With $15 million in grants since 2000 to the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation, Ball State University and George Washington University, the foundation's initiative has aimed to strengthen interest in journalism and the importance of the First Amendment among young Americans. It hopes to increase the number of students of color going into journalism; the number of student media outlets; the number of well-trained journalism teachers; and the First Amendment and news literacy of students.

The initiative targets a diverse student population. It has three components:

• The Journalism Partnerships program encourages newspapers and electronic media to team up with high schools or school districts to launch student media outlets or improve existing ones.
• Five accredited universities conduct summer training institutes for teachers and administrators.
• www.highschooljournalism.org provides an array of information to students, teachers, and others interested in journalism, the role of journalism in a democracy and the First Amendment. My.highschooljournalism.org provides free web hosting for schools that want to start an online newspaper.