For teachers and advisers
Bring your students to BLOOM.
A free one-day field trip with three workshops, lunch and a story pitch session. BLOOM is Friday, Feb. 19, 2027, at Indiana University South Bend.
What’s included
Free for students and teachers
Students, teachers and chaperones attend at no cost. Lunch is included.
Three workshops per student
Students take one session in each track. The tracks cover environmental issues, media literacy and climate communication, and a storytelling medium (writing, photography or film).
A story pitch session
The day ends with a 3 p.m. session where students pitch story ideas to journalists and professors. The panel chooses which stories get a mentor.
Mentors after the conference
Students with selected pitches work with a mentor from YEPT, who gives feedback and edits as they finish the story.
Publication
Finished stories can run on YEPT.org and in a print magazine that is part of the 89 Percent Project, a climate journalism collaboration led by Covering Climate Now.
Time with professionals
Students meet IU faculty, journalists and environmental professionals at lunch and during an optional interview hour from 4 to 5 p.m.
Registering a school group
Teachers choose which students attend and register them as a group through Earth Charter Indiana, BLOOM’s registration partner. To bring a school that hasn’t worked with BLOOM before, contact the outreach team.
Questions from teachers
Before you bring a class
Who can attend BLOOM?
High school students from across northern Indiana, such as Elkhart, South Bend, Mishawaka and Middlebury. IU students attend as volunteers and mentors.
Do students need journalism experience?
No. Every workshop is open to beginners. Students should come with an environmental issue they care about.
How long is the day?
Check-in opens at 8:45 a.m., and the program runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. An optional interview hour follows until 5 p.m. See the full schedule.
How does registration work for schools?
Teachers choose students and register them as a group through Earth Charter Indiana on the registration page.
Does BLOOM provide transportation?
No. Please arrange a bus or other travel through your own school or organization.
What happens after the conference?
Students whose pitches are selected work with a YEPT mentor to finish their stories. Stories ready for publication can run on YEPT.org and in the 89 Percent Project print magazine.