Help us amplify Louisville student journalism!

On the Record Magazine is the only journalism by and for youth in Louisville. This magazine, which is published twice a year by a staff of forty 15-18 year olds, currently has 48 pages with a press run of 1700 copies. These are distributed free in local coffee shops, stores, colleges and via teachers interested in using our work for instruction in the classroom. 



We also publish our content online at On the Record Magazine , but not every kid or classroom has the technology to reach it. And, unfortunately, there aren’t enough copies for everyone who wants one. On the Record usually disappears in stores after a single day, and the demand is so high that the staff can only reserve a few copies for each teacher who wants them for their classrooms. Currently, OTR is a small journalism operation, but we want to make On the Record as widely known in this city as Louisville Magazine or the LEO. 

It’s fast and easy to help us reach our goal. Offer what you can, even if it’s just a dollar. 



Let us explain why we are so passionate about this. We see journalism and our mission to reach younger Americans critical to the preservation of democracy and developing a more tolerant society, especially at this moment. OTR breaks down complex topics for Louisville youth, like the plight of local refugees, the challenges facing LGBTQ youth, and the history of Louisville housing segregation. With OTR, we are able to tell stories that matter and help other students care. The publication is real journalism — it has been awarded repeatedly by our national associations. Since its start in 2015, OTR journalists have won every national top prize in scholastic journalism possible, including the NSPA Pacemaker, the CSPA Gold Crown, the Brasler Prize, and Story of the Year. 



Your donation makes it possible for On the Record to make the jump this year from 48 to 84 pages and from 1700 copies to 5000 copies. As On the Record becomes more widely known and draws more sponsors, we hope we can continue to expand to 20,000 copies or more with distribution in every youth-friendly business. We hope our staff can deliver class sets to every teacher hoping to engage students in journalism or learn more about issues that affect them. 



Journalism is not dead — it’s just evolving. We are a part of the evolution. We hope you’ll join us in making our mission of bringing more thought-provoking stories to thousands of youth a reality.