A classroom full of aspiring journalists had its full attention to Molly Heber – the L.A. Times High School Insider Project Lead – as she described the importance of students having a voice on a global platform as established as the Los Angeles Times. On Wednesday, September 18, Heber – visited West High to tell Smoke Signals about the program.

   HS Insider “create[s] opportunities for young people to develop their writing, media literacy and multimedia skills, connect with LA Times staff and immerse themselves in the field of journalism” as stated on their website. The project allows high school students from around the world to post stories on LATimes.com and explore their journalistic capabilities from the perspective of today’s youth. Participating schools are in countries such as New Zealand, Mexico, and Jordan.

   Heber also took the time to mention HS Insider’s summer internship during her presentation. Interns are paired with editorial mentors for the program after undergoing a week of intensive journalism training. If you are interested in learning about and immersing yourself in the art of journalism somewhere as globally esteemed as the L.A. Times, applications for the amazing opportunity come out in April.

   But what did the Smoke Signals staff think about the experience? Staff writer Amanda Peck (12) thought, “[Molly] was really cool and got me excited about HSInsider. I think I’m going to join the platform to broaden my writing experiences. I like that LA Times will sometimes publish kids’ articles too”.

   It’s refreshing to see a space specifically for young people to share their thoughts about and report on topics that they find interesting. From immigration to gender equality, a whole range of stories are covered on HS Insider. If you are interested in joining, visit highschool.latimes.com for more information!