JCamp 2026 Application
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High school students with a strong interest in all forms of journalism are encouraged to apply. All costs to attend this program, including airfare, campus housing and meals, are covered by AAJA.
DEADLINE: Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Application Materials:
- Letter of Recommendation
- Introduction Video (60-90 secs target, 2 mins maximum)
- Short answer questions (100 words or less):
- A) Please discuss a specific challenge you've faced and how you've grown from the experience.
- B) Where do you get your news from? Please identify through which platform(s) and what are some recent pieces/stories that caught your attention?
- C) In the time before you graduate from high school, how would you like to grow and develop as a person? (75 words or less)
- Student Essays:
- A) Why do you want to attend JCamp this summer? (150 words or less)
- B) If you were able to spend a month reporting on a single issue within your community/local area, what would it be and why? Who would you speak with and how do you envision your final product? (250 words or less)
- C) Write about a time you strongly disagreed with someone. (150 words or less)
- D) Share anything else about yourself that you'd like us to consider with your application. (150 words or less)
- Various other short answer questions on interests, involvement and extracurriculars
- Work Samples (optional, three maximum)
About JCamp:
AAJA’s JCamp is a national multicultural journalism program for high school students. The six-day training camp brings together culturally diverse students from across the nation to learn from veteran journalists and leading media executives. JCamp participants will receive hands-on training and produce multiplatform news packages for the program’s news site, JCamp Live. Since 2001, over 850 high school students have graduated from JCamp. Every year, AAJA receives hundreds of applications from all regions of the country. To learn more about JCamp, visit our website.
DEADLINE: Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
For any questions related to the application or camp, please email support@aaja.org.