Communications

Young people today are the communication leaders of tomorrow. Communication Explorer Posts teach America's youth about the world of communication and potential communication careers. Through hands-on learning experiences, Explorer posts are inspiring our future reporters, producers, directors, and many others.

Communications Exploring is designed to meet the needs of youth interested in communications, colleges and universities that offer above average communications curricula, and companies that employ communications graduates.

Help us mold the bright future of communications.


Online Resource Catalog

What Is Exploring?

Exploring is Learning for Life's career education program for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) or 15 to 20 years old. Adults are selected by the participating organization for involvement in the program. Color, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, economic status, or citizenship is not criteria for participation.

Exploring's purpose is to provide experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Explorers are ready to investigate the meaning of interdependence in their personal relationships and communities.

Exploring is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth and the organizations in their communities. Local community organizations initiate an Explorer post by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people in the community. The result is a program of activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow, and develop.

"Exploring gave me the chance to get a firsthand look at my area of interest at an early age. In my case, I fell in love with broadcasting and decided to follow that path for my career as an adult. With so many options—both good and bad—for young people in today's world, I feel the Exploring program is needed now more than ever."
—Anne Jansen, news anchor
KTHV-TV, Little Rock, Arkansas
 
"The Advisors/mentors benefit from having a sense of doing good for the community. Giving someone the opportunity to do good is a real gift. There is no better feeling than to do something for a young person; it's better than winning the lottery. The (Exploring) program is also good for kids; something magical happens when a young person has a goal in life. They become more focused in their schoolwork and become more productive citizens in their communities."
—David J. Lipson, president and publisher
Philadelphia Magazine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 
"For more than 30 years, Capitol Broadcasting Company has provided an opportunity for young people to be a part of the communication industry. Many Post 5 participants have become successful employees of our company and many other broadcast companies. Post 50 has recently been formed with the Durham Bulls, and they are provided a live, closed-circuit broadcast, as well as a live broadcast, which provides training for post members. We are proud of our tradition of training young people for future leadership."
—Jim Goodmon, president and CEO
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina
 
"12WKRC has always been a great supporter of the Explorers; it's a wonderful program that offers so much to today's youth and provides a great way to educate young people about career opportunities within the communications industry."
—Christopher Sehring, vice president and general manager
WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, Ohio
 
"Experts say very often that a young person's perspective on their own opportunities in life is bounded by what they see of the people living in the four square blocks around their home. The Exploring program provides an invaluable opportunity for young people to access professionals and work environments otherwise outside that realm. The gift is that it teaches them what is possible, and what it takes to build their dreams. When we help awaken the intellect and imagination of individuals, we help them build a positive future for themselves, and ultimately a better community for all of us."
—Dayna Eubanks, anchor and reporter
WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, Ohio
 
"Being the Advisor of our Exploring post has been hugely rewarding. To see the look on young people's faces when they fully understand an aspect of our business is unbelievable. It has soaked in, resulting in them wanting to learn more and more."
—Jesse Dunbar, graphic designer
WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, Ohio

Everyone Wins With Exploring

Exploring will be one of the best opportunities you offer your company, your employees, and the youth of your community.

Company Benefits

  • Impact on the education process of youth
  • Team-building attitude within the company
  • Opportunity to interpret adult occupational roles for youth
  • Preparing young adults for transition from school to work
  • Offering a secure place for the healthy development of adolescents
  • Developing future responsible and caring adults
  • Ensuring that young people see how your business relates to the free-enterprise system
  • Helping young adults gain insight into the ethics and ideals of business
  • Visible commitment to the welfare of your community

Employee Benefits

  • Greater job awareness
  • Developing leadership and problem-solving skills
  • Re-evaluating ethical and moral values
  • Opportunity for greater community involvement
  • Respect from youth and community
  • Identification as appropriate adult role models
  • Enhancing communication, planning, and program development skills
  • Greater commitment to service
  • Developing interpersonal skills used in the workplace and elsewhere

Youth Benefits

  • Stimulated interest in continual education
  • Career information; insight into future vocation
  • Positive alternative to negative youth activities, such as drug abuse and involvement with gangs
  • Sense of acceptance and belonging to the "right" group
  • Safe environment for adultlike activities
  • Opportunities to participate in practical, real, and meaningful hands-on experiences
  • New career and personal skills
  • Opportunities to try leadership roles and develop skills
  • Cooperative relationship between adults and youth
  • Service to others

The Communications Exploring program is nationally supported by businesses and organizations, including ...

  • Hewlett-Packard Company
  • Intellicom, Inc.
  • Netscape Communications
  • Women in Communications
  • Public Relations Society of America
  • International Association of Business Communicators
  • Broadcast Education Association
  • National Association of Broadcasters
  • National Press Photographers Association, Inc.
Exploring's Five Areas of Emphasis


Career Opportunities

  • Developing potential contacts that may broaden employment options
  • Boosting self-confidence and experiencing success at school and work

Citizenship

  • Encouraging the skill and desire to help others
  • Gaining a keen respect for the basic rights of others

Leadership Experience

  • Developing leadership skills to fulfill our responsibilities in society
  • Providing exposure to different leadership traits

Life Skills

  • Developing physical and mental fitness
  • Experiencing positive social interaction

Character Education

  • Helping make ethical choices
  • Fulfilling one's responsibility to society as a whole

Resources

For more information about Communications Exploring, review the following material: