Youth Media Action-YMA

18/08/2026

𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟑, 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟐: 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥

Today, the students were introduced to the basics of television news presentation and production, giving them a closer look at what happens behind the scenes before a news story reaches the screen.

They learned how a television newsroom operates, how stories are prepared for TV broadcast, and the important role television journalists and broadcasters play in bringing news and information to the public.

The exposure gave the students a better understanding of the required to work in television broadcasting and brought them one step closer to seeing themselves as the next generation of media professionals.

Many thanks to the LNTV Liberia LIVE department for the support over the years.

17/08/2026

𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟑, 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟏: 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥

Week 3 kicked off with our young cub reporters walking into the newsroom for a hands-on learning experience, where they were guided and supported by veteran journalists and members of the ELBC News Department.

The day’s tutorship focused on some of the most important skills every newsroom journalist needs ranging from writing and crafting compelling headlines, preparing news scripts, and presenting news to understanding the daily routines, discipline, and teamwork that keep a newsroom running.

The experience gave our young journalists a first-hand look at what it truly means to work in a professional newsroom as they gained a much clearer understanding of the daily realities of journalism, particularly the demanding but rewarding work of reporters in the newsroom.

14/08/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮, 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟬: 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹

Our young journalists planned and conducted an exclusive interview with the Communication Director of the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC), Jeremiah Kpadeh Diggen.

The students quizzed Mr. Diggen with simple but interesting questions about Paynesville City, the importance of city ordinances, and how these laws contribute to order, development, and responsible citizenship.

Beaming with smiles throughout the interview, Mr. Diggen applauded the students for their confidence, curiosity, and smart questions. He also shared valuable insights into how the PCC has transformed Paynesville over the years through various development initiatives aimed at improving the city and enhancing the lives of its residents.

It was a vital hands-on learning experience that allowed the students to put their journalism and interviewing skills into practice while learning from the Communication Director of the Paynesville City Corporation.

13/08/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟵: 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹

Today, our young journalists put their speech writing and public speaking skills to the test.

Each participant was challenged to write an original speech and confidently present it before their peers.

This classroom exercise gave them an opportunity to think creatively, organize ideas, and boost their confidence to speak in front of an audience.

This practical session allowed them to apply what they learned during our public speaking lessons while strengthening their communication, presentation and pronunciation skills.

12/08/2026

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆✊🏿

𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟴: 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺

Today as the world celebrates the International Youth Day, our young journalists at the Vacation Journalism School celebrated the best way they can by learning, engaging, asking questions and telling stories.

Our participants embarked on another field activity today to engage members of the public and conduct real interviews, putting their weeklong classroom lessons into practice.

These rare experiences are helping them bolster their self confidence, improve their communication skills, critical thinking, and the ability to connect with people from different backgrounds.

At Youth Media Action-YMA, we believe that when young people who occupies majority of our population are given the knowledge, skills, opportunities and platform to express themselves, they become better prepared to lead and make meaningful contributions to society.

👉🏾Happy International Youth Day to every young Liberian with a dream, a voice and the courage to make a difference.

12/08/2026

👏👏👏

Newly Accredited U.S. Ambassador Mark Toner Visits Youth Media Action Press Clubs in Margibi County

On Thursday, September 12, 2024, newly accredited United States Ambassador to Liberia, Mark Toner, visited the USAID/Liberia Media Activity partner organization, Youth Media Action (YMA), in Kakata, Margibi County. Ambassador Toner’s visit highlighted the U.S. government’s ongoing support for media development, youth empowerment, and civic education in Liberia.

Youth Media Action (YMA), which operates several press clubs throughout Liberia, plays a pivotal role in promoting media literacy and encouraging youth participation in governance. The organization, supported by the USAID Media Activity, provides young Liberians with opportunities to engage in journalism, public discourse, and community leadership.

During his visit, Ambassador Toner met with YMA press club members, where he commended their efforts to use media as a tool for positive change. He emphasized the importance of young people in shaping the future of Liberia, particularly through active engagement in civic life and the promotion of transparency and accountability.

“Free and independent media is vital to any democracy,” Ambassador Toner said. “By empowering young people to raise their voices and tell the stories that matter, we are strengthening the foundations of Liberia’s democracy.”

Youth Media Action’s Impact

YMA’s press clubs provide students and young people across Liberia with hands-on experience in journalism, broadcasting, and digital media. Through the program, members learn critical thinking, communication skills, and the importance of responsible journalism. YMA also helps foster dialogue around important social issues such as education, health, and governance, encouraging youth to take an active role in their communities.

Ambassador Toner praised the initiative, noting that empowering the next generation of journalists and leaders is crucial to Liberia’s continued development. “By investing in programs like Youth Media Action, we are helping to build a generation that understands the power of truth and the importance of holding leaders accountable,” he said.

Strengthening U.S.-Liberia Ties

The visit also underscored the strong partnership between the U.S. and Liberia, particularly in the areas of education, media freedom, and youth empowerment. The United States, through USAID, has been a key supporter of Liberia’s media development, recognizing the critical role that a free press plays in fostering democratic governance and social progress.

Ambassador Toner’s visit to YMA comes at a time when Liberia is preparing for its general elections. He encouraged the young journalists to remain impartial, informed, and committed to the truth as they report on the political process, reinforcing the role of media as a watchdog in society.

The Ambassador’s visit was met with enthusiasm from YMA members and local leaders, who welcomed his support and the continued involvement of the U.S. government in Liberia’s development. The event concluded with a discussion on the challenges and opportunities faced by young journalists in Liberia and the role of the media in promoting accountability and transparency.

As Liberia’s young media professionals continue to rise through initiatives like Youth Media Action, Ambassador Toner’s visit served as a reminder of the critical role that youth and media play in shaping the future of Liberia.

What is your impressive impression about Ambassador Mark Toner’s engagements?

11/08/2026

𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐, 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟕: 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐂𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝟕

The hands-on learning continued today as Cohort 7 participants took their journalism training beyond the classroom and into the Television Department.

Working in groups, the students conducted interviews with professionals in the department, giving them a firsthand opportunity to learn how a television newsroom operates and what it takes to bring a story from the field to the screen.

Through their conversations, participants explored the different roles within a television production team, from reporters and producers to camera operators, editors, presenters, and other technical professionals and how each person contributes to producing quality news content.

10/08/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮, 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟲: 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹, 𝗖𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝟳.

Week 2, Day 6 of the Vacation Journalism School began with participants preparing for practical news gathering. Working in groups, the young aspiring journalists brainstormed story ideas, identified potential news angles, and developed interview questionnaires to guide their field assignments.

But the real learning began when they stepped outside the classroom for the first time since the program started. With their questions, notebooks, recorders, and a growing sense of confidence, participants went into the field to conduct interviews, engage sources, gather facts, and turn real-life experiences into news stories.

For many, it was their first opportunity to put journalism principles into practice, to ask the right questions, listen carefully, observe their surroundings, verify information, and tell stories that matter.

Day 6 was truly a practical exercise and a step toward becoming responsible, confident, and professional journalists.

09/08/2026

“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭, 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲.”
👉🏾𝐄𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐓.𝐊 𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐨, 𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐋 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫

07/08/2026

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟓: 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐂𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝟕

YMA Coordinator, Rejoice Wallace led an engaging recap session, giving each participant the opportunity to reflect on the week's lessons and share how the training has impacted their understanding of journalism and personal growth.

The exercise encouraged active participation, reinforced key concepts, and allowed students to learn from one another's experiences during the week.

While SWAL Vice President and Sports Editor of the Liberian Investigator, Edwin Boy Dolo, delivered an insightful session on News Writing.

He guided participants through the essential elements of a compelling news story, with a strong focus on crafting catchy headlines, writing effective leads, and developing accurate and news reports using the inverted pyramid.

To put theory into practice, participants were divided into groups and tasked with writing their own news stories.

Each group presented and submitted its work for review as they prepare for real newsroom experiences in the coming weeks.

Thanks to all of our facilitators, parents, students and the YMA family for a successful week.
See you next week 💪🏿✊🏿👏