Young Media Makers Visit the IfK - Student Newspaper Editorial Team from Dortmund Gains Insights into Journalistic Practice at the IfK

(07.07.2026) How is a good news story actually created? What makes for a successful magazine layout? And how does it feel to stand in front of a green screen or in a recording studio? Twenty-two students from the Gymnasium an der Schweizer Allee in Dortmund explored these questions during a visit to the IfK.

The editorial team of the student newspaper “Alleeblatt” took first place in the print category of the student newspaper competition organized by the Cultural Foundation of Westfälische Provinzial Versicherung. As part of their prize, the group visited the IfK to spend a morning gaining insights into practical media work.

After being welcomed by Dr. Stephan Völlmicke, coordinator of media practice at the IfK, the students participated in three workshops on the topics of magazine journalism, layout and design, and green screen and podcasting. The workshops were prepared and led by Anna Wördenweber, Henning Karkoska, Mary Ehlebracht, and Franziska Rohe, student assistants at the Media Practice Competence Center.

In the training newsroom as well as in the radio and television studios of the Center of Excellence, the young editors were able to experience firsthand how journalistic content is created. They developed headlines and lead sentences, discussed the impact of layouts, appeared on camera, and recorded their own podcast segments. The main focus was on learning the basics of journalism, tailoring content to specific target audiences, and exploring how topics can be presented in a way that is both understandable and engaging.

“School newspapers have always been—and continue to be—an important medium: They give young people a voice of their own, foster critical thinking, and provide an early hands-on experience with journalism. I was particularly pleased to see that school newspapers are still a living tradition at so many schools. That’s why we at the IfK were very happy to support this project.” – Dr. Stephan Völlmicke

The visit thus underscores the importance of student newspapers as venues for early media education. At the same time, it became clear how practical media knowledge from the university can be transferred to a school setting and how young editors can draw new inspiration from it for their own work.

Contact person public relations:
Dr Stephan Völlmicke
Telefon: +49 251 83-23006
Telefax: +49 251 83-21310 (Geschäftszimmer IfK)