By Eric Freedman
The Knight Center hosted journalism and science students and teachers from two Michigan high schools that had won collaboration grants from a center initiative.

Karen Peterson of Charlevoix Middle High School

The groups from Charlevoix Middle/High School in Charlevoix and Troy Adams High School in Troy presented their collaborative projects, which will be posted on the Knight Center website when they’re complete. They also met with Knight Center faculty and Journalism School Director Lucinda Davenport and heard Knight Center student Max Johnston talk about his summer internship covering Northern Michigan environmental news for Interlochen Public Radio.
In addition, the groups toured the J-School’s new state-of-the-art multimedia newsroom with Jeremy Steele, director of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, and toured MSU’s new Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

Adam Burns of Troy Athens High School with mentor, Ilene Wolff

Ilene Wolff, the Detroit-area freelance writer, editor and writing coach who mentored the Troy Adams students, also participated. The Knight Center had matched her with the school to work with the students and teachers for guidance and advice on their project.
The third annual competition for Michigan high school journalism-environmental grants is underway, with a Dec. 1 deadline for proposals. For details, see “Open call for proposals for high school journalism and environmental science collaborations.”
The Knight Center created the grant program and invited journalism and science teachers to propose innovative class projects in which journalism students report about field research conducted by themselves or separately by environmental science students
Previous winners were Onaway High School in Onaway, Divine Child High School in Dearborn and Grosse Pointe North High School in Grosse Pointe Woods.