[Photo: MTV host Denise Keller taking questions on climate change from camp participants on Wednesday.]

By Eisen Teo

BUDDING journalists got a hands-on learning experience at The Straits Times Media Club Camp, with tips from newsroom editors and journalists.

This year's two-day programme, which ended yesterday, had a green theme. It included a press conference at the Singapore Press Holdings News Centre with MTV host Denise Keller on climate change, and the Young Marine Biologist Award ceremony at Underwater World Singapore (UWS).

The enrichment course is run by the broadsheet exclusively for its subscriber schools, as part of its Newspapers in Education programme. This year, there were more than 100 participants from 13 secondary schools.

Students spent the first day learning how the newspaper industry works, and getting reporting and photography tips from professionals, including Straits Times assistant news editor Chong Chee Kin. He told them: 'Observe, listen and persevere.'

And persevere they did. At the press conference with youth ambassador Keller on Wednesday, they quizzed her on whether celebrities were merely jumping on the green bandwagon, and about the challenges facing the international climate conference in Copenhagen in three weeks.

Yesterday, they directed more questions at the nine winners of the Young Marine Biologist Award. In its eighth year, the UWS-organised contest honours the best student essays and photo journals on marine conservation.

On interviewing adults, Secondary 2 student Stacy Shamini, 14, from Tanjong Katong Girls' School said: 'It's easier getting answers from them than from our juniors.'

Schools interested in subscribing to The Straits Times and its weekly publication for secondary schools, IN, can call Mr David Tan on 6319-1005 or e-mail cirschool@sph.com.sg.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.