Sedro-Woolley High School’s AP Lang students took the day off from school on March 12 to participate in a media literacy conference organized by the University of Washington, taking the opportunity to learn from the Information School’s media professionals. 

The Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington hosted the 2024 Misinfo day – an annual event that began in 2019 focused on educating high school students about the impact of misinformation and navigating safely through engagement-bait infested feeds. 

“This was a chance for SWHS students to see how their knowledge fits into the larger media literacy conversation, one which is increasingly important as more of our information is digital,” said English Teacher Linsey Kitchens.

The Information School’s Misinfo Day is one of the few programs in the nation promoting the education of media literacy among high school students. This year’s event was attended by over 500 students from around the Seattle area. Students attended informative, interactive sessions, differentiating between real and AI generated images and cracking down on online rumors. 

Sedro-Woolley students were sharp at recognizing misinformation, proved by their win in an escape room session, one of the more popular events. 

“Our amazing, savvy, articulate SWHS students were interviewed by the Washington Post and KUOW,” said Kitchens. The escape room winners were also included in a national story by NPR about the event. 

Sedro-Woolley AP Lang and Honors 10 english classes have implemented a unit on media literacy and the importance of engaging with information critically, and it is such classes and programs like Misinfo Day that are a valuable step toward leaving students tech savvy and prepared to curate helpful digital landscapes.