New technologies or core skills? Summer camps require a balance.

As I organize schedules for our summer camps, I feel the pull between providing plenty of time for teens to practice the core process of reporting and making sure that they try other important storytelling tools.

Done correctly, journalism is a rigorous process. 1. Focus the story. 2. Find the sources. 3. Do the research. 4. Conduct the interviews. 5. Organize the notes. 6. Write the story.

Even then, the work is far from done. An editor steps in and asks a series of questions. Are the facts accurate? Is the structure solid? Are all the key stakeholders represented? Is the tone fair? Is the writing clear and lively? How could story be better?

Yet in an on-line age, serving an audience that is visually sophisticated and accustomed to interaction, photos, video and social networking tools are essential parts of the journalist’s toolkit. Professional journalists are busy learning to blog, Tweet, make videos and report with cell phones.

But even two intense weeks in our residential camp or four weeks in our day camp isn’t time enough to cover it all. And when teachers and administrators tell me what they value most about ThreeSixty’s work, they consistently mention our emphasis on writing and revision. Few high school students get enough coaching on their writing or experience revising their work to make it stronger. Good journalism requires it.

This summer, I plan to give every student a chance to make a one- to two-minute video. But I’ll keep in mind that good writing takes time, feedback and revision. I’ll also keep in mind the rules that Martha Rush, a terrific journalism teacher at Mounds View High School, posts next to the door to her newsroom:

Inform people about important issues in an interesting way.
Increase readership.
Be accurate and professional; what you’re writing does affect people.
Learn.
Strive for excellence.