Out-of-school time programs are making a huge difference in young people’s lives, and our community needs to hear about them. Currently, four in five Richmond youth are missing out on afterschool and summer programs.
Press releases are an affordable, efficient way to share your program’s achievements, events, and milestones with local media, building visibility and credibility for your organization and raising awareness of your program. By following a few best practices, OST providers can increase the likelihood that local newspapers, radio stations, and online outlets will cover their stories.
Start by Identifying Your Story
Media outlets want stories that matter to their audience.
This could include:
- New program launches or community partnerships
- Student achievements and program data
- Awards and recognition
- Impactful events
The key is to focus on why it matters and pad your story with testimonials and data.
Examples of stories to pitch:
- A robotics competition at your summer STEM camp demonstrates innovation and youth skill-building, while an initiative reducing chronic absenteeism highlights a pressing community need.
- Your program is hosting an outreach event in a specific service area, and you’re expecting a large turnout.
- Your organization or students in your program received a statewide award for a piece of art they created in your program.
- Your school year program now extends to the summer through a new funding opportunity or partnership, and you’re now able to serve an additional X number of youth.
Writing an Effective Press Release
A strong press release:
- Starts with a clear, engaging headline that quickly conveys the main story.
- Has an opening paragraph that answers: Who, What, When, Where, and Why?
- Provides context and human interest, like quotes from program staff, participants, or community partners to give the story a personal touch.
- Speaks about people and community service with dignity.
- Ends with a boilerplate paragraph about your organization, including your mission and contact information, so reporters can easily reach you for follow-up.
- Can be written on one page if possible, and written in the third person to maintain a professional tone.
- Includes photos (but make sure you have consent to share them).
Research press release examples and use outlines like this:
[Headline (one line) – Example: Richmond Youth Learn CPR and Mentorship Skills in Local Afterschool Program]
[City, State – Month, Day, Year]
[Lead Paragraph – 2–3 sentences that answer the 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why]
[Body Paragraphs – 2–3 paragraphs that detail the program/event/achievement, stories and quotes, data and milestones, and additional context.]
[Boilerplate – 1 short paragraph that describes your organization, mission, and services]
[Media Contact – include your name, title, phone number, and email address]
Timing and Distribution
Send press releases well in advance (one to two weeks ahead of time). You can follow up with them a few days before (and even after) the event.
If you don’t have established relationships with reporters, start by submitting your press release to the general newsroom, contact form, or tipline/email. Then, do some research and follow up with individual reporters from the outlet that cover education, youth, or local events.
If you have reached out to individual reporters in the past, reach out to them first.
Local news outlets include:
- Print / Digital Media
- Richmond Times-Dispatch — Richmond’s major daily newspaper.
- Richmond Free Press — Weekly paper with strong coverage of community and civic issues.
- Richmond Magazine — Lifestyle and regional culture.
- The Richmonder – Local and nonprofit news site focused on the City of Richmond.
- RVA Magazine — Focus on culture, arts, and grassroots community stories.
- Style Weekly — Alternative weekly (arts, events, local commentary).
- Richmond Grid — Community-focused outlet, especially on sustainability and civic news.
- Daily Richmond — Newsletter-style hyperlocal news and “positive, impactful” stories in the Richmond community.
- VPM – To report a news tip or suggestion or to contact the VPM News team, email our newsroom at tips@vpm.org.
- Axios Richmond — Data-driven stories, specific to Richmond.
- TV / Broadcast/ Digital:
Building Relationships with Local Media
Consistent engagement with local media can help you build relationships with reporters over time.
Share updates, photos, and success stories, and invite reporters to visit programs or attend virtual events. By building trust and familiarity, you increase the chances that your stories will be picked up.
Leveraging Press Coverage
Once your story is published, amplify it!
Share articles on social media, in newsletters, and on your website. Highlight earned media in donor reports and community updates to demonstrate your program’s impact. Track which stories gain the most attention, and use that insight to guide future press releases.
Press releases are a simple yet powerful tool for OST programs to share their successes and connect with the community. By identifying compelling stories, crafting clear and concise releases, and fostering relationships with local media, providers can extend their reach, attract support, and shine a light on the transformative work happening after school and in summer programs.
