Daniel Pearls Legacy Inspires New Global Youth News Service

Worldwide Teen News Service Seeks Aspiring Reporters

New York, NY / Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 6, 2005 -- PEARL World Youth News, an internet-based international student-run news service established by the Daniel Pearl Foundation and the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN-USA) invites high school students around the world to become certified PEARL reporters. www.iearn.org/pearlproject

The youth-run international news service was founded to promote cross-cultural understanding through balanced, objective journalism with a global youth perspective. In the spirit of the high journalistic standards of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was murdered by terrorists in Pakistan in 2002, teenage students will select the issues to be reported, and collaboratively write, edit and publish their articles on the new web-based news service. These articles will be made available to schools all over the world for publication in student newspapers.

Danny championed the search for the truth, integrity in reporting and the love of humanity" said Judea Pearl, Daniels father and president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation. The PEARL World Youth News provides a forum for the next generation of journalists to continue this important work."

Using online forums, PEARL student reporters and editors will work together to decide issues to report on, conduct collaborative research and interviews, and edit articles. Seven schools have volunteered to act as editors for the news service - the Habib Girls School and Aga Khan School in Pakistan (News Editor), Valley International School in Lebanon (Features Editor), Gymnasium Parvoz in Uzbekistan (Music & Performing Arts Editor), Dr. Beheshti Boys High School and Ardeshiri Girls High School in Iran (Entertainment), and the Spokane Valley High School in Washington (Managing Editor school).

The online PEARL Reporter Certification Program takes students from writing leads" to finding sources and conducting interviews and teaches about reporting techniques and the ethics of journalism," explained Ed Gragert, executive director of iEARN-USA. Tapping into iEARNs vibrant network of students and educators in 110 countries, the PEARL project enables students to do their own reporting on issues facing them as members of the global community and gain valuable skills in the field of journalism."

The online PEARL Reporter Certification Program, which has been developed with the assistance of the New York Times and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, teaches about reporting techniques and the ethics of journalism. Graduate students at the Columbias School of Journalism will serve as the evaluators of the secondary school students applying to be certified as PEARL Reporters. High school students worldwide who are proficient in English and have access to the internet will be able participate at no cost as will secondary school newspapers published in English. Additional languages are planned for subsequent years of the PEARL World Youth News Service.

The Daniel Pearl Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, was formed in 2002 in memory of journalist Daniel Pearl to promote the ideals that inspired his life and work. The Foundation works domestically and internationally to promote cross-cultural understanding, to combat cultural and religious hatred, to encourage responsible and creative journalism, and to enrich peoples lives through music. For more information please visit www.danielpearl.org. The Daniel Pearl Foundation thanks the Skirball Foundation, the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation and the New York Times Foundation for supporting the PEARL World Youth News.

Founded in 1988, iEARN is a global network that enables young people to use the Internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational projects that both enhance learning and make a difference in the world. Students and teachers participate in any of the 180 online projects designed and implemented by its participating teachers. iEARN-USA is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization. It was awarded the 2003 Goldman Sachs Foundation Prize for Excellence in International Education and is a 2004 Tech Museum Laureate prize winner for technology benefiting humanity." Please visit www.iearn.org and www.us.iearn.org

Interested schools and students can contact Anindita Dutta Roy at Anindita@us.iearn.org for more information.

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