've gone on to write and edit major newspapers, run businesses and websites and produce television news.
Sharyn Flanagan, a production editor at USA Today, attended the workshop in the mid-1980s. Flanagan, then a student at the Philadelphia High School for Girls, wrote a story that examined single-sex and coed education.
"Besides opening up a career for me, [the workshop] gave me confidence," Flanagan said. "We learned to speak up, write and do research. No matter what field you go into that's valuable. You can use those skills across the board."
To Donate
To support the Acel Moore Career Development Workshop, you may contribute to the Philadelphia Foundation at:
The Philadelphia Foundation,
1234 Market St.,
Suite 1800,
Philadelphia
19107-3794.
You may also follow the "Dollars for Scholars" link at
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