Young journalists at the National Centre RUSSIA present their final projects

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School slang and its future, the Vladimir-Suzdal lion as a symbol of unity, AI-generated animals explaining science, Moscow’s historic estates, school media centres, and the promotion of reading, sport and Russian culture were among the wide range of topics chosen by participants in the Young Journalists School of the National Centre RUSSIA for their final projects. The projects were assessed by the project team and invited specialists from Russian media organisations, including the Russia 24 television channel, RU.TV, Argumenty i Fakty, the New Media Workshop, the Russian Children and Youth Centre, and Izbornik, a popular science publication about the Russian language and linguistics.

Over three weeks, the participants prepared media projects individually or in teams of two to six people. They could choose any media genre, including a social media community, a video report, a short film or a longread. The presentations were held in the main hall before an open audience and a panel of professionals, following the format of a full-scale media presentation.

The projects were assessed according to a single set of criteria. The experts evaluated how well the authors understood the value of their projects, how they applied their media skills in practice, how coherently the presentations were structured, what distinguished each project from existing counterparts and how closely it aligned with the objectives of the Young Journalists School of the National Centre RUSSIA.

As a result, 11 projects received high scores. They included the documentary mini-feature "A Symbol of Unity: The Vladimir-Suzdal Lion and the Values of Russia", which connects the ancient image of the lion with architectural monuments and the modern visual language of the National Centre RUSSIA. Another project was a longread about how youth slang changes. Its authors trace the evolution of popular words and show how expressions either disappear, enter common usage or are "revived" in a new context.

Some participants focused on what a modern media environment for teenagers should look like. This led to the creation of a brand book for the online version of the Young Journalists School, featuring a carefully developed visual concept and principles for communicating with the audience, as well as a navigation website for the VMedia school media centre, bringing together clubs, news and volunteering opportunities. The media project "A Child’s Question. An Adult’s Answer" offers a ready-made format for discussing difficult subjects with children, while the report "Pick Up a Book!" from the book festival on Red Square uses teenage protagonists and the festive atmosphere to show how reading can be made more appealing to their peers.

Other authors addressed culture and identity. The multi-format project "Russian Style: Our Own, Native and Real", featuring cards, videos, podcasts, texts and AI-generated visuals on social media, offers a modern interpretation of traditional motifs and shows that Russian culture is fashionable and relevant. Through dynamic video tours of Moscow’s estates, interactive elements and short facts, the "Heritage Reporters" project demonstrates that historic sites can become an exciting weekend route.

The participants also created the short film "Betting on Silence", which addresses the fear of emotional closeness within a family and the consequences of addictions, including gambling addiction, encouraging viewers to have honest conversations with their loved ones. The "Fifth Corner" series of video interviews presents athletes not only through their records but also through hard work, character and motivation, promoting grassroots sport and showcasing Russia’s achievements. The experts were also impressed by "Paws and Facts", a VK community featuring short videos in which AI-generated animals explain science and facts about Russia in an accessible way. Its sections include "Facts About Russia" and "Science Is Cool", helping to make teenagers’ social media feeds less stressful and more educational.

The Young Journalists School is a multi-format educational project of the National Centre RUSSIA. It helps teenagers acquire basic professional skills, become acquainted with leading Russian media outlets and practising journalists, learn how to work with information and take their first steps towards a future profession. The project is implemented by the National Centre RUSSIA jointly with the Movement of the First, with the support of the Ministry of Education of Russia. Synergy University is the intellectual partner of the Young Journalists School.