2024-06-01T17:45:40-07:00 2023-12-31 990 2023-01-01 261522174 YOUTH JOURNALISM INTERNATIONAL INC YOUT 8606558188 30 TAYLOR STREET AUBURN ME 04210 Jackie Majerus Executive Director 8606558188 2024-06-02 Jackie Majerus 999009999 1 0 11 0 AAL2 2023 2023-04-26 12:10:37Z YOUTH JOURNALISM INTERNATIONAL Jackie Majerus 30 Taylor Street Auburn ME 04210 237397 0 X www.YouthJournalism.org X 2010 CT Youth Journalism International connects student writers, artists and photographers with peers around the globe, teaches journalism, fosters cross-cultural understanding, and promotes and defends a free youth press. Since 1994, it has offered a free education to students in two-thirds of the world's countries, including the United States. In publishing their work, YJI offers young people a platform to express their views and tell the news from their land, an opportunity that empowers young people as it educates them. It also allows people worldwide to have a keener understanding of what young people are doing, thinking and dreaming. 7 7 0 30 0 0 53801 216612 3029 16390 0 4395 0 0 56830 237397 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 552 42948 55460 42948 55460 13882 181937 144561 326498 0 0 144561 326498 X Youth Journalism International connects student writers, artists and photographers with peers around the globe, teaches journalism, fosters cross-cultural understanding, and promotes and defends a free youth press. Since 1994, it has offered a free education to students in two-thirds of the world's nations, including many in the United States. 0 0 17251 0 0 GLOBAL CLASSROOM FOR JOURNALISM EDUCATION - YJI provides, for free, daily one-on-one and group instruction in journalism, professional ethics, media literacy and the nature of news. It holds regular meetings online, where a diverse group of students, hailing from scores of countries, discuss stories and projects while learning from instructors and each other about journalism. In the process, students also develop cross-cultural understanding. Their work is published on YJI's website, empowering young people in the process. 1525 2500 5020 YJI CONTEST - YJI holds an annual journalism contest for young people that recognizes some of the best work by students 19 and under. Among the major prizes are ones for Youth Journalist of the Year and Educator of the Year, along with awards for both the best commentary and news story. With more than three dozen categories, the contest aims to foster a strong youth journalism community worldwide, beyond YJI's own program. 32828 10000 8870 YJI TOGETHER - YJI holds annual global conferences and as many regional events as possible so that students get to know each other in person and learn directly from instructors. To the degree possible, YJI helps low-income students attend. YJI also encourages students to seek more education and use their skills to help build a better world. 0 0 0 SHOWCASING STUDENT WORK - A new program, not yet instituted. 0 0 0 51604 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 7 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 X X Jackie Majerus 8606558188 30 Taylor Street Auburn ME 04210 X Jackie Majerus Executive Director 65 1 X X 0 0 0 Steve Collins Board President 30 0 X X 0 0 0 Arooj Khalid Board Member 8 0 X 0 0 0 Mike Soltys Board member 2 0 X 0 0 0 Shaina Zurlin Board member 2 0 X 0 0 0 Cassie Lloyd Perrin Board member 2 0 X 0 0 0 Regina Lopez Board member 8 0 X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 216612 0 216612 YJI Contest 900099 7520 7520 0 0 YJI Together 900099 8870 8870 0 0 0 0 0 0 16390 4395 4395 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 237397 20785 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1503 951 0 552 2184 2184 0 0 10396 10029 367 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7341 7341 0 0 0 0 0 0 31099 31099 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1225 0 1225 0 Van repairs 1712 0 1712 0 55460 51604 3304 552 X 144561 47293 0 279205 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 144561 326498 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 144561 326498 0 0 0 0 144561 326498 144561 326498 181937 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 X 25561 27363 46780 53801 216612 370117 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25561 27363 46780 53801 216612 370117 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 370117 0 0 0 0 4395 4395 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4395 4395 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25561 27363 46780 53801 221007 374512 0.98826 1 0.01174 0 X Schedule A, Part II, Line 10 Youth Journalism International did not file a full 990 in 2022 so we do not have the requested figures. This is the first year that YJI has been required to file a full 990. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Form 990, Header, Line A Youth Journalism International is committed to transparency. If anyone has questions, it is happy to answer them. To learn more about YJI, check out its website at www.YouthJournalism.org. The "About Us" section provides background information and links to key documents, including this 990, the first one YJI has been required to file. Previously, its revenues were low that it could, and did, file the equivalent of a postcard to the IRS. Form 990, Part III, Line 4a Youth Journalism International typically has about 100 active students at a time. It receives about two applications a day but can only accept a fraction of them. It aims in that selection process to ensure a diverse group of keenly interested newcomers, but it's always painful that so many students who are eager to join are unable to do so. YJI hopes that as funding rises, it can bring in many more students. Form 990, Part III, Line 4b While YJI does not charge students anything to participate in its Global Classroom for Journalism Education, it cannot do the same for its in-person YJI Together program, which requires money for air travel, lodging, food and more. Fortunately, YJI has attracted grants and contributions to cover the cost for some students to attend for free or at reduced rates. But some students, whose families can afford it, have paid modest fees towards covering their own costs. YJI would be thrilled if donations made it possible for YJI to bring everyone possible together without charging anyone, but at this point at least, that is not an option. YJI does its best for everyone. Form 990, Part III, Line 4c The YJI Contest program is the only journalism contest it knows about that waives its already low fees for students who cannot afford to pay to enter their work. That is in keeping with YJI's desire to provide every student with an opportunity regardless of their family income or status. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 2 The board president, Steve Collins, is married to Jackie Majerus, YJI's executive director. She is also a board member. Both have served entirely as volunteers since YJI's creation. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b All members of YJI's board were given drafts of the 990 in April 2024. They reviewed it for several weeks before approving it in May 2024. Copies of the forms and all of the data used to compile answers remain available among the Board's online, internal documents. The Board discusses financial data related to the 990 at all of its monthly meetings and at any finance committee sessions. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c All of YJI's spending is reviewed by Board members regularly and all of it is available at any time. Since YJI, to date, has not paid anyone for their work, there is little chance of any conflict of interest. Its spending is recorded in detail and, aside from identifying student names, is available for review. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 YJI policies and finances are available on its website. It also provides this information to anyone who asks. Form 990, Part VII, Section B, Line 2 Youth Journalism International, whose roots go back to 1994, has been able to prosper because of its committed volunteers, including its executive director, its board of directors, the judges for its contest and many journalism professionals and YJI alumni. Its finances don't begin to capture the breadth of its activities or its impact. YJI wants to use this formal document to thank all the people who make this nonprofit so valuable. YJI could not do anything without their generosity and help. Form 990, Part X, Line 16 Youth Journalism International has a Prudent Reserve Policy in place that calls for an initial allocation of $200,000 to keep in reserve for emergency or one-time opportunities. Its goal is to ensure as well that YJI has the money to support its normal operations for at least 18 months without relying on any outside resources. Moreover, with an eye toward the future, YJI has long been trying to put aside extra cash so that it can begin to pay its personnel. In the long run, YJI is aware that it cannot rely on the zeal of its founders, who have been working long hours for years as volunteers. Having a financial cushion in place to help propel YJI from an all-volunteer workforce to one that has at least some paid employees or independent contractors is a clear necessity to move to long-term stabiity. We filed a form on May 14, 2024 indicating this filing would be late. We had completed it on a fillable PDF, but did not realize we needed to go through an online vendor to file it this year. As quickly as we could file it properly, we did.