As another school year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the students, educators and community partners who helped make this our most impactful year yet.
2025-26 impact snapshot
10,000-plus students reached through Lookout in the Classroom.
450 educators engaged across Santa Cruz County through Lookout for Teachers.
130 student submissions to our Student Journalism Scholarship, our largest cohort to date.
Dozens of classroom visits, workshops and student engagement opportunities throughout the county.
National recognition from the American Press Institute for innovative youth engagement and media literacy work.
Student voices elevated through classroom projects, scholarship stories and published Student Stories.
Expansion beyond Santa Cruz County as Lookout in the Classroom launched in Eugene-Springfield, Oregon.
Five years ago, Lookout set out to strengthen local journalism in Santa Cruz County, and one main focus has always been helping young people engage with trusted local news and better understand the communities they call home.
This past year, Lookout in the Classroom and our new Lookout for Teachers initiative continued to grow, creating opportunities for students and educators to engage with local journalism as a tool for civic participation, media literacy and community connection.
Expanding access to local journalism
One of the year’s biggest milestones was the launch of Lookout for Teachers.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, sponsors and community supporters, hundreds of middle and high school educators now receive free access to Lookout’s journalism, along with classroom-ready resources designed to help students connect local news with their learning.
The program reflects a simple belief: Every student deserves access to trusted information about the community in which they live – and teachers are the key.
Critical to the success – and growth – of our student and school programs is your support. All Lookout memberships help, but our new One-for-One Membership supports them best. Each membership purchase gives one membership to a local teacher! Sign up for one today, or upgrade to it, and you’ll be supporting this great work in the high schools and middle schools across Santa Cruz County.
Student voices at the center
A cornerstone of our work is ensuring students don’t simply consume journalism – they help create it. This year, students reported stories, interviewed local leaders, explored community issues and shared their perspectives through a variety of programs.
Our annual Student Journalism Scholarship saw record participation, with more than 130 students submitting profiles of local unsung heroes. Their reporting celebrated the people who strengthen Santa Cruz County every day while helping students develop skills in interviewing, research, writing and storytelling.
From personal reflections and community reporting to opinion pieces and feature stories, Student Stories provides a space where young people can contribute to local conversations and see their work published for a wider audience.
The resulting stories offered powerful reminders that young people have important perspectives to contribute to community conversations.
Journalism in action across Santa Cruz County
Throughout the school year, Lookout partnered with educators and schools across the county to bring journalism directly into classrooms.
- Students at Watsonville’s Diamond Technology Institute continued the program’s founding tradition by engaging in hands-on journalism experiences and community storytelling.
- Student journalists at Soquel High School demonstrated the power of youth reporting through thoughtful, community-centered work.
- At Santa Cruz’s Mission Hill Middle School, students combined climate science and storytelling to better understand environmental challenges affecting their region.
These partnerships illustrate how local journalism can become a bridge between classroom learning and civic engagement.
National recognition for local impact
This spring, Lookout in the Classroom earned national recognition from the American Press Institute, which highlighted our work as a model for connecting local journalism, education and civic engagement.
While the recognition was meaningful, it also served as a reminder that the program’s success belongs to our community. Teachers, students, families, donors, members and partners have all played a role in building something that extends far beyond a traditional classroom program.
Together, they have helped create opportunities for young people to become informed, engaged participants in local democracy.
Investing in the next generation
This year also brought the opportunity to work alongside an exceptional group of student interns.
Our interns contributed to classroom engagement efforts, educator outreach, content creation, research and storytelling projects throughout the year. Their curiosity, creativity and dedication strengthened our programs and enriched our newsroom.
As they conclude their internships, we invite you to read their reflections on what they learned about journalism, community engagement and the role local news can play in strengthening communities. Their experiences are a powerful reminder that investing in young people today helps shape the journalists, educators and civic leaders of tomorrow.
Looking ahead
As Lookout continues to celebrate its fifth anniversary, we’re reminded that none of this work happens alone. Every classroom visit, scholarship submission, student story and educator membership is made possible through a community that believes local journalism has a place in education.
As we prepare for the 2026-27 school year, our goals remain ambitious: reach more students, support more educators, publish more student voices and continue building meaningful connections between journalism and learning.
Thank you to every teacher, student, member, donor, sponsor and community partner who helped make this work possible.
Together, we’re not just building stronger journalism. We’re helping cultivate the next generation of informed, engaged community members.
Help us keep growing
If you believe local journalism belongs in classrooms, consider supporting Lookout’s mission. Every membership, donation and partnership helps expand opportunities for students and educators throughout our community.
