Students write next chapter in Free Press media literacy project By: Melissa Martin Posted: 5:20 PM CDT Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025

Manitoba educators and students have a new toolkit to help prepare youth to navigate the tumultuous media world.

On Wednesday, Education Minister Tracy Schmidt, along with delegates from the Winnipeg School Division and the Winnipeg Free Press, formally launched the Media Literacy Resource, an innovative website and teacher-designed learning platform.

First announced in May, the project was developed by a partnership between the provincial education department, the Free Press, and the Winnipeg School Division. The project also received funding from the Winnipeg Foundation. It aims to help students think critically about information, learn how to identify trustworthy sources, and gain hands-on experience by creating their own journalism.

The project marked its public launch with a news conference at Earl Grey School, where many kindergarten to Grade 8 students are in the second year of creating their own monthly newspaper, the Earl Grey Press. (Stay tuned for a deeper look at their effort — and how teachers hope it helps them improve their media literacy skills — in Saturday’s Free Press.)

“I’m really excited about this launch because it really marks another step to empowering kids as informed citizens, as deep thinkers and critical thinkers of our world, and as confident communicators,” said WSD assistant superintendent Shelley Warkentin, speaking to an audience that included many of the young Earl Grey Press reporters.

“It really marks another step to empowering kids as informed citizens, as deep thinkers and critical thinkers of our world, and as confident communicators.”

Through the Media Literacy Resource website at winnipegfreepress.com/education, students and teachers will find guides to study media literacy, and create their own student journalism. Student stories from across the province will be shared on the site, with the potential of some being published in the Free Press.

The first phase of the project, which includes news-building resources for student newspapers, went live to educators across the province this week. Other modules, including bundled teaching resources and a micro-credential program for educators, will be rolled out over the next year.

“I feel like it’s a really good idea, because there have been cases of some people not knowing what to trust,” says 12-year-old River, one of the young Earl Grey Press reporters. He pointed to something Free Press editor Paul Samyn said at the launch, about how the computers of previous generations had a fraction of the power of today’s smartphones.

That comes with immense opportunity, he knows — but also, greater risk.

“So this (Media Literacy Resource) is really good so people don’t end up with false information.”

“This (Media Literacy Resource) is really good so people don’t end up with false information.”

As proof, perhaps, that first-hand experience creating journalism helps build confidence, some of the Earl Grey Press kids eagerly spoke up at the news conference to question Schmidt about goals for the resource, along with other local education topics.

“We know that kids are very smart, but it’s also our job as your government, as your teachers, as your school, and as your community to help you become smarter, and safer, and more responsible when you’re using technology and reading news online,” Schmidt told them.

“We want you to feel confident that when you’re learning and when you’re sharing, when you’re talking about what’s happening in the world today, that you have the skills to do that. So this is a very exciting day, but guess what? This is just the beginning.”

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca