I've always been interested in journalism - writing, in particular. When I was in high school, I wrote for the school newsletter, but graduating left a kind of writing void in my life that I was eager to fill! I found YJI by chance, through a Google search for "young journalists" or something similar, earlier this year. And since then, there has been no looking back. Youth Journalism International was founded and is run by Jackie Majerus and Steve Collins, who are dedicated to finding journalistic talent in the world, and helping young writers and photographers hone this talent. The freedom that they give volunteers in terms of content is extraordinary - you can write about what you like, or you can consider their suggestions, OR you can take up specific assignments that they might have to offer (an instance that I remember is that of interviewing 3 young men, early in their college years, who were cycling across America to promote education in Zambia). This means that, as a volunteer with YJI, not only are you given the opportunity to write (or take photographs), but you are also allowed to choose your own subject matter! As a result, YJI has been successful in creating a myriad of writing styles and ideas from all over the world, that converge, under Jackie and Steve's mentor ship into vibrant and dynamic teen journalism.