Representatives from General Motors and Weber Shandwick Detroit meet with students from King and CMA to develop skills in public relations.
King and Communication & Media Arts high schools were selected this school year to work with General Motors (GM) and Weber Shandwick Detroit Public Relations Academy.
This is the first year Detroit schools will participate in the academy to teach students skills in public relations by working on an actual ad campaign. This program will serve as a feeder into Michigan State University’s public relations program.
“I did a lot of public relations before I started working as a teacher,” said King’s public relations adviser Monique Guest. “We were really interested, so I thought this would be great for students.”
Students from the high schools are learning the goals and steps of creating a full campaign from writing video scripts and press releases to developing social content. They’re forming a social circle and as the students come together their campaign will continue to develop.
“I used to work with high school journalists throughout Detroit Public Schools and Detroit Free Press,” said Emiliana Sandoval, chief copy editor at GM. “I think it’s really fun to show the next generation how they can make their voice heard and enter this exciting field.”
For students, this is a learning opportunity because it gives them a chance to work with people who are in the public relations field.
“I feel like the program is good because it teaches us what people do on social media and how the people promote their businesses to others,” said King senior Daja Collins.
Weber Shandwick Detroit believes the academy will not only help students learn more about careers in public relations, but it will also assist students with writing skills and presentations.
“We will be presenting at every session from now until the end of the year, so we’ll help students learn how to write, how to present themselves to a client, and create a campaign,” Sandoval said.
