Newssite of Contra Costa County student Journalism

CC Spin

CC Spin

CC Spin

About

CCSPIN AND CONTRA COSTA YOUTH JOURNALISM

CCSpin is the website of Contra Costa Youth Journalism, a collaborative effort involving educational institutions and professional news organizations dedicated to expanding opportunities for Contra Costa County high school students to share stories about their schools and communities. This initiative seeks to furnish Contra Costa County residents with pertinent and practical local news and information.

For the Fall-Spring 2025-2026 program, 15 students representing 9 Contra Costa County high schools were selected for the program as reporters in August 2025. In September, they began reporting and writing on a variety of news subjects relevant to their schools and local communities under the guidance of the CCYJ editorial team, which is composed of Bay Area news professionals and educators. These stories are also published on Local News Matters and made available to local news organizations. 

The students have received lessons on reporting and writing news articles, including techniques for researching reliable information, conducting interviews, and structuring their stories. They have been introduced to the

(L-R BACK) Editor and writing coach Brian Barr, Rhea Pallerla a sophomore at Heritage High School in Brentwood, Vi Nguyen a junior at Dozier-Libby Medical High School in Antioch, Jennifer Alas Molina a sophomore at Northgate High School in Concord, Nikayla Conner a senior at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Rachel Ross a junior at El Cerrito High School in El Cerrito, Chioma Onyema a senior at California High School in San Ramon, Jonathan Martinez a sophomore at Deer Valley High School in Antioch, Senior Editor and Writing Coach Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig (L-R MIDDLE) editor and writing coach Marshall Grodin, Jasmine Morales a junior at Liberty School in Brentwood, Maame-Abena Dwumfuoh a junior at Dozier-Libby Medical High School in Antioch, Christopher Larsen-Bailey a sophomore at El Cerrito High School in El Cerrito, Westley Burnham a sophomore at El Cerrito High School in El Cerrito, Julian Reynosoa a junior at Liberty School in Brentwood, Benjamin (Ben) Barba-Zuniga a senior at California High School in San Ramon, editor and writing coach Katie St. Clair, (L-R FRONT) Editor and writing coach Momo Chang, Jayden McKenzie a junior at Deer Valley High School in Antioch, Keerthi Eraniyan a junior at California High School in San Ramon, Mya Eifler a sophomore at San Ramon Valley High School in San Ramon, Emma Mayta Canales a senior at Deer Valley High School in Antioch, Ishita Khanna a junior at Heritage High School in Brentwood, Mischa Caluma a senior at Mt. Diablo High School in Concord and editor and writing coach Bernadette Fay during the Contra Costa Youth Journalism (CCYJ) first training workshop for the new and retuning young journalists at the Contra Costa County Office of Education in Pleasant Hill, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (Ray Saint Germain)

importance of a free press and the First Amendment, ethical considerations in journalism, and the incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion into news coverage. 

In addition, three students who completed a previous CCYJ program were named correspondents.

The program was made possible through generous support from the Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, the Contra Costa County Office of Education, and Bay City News Foundation. 

Research indicates that high school students who study journalism or participate in their school newspaper or yearbook achieve strong academic results that persist into college. Involvement in journalism also provides a creative outlet for students to exercise critical thinking, writing, communication and design skills.  Furthermore, professional news organizations are increasingly turning to student journalists to help provide much-needed community news coverage. Local news plays a vital role in fostering community engagement and addressing political polarization, with youth journalists making significant contributions to this effort. 

CCYJ/CCSpin Staff

Bruce Koon is a program director for Contra Costa Youth Journalism in Contra Costa County, California, and mentors college and high school journalism students and mid-career journalists. He a senior fellow at the University of Southern California Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy and a member of Pro News Coaches, a network of former Wall Street Journal editors and reporters assisting local news organizations. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig, Senior Editor/Writing Coach

Brian Barr, Writing Coach

John Bashor, Writing Coach

Aly Brown, Writing Coach

Momo Chang, Writing Coach

Bernadette Fay, Writing Coach

Marshall Grodin, Writing Coach

Dick Rogers, Writing Coach

Raymond Saint Germain, Photo Editor/Mentor

Katy St. Clair, Writing Coach

Blanca Torres, Writing Coach

Sherman Turntine, Copy Editor

CCYJ Collaboration Representatives

Kat Rowlands, President of Bay City News Servicen (BCNF); Executive Director, Bay City News Foundation, and Editorial Director, LocalNewsMatters.org. BCNF is CCYJ’s fiscal sponsor.

Marcus Walton, Director of Communications and Special Projects, Contra Costa County Office of Education

Stephen O’Donoghue, California Scholastic Journalism Initiative and Coordinator/Writing Coach, Student Education Reporter/Sacramento School Beat

Fall-Spring 2025-2026 CCYJ Student Reporters

  • Jennifer Alas Molina (Northgate HS)
  • Benjamin Barba-Zuniga (California HS)
  • Westley Burnham (El Cerrito HS)
  • Mischa Caluma (Mt. Diablo HS)
  • Shaurya Chauhan (California HS)
  • Maame-Abena Dwumfuoh (Dozier Libbey Medical HS)
  • Mya Eifler (San Ramon Valley HS)
  • Christoper Laursen-Bailey (El Cerrito HS)
  • Jonathan Martinez (Deer Valley HS)
  • Jayden Mckenzie (Deer Valley HS)
  • Vi Nguyen (Dozier Libbey Medical HS)
  • Chioma Onyema (California HS)
  • ShraddhaGouri Pallerla (Heritage HS)
  • Severo Reynoso (Liberty HS)
  • Rachel Ross (El Cerrito HS)

Fall-Spring 2025-2026 CCYJ Correspondents

  • Emma Mayta Canales (Deer Valley HS)
  • Keerthi Eraniyan (California HS)
  • Ishita Khanna (Heritage HS)

Fall-Spring 2025-2026 CCYJ Contributors

  • Mansi Swaminathan (California HS)

For inquiries, contact [email protected]

ETHICAL GUIDELINES

Our youth journalism program adheres to the four principles of ethical journalism as described by the Society of Professional Journalism:

  • Seek Truth and Report It
  • Minimize Harm
  • Act Independently
  • Be Accountable and Transparent

Special consideration for youth journalism

While professional journalists are expected to maintain strict objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, high school journalism operates within a different context. Transparency about potential biases or conflict of interest is still important, and we ask our student journalists to disclose their involvement in a particular topic or event to maintain transparency and accountability. Then we discuss with them their ability to maintain objectivity in their reporting. We believe that reporting occasionally on topics in which they participate provides students with an opportunity to learn about ethical journalism practices, including how to navigate potential conflicts of interest and maintain journalistic integrity. We ask them to minimize their involvement in such instances and avoid visible active participation. 

We are a member of the Journalism Education Association. 

If you have questions or concerns about a particular story, please contact [email protected].