Kennesaw State’s Center for Sustainable Journalism now home to Youth Today
The nationally distributed newspaper is devoted to policy issues and programs affecting children…
Georgia (Mar 26, 2012) —
The nationally distributed newspaper is devoted to policy issues and programs affecting
children and youth
KENNESAW, Ga. (March 26, 2012) — The Center for Sustainable Journalism at Kennesaw State University will begin publishing
Youth Today, the nationally distributed newspaper that is read online and in print by thousands
of professionals in the youth services field.
“Having Youth Todayhoused at Kennesaw State University is a perfect fit,” said Ken Harmon, KSU provost.
“We have undergraduate and advanced degree programs in compatible areas, including
journalism, social work, criminology, conflict management, educational leadership
and other health and human sciences, all of which can provide best practice training
and research to advance the Youth Todaymission.”
Leonard Witt, executive director of the Center for Sustainable Journalism, said the
addition of Youth Todayto the center’s publishing portfolio is an excellent extension of the work it does.
“We now publish the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, JJIE.org, the only entity
to cover juvenile justice every day with professional journalists, so this is a natural
addition to the work we do,” Witt said. “We will be able to get Youth Todayback to its full potential, while expanding the JJIE.org reach at the same time.”
Financial challenges almost led to the demise of the subscription-based newspaper
that covers a wide range of issues including juvenile justice, foster care, mentoring,
substance abuse, sexual behavior, after school programs, mentoring, youth employment,
child welfare, college and careers, gangs, violence prevention, adolescent health,
teen pregnancy and parenting.
Youth Today was founded in 1984 and features in-depth articles on issues and events
of major importance to professionals who work with America’s youth. Winner of several
journalism awards, Youth Today also provides insightful commentary that readers rely
on to improve their organizations’ operations and functions.
"The board has been working hard to deal with the organization's financial challenges
and to ensure the survival of Youth Today,” said Brant Houston, board chair of the American Youth Work Center, which is Youth Today’sumbrella organization. “We are pleased that Leonard Witt and Kennesaw State have agreed
to produce Youth Today and we are confident that under their stewardship the publication will be a success.”
John Fleming, JJIE.org editor, who now will provide editorial leadership for both
publications, says, “Our children are our country’s most treasured resource. The people
who serve them must have a trusted source of high quality information, which has been
the hallmark of Youth Today. Now that legacy will go forward into the future with an added dose of investigative
reporting.”
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The Center for Sustainable Journalism at Kennesaw State University has one central
mission: to ensure that high quality, ethically sound journalism continues to have
a vibrant place in our democracy. The Center produces research and nurtures innovative
ideas, incubates new projects and launches applications all in a financially sustainable
atmosphere, while forming partnerships with entrepreneurial-minded individuals, media
companies and academic institutions. In addition to publishing its centerpiece project,
the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, JJIE.org, it produces conferences and training
both online and face to face. Its founding was made possible in part by a generous
gift from the Harnisch Foundation, under the supervision of Ruth Ann Harnisch.
Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering 80
graduate and undergraduate degrees, including doctorates in education, business and
nursing, and a new Ph.D. in international conflict management. A member of the 35-unit
University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a comprehensive, residential institution
with a growing population of 24,100 students from more than 130 countries.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
