BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Aspiring media mavens will have a new opportunity to hone their skills in the Bethlehem Area School District.
The school board’s joint committees heard a presentation Monday night on the district’s Student Communications Internship Program from Jennifer LoConte, communications manager for BASD.
The effort “represents one of BASD’s most exciting expansions yet, offering students a professional-level experience in journalism, digital media, marketing, and storytelling,” according to district documents.
Communications interns will participate in a districtwide student media partnership with the BASD Communications Office. Each high school will select interns to serve as writers, photographers, videographers, graphic designers and social media interns.
“Students make great storytellers, and we should be using that,” said Amy Meyers, BASD Career Pathways liaison.
Interns’ work will appear on district websites, newsletters and social media platforms, including a potential TikTok presence, giving students published material to build professional portfolios before graduation.
During the semester-long, credit-earning internship, students will cover events across the district, write feature stories, capture photography and video for promotional use, support district social media and branding efforts, and participate in workshops on media ethics, journalism, design and storytelling, according to district documents.
The partnership will also provide interns access to ArtsQuest’s Creative Factory, powered by PPL, which is currently under construction and slated to open in December 2026. The facility will include aligned social and media labs for video production, podcasting, collaboration and creative work.
“We’re very excited about that,” LoConte said.
The addition strengthens the internship by connecting students with local creative professionals, expanding networking opportunities and giving them access to a state-of-the-art environment designed to inspire emerging talent, according to district documents.