High school students in Bucks County, South Jersey are invited to join Teen Takes

As a teenager, it may seem like no one listens to your opinion or really cares about what’s going on at your school.

We’re listening. We care. And we want to share your story with our readers.

We are looking for committed and talented high school students to join our Teen Takes panel for the 2022-23 school year.

We are not just looking for writers. For the first time, we’re opening up Teen Takes to talented high school photographers and videographers who want new avenues for their work.

Teen Takes members have the unique opportunity to write about what’s most important to them – from pop culture news and favorite hangouts, to what’s happening in their local schools and communities and how they life is affected by national and world events.

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Teen Takes is open to high school students in the coverage areas of Bucks County Courier Times and Intelligencer in Pennsylvania, and Burlington County Times, Courier Post and Daily Journal in New Jersey.

Why should you join Teen Takes

Last year, Teen Takes panelists wrote about everything from bullying, sexuality and climate change to volunteering and pop culture.

“I think people should join Teen Takes because it’s an amazing way to get your voice heard,” said Amelia Schirmer, a junior at Hammonton High School. “You will have the opportunity to write on a wide range of topics, choose the ones that are most relevant to you, and suggest topics that you think would be relevant to your readers. You can gain a lot of experience writing for Teen Takes and you will have the chance to work with many other talented writers. I really appreciate the flexible writing hours and the opportunity to work with other amazing writers.

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You don’t have to be interested in a career in journalism to join Teen Takes, but we do ask that you be dedicated to sharing your stories. Writing chops are a plus, but we’ll work with you to get your point across.

“People should join Teen Takes because it’s an amazing opportunity to explore the world of writing and the different ways to approach it,” said Paige Venable, a junior at Seneca High School. “Writing for Teen Takes is very different from writing for a school newspaper (I’ve done both) because it gives me more of a platform to talk about issues that mean a lot to me. In terms of what a student would derive from this.

“It would provide a life-changing experience that would give a young voice the freedom to express their thoughts. Not only that, but if one is planning to major in journalism in college or aspires to do something of that nature later in life, this is the perfect way to prepare for this and get a feel for what writing for a journal is really like.. school community. I’m really grateful for this experience and look forward to to do so next year as well.

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How to Join Teen Takes

Teen Takes is open to students attending high school or living in Bucks or Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, or Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, and Gloucester counties in New Jersey.

Teen Takes requires commitment. We expect panelists to regularly contribute articles or photos, both on their own and in collaboration with their peers; suggest story ideas; and, depending on their schedule, attend monthly meetings in person or virtually.

Want to apply? Visit https://bit.ly/TeenTakes2223.

Limited places are open for next year. Applications are due July 29. New panelists will be notified of decisions between mid and late August.

Have questions? Contact writer Crissa Shoemaker DeBree at [email protected]