Classes: Learn to think like a reporter, photographer, illustrator, video producer, podcaster, and newsroom staff member

We thank you for your support of InkandescentKids.com! 

Out of the mouths of kids — Since founding Inkandescent PR + Publishing Co. in 2008, I have launched InkandescentWomen.com magazine, BeInkandescent Health & Wellness magazine, our podcast network InkandescentRadio.com and our YouTube channel Inkandescent.tv. Since the start of the company, I have wanted to launch an online publication that gives voice to kids K-20. Having studied for a master’s in educational leadership at GWU and being the communications director for the City of Fairfax Schools for a decade, working with students is a passion. Kids are the future — and the future is now. I believe it is critical that they learn to think critically and creatively and have the opportunity to raise their voice about the world they are inheriting. As an award-winning journalist, publicist, and author, I believe it is my responsibility to guide young people to think am honored to have the ability and opportunity to reach out to families around the world with this invitation.

We are on a mission to teach kids, Kindergarten to College, to think critically — like a reporter. In addition to providing free content on our website, we want students around the world to  submit work already created for publication (articles, essays, artwork, photos, videos, games, puzzles, more; $3/submission). And we are also offering classes to help them learn the tenets of journalism, photography, and illustration, as well as how to work in a newsroom (starting at $75 per session for each 2-6 hour Zoom class).

Products and services: 

  • Subscribe: Get our bimonthly printable PDF of our magazine in your email inbox and find nearly 50 pages of articles by kids, for kids, about kids: $30/ year. (You also have the opportunity to print the magazine, $20/issue)
  • Submit: articles, artwork, photos, videos, games, puzzles, and more: $3 (Click here to pay submission fee)
  • Take a class: $75/session
    • Journalism (3 sessions) with Hope Katz Gibbs: I am an award-winning reporter and teach the journalism classes. In Class 1, the assignment is to be part of our “So You Want to be a …” book project, in which they interview a parent about their work. They learn how to do research, develop interview questions, and practice asking the questions; then they write the article, and we work on it together until it’s ready for our student editors to copyedit and publish it.
      • Session 1: Students begin by learning about the basic tenets of journalism — starting with asking the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions, and being fearless about asking questions! We’ll review how to do research. And then we’ll start preparing questions for the first interview article.
        • Homework: Students will interview a parent asking their questions and write the first draft of the article.
      • Session 2: We will review the article, finding ways to make improvements.
        • Homework: Students will review the article and make any changes necessary.
      • Session 3: We will finalize the article, making last minute tweaks together and prepare the piece for the next phase of the process — review by our editorial staff.
    • Photojournalism (2 sessions) with Anna Paige Gibbs: Our Inkandescent photographer, AnnaGibbs.com, guides students through the process of taking photos for the articles. She teaches them the essentials of taking a good photograph, how to capture the essence of the story they are working on, and, once she approves the images, we send them to our editorial team for inclusion in the article.
      • Session 1: Students begin by learning about the basics of photography, including insights into composition, the golden triangle, and what makes a great photo. Students will get their first photo assignment and make a plan about what is expected.
        • Homework: Students will shoot their first photographs for the assignment.
      • Session 2: Anna will review the photos and make any suggestions for improvements.
        • Homework: Students will finalize their photos and submit it to the editorial staff for inclusion in the article.
    • Illustration (4 sessions): Award-winning illustrator michaelglenwood.com works with students to create artwork to accompany the articles. He teaches them to identify the main concepts in the article they are working on, create 3 sketches for editor review, and then craft the illustration. Upon his review and approval, it goes to the editorial team.
    • Videos (4 sessions): With me, Inkandescent’s video and podcast producer, Nelson Benavides, teaches students how to capture the essence of an interview through video and podcasting. He focuses on helping students understand the technical aspects of production.
    • Podcasting (3 sessions): 
    • Newsroom staff member (6 sessions): Our InkandescentKids editor, Ellen Smith, is building our student newsrooms, which include a team of editors, copyeditors, proofreaders, and a layout team. In addition to our online magazine, they help us craft a bi-monthly printable publication that features a theme. This September-October theme is: New Beginnings.

To make a payment, please send us a list of the products and services you’d like to purchase, and we’ll send you an invoice: hope@hopegibbs.com

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