Students learn to identify, debunk online misinformation
BUTLER TWP — Over 100 students from four school districts learned about identifying and fact-checking misinformation they might encounter on social media sites and assumed the role of journalists at a mock news conference.
On Monday, March 9, students from Butler Area, Seneca Valley, Knoch and Pine-Richland school districts participated in the Butler Eagle’s second annual Student Journalism Summit at Butler County Community College.
Identifying fake, viral information and photos, some created through AI, learning to fact-check and understanding emotions that make people vulnerable to misinformation was the subject of a presentation from keynote speaker Peter Adams of the News Literacy Project.
The News Literacy Project is a nonpartisan Washington, D.C., organization that aims to teach news literacy to all students in the country before they graduate to prepare them to think critically and independently as active members of society.
“Bad actors create fakes on the heels of major events,” Adams said. “Our emotions make us vulnerable.”
Recent examples include photos of burning buildings and other scenes purportedly from the United States’ and Israel’s military attack on Iran and counterattacks in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
“A lot of viral fakes are circulating,” Adams said.
One of his examples was a video of a purported fire at a CIA headquarters building in Dubai. The video actually was a fire at an apartment building in Dubai, he said.
A purported photo of people searching for the body of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after he was killed in an attack was found to be fake because shadows are cast in several directions and people are seen standing on top of the debris.
OpenAI’s Sora app places blurry watermarks on videos and photos to indicate authenticity.
“People smudge them out to make fakes look real,” Adams said.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, a variety of fake comments using AI generated voices were attributed to former Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, who defeated her to become president for a second term, he said.
The famous photo of Trump after he was injured by a sniper at his July 2024 campaign rally in Butler County was altered by AI to place six fingers on one of his hands, Adams said. Fake messages are added to T-shirts people wear at political rallies, he said.
Money often is the motive behind creating fake content.
“They want a huge number of followers. They sell the account,” Adams said.
Hans Meijer, a senior at Pine-Richland High School, said he was surprised to learn the extent of fakes in social media and how fakes are used.
“You think you know, but you don’t know as much as you think you know,” Hans said.
Jacob Hadley, a Pine-Richland sophomore, said he will now scrutinize what he sees online.
“It opened my mind about how much is fake. I’m going to use caution with what I see on the internet — look deeper at what I see on my phone,” Jacob said.
Leticia Harshman, a Pine-Richland High School teacher who brought 10 students to the summit, said the presentation demonstrated how quickly AI is evolving.
“Everything we’re learning about AI is happening so fast. It’s good to keep up with it,” Harshman said. “Anything to increase literacy about AI is valuable.”
Beau Gilliland, a seventh-grade student at Butler Intermediate High School, said he appreciated learning how to identify fake information. He said he wrote an article about AI as his youth and government project at the YMCA.
Bryce Schreffler, an eighth-grade student at the intermediate school, said he found the AI presentation very helpful in detecting fake information.
Ryan Rydzewski of The Grable Foundation, one of the summit sponsors, said the students were enthusiastic about the AI presentation and the news conference.
“Young people are at the heart of using this technology,” Rydzewski said. “It’s fun to watch them encouraging each other. When we have students pushing each other, it’s a valuable tool.”
In addition to the AI presentation and news conference, the summit included breakout sessions in which groups of students learned about different aspects of journalism from WPXI-TV news journalist Lisa Sylvester, WBUT/WLER radio broadcaster Bob Cupp, Butler Radio Network news director and operations manager Tyler Friel, Butler Eagle sports journalist Derek Pyda, Butler Eagle lead photographer Rob McGraw, Butler Eagle “Alter Eagle” podcaster Laura Crago, Butler Eagle interim managing editor Tracy Leturgey and retired Butler Eagle managing editor Donna Sybert.
“The Student Journalism Summit began last March after a discussion involved a few of us from the Butler Eagle, Brian White and others from his team at the Butler Area School District,” Leturgey said. “We set out to introduce students to journalism in an intentional way, and since then our efforts to reach students have ballooned.
“This school year, our former managing editor Donna Sybert brought education around journalism to Karns City, Butler Area, Knoch and Seneca Valley classrooms with several in-classroom trainings. We then invited even more of our area school districts to participate in the second annual Student Journalism Summit. Four were able to send students — Butler, Knoch, Seneca Valley and Pine-Richland.”
She said she enjoyed seeing students learn about the spread of information and how to navigate it.
“In a breakout session I led, I spoke about breaking news and the fact-checking process that goes into it,” she said. “We worked through three real examples of breaking news before I asked students to guide me through how they’d cover a mock breaking news scenario.
“I very much enjoyed seeing how they worked through the scenario, deciding what to include in early reports, how they could verify information and adjusting their reports as I shared more information with them.”
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Seneca Valley student Carson Lesli attends a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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WPXI-TV News Journalist Lisa Sylvester leads a breakout session about broadcast journalism during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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WPXI-TV News Journalist Lisa Sylvester leads a breakout session about broadcast journalism during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students attend a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students attend a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students attend a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Donna Sybert holds up a pair of student press passes during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley student Giulia Pologruto attends a breakout session during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students attend a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students enjoy a lunch break during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students attend a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students attend a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students sign up for breakout sessions during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Steve Cicero, “The History Hobo,” talks with students during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle Lead Photographer Rob McGraw leads a breakout session during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Radio News Director Tyler Friel leads a breakout session on radio broadcasting during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students pose for a photo with copies of the Butler Eagle during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students work on solving a scavenger hunt during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students receive press credentials from Donna Sybert during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students work on solving a scavenger hunt during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students enjoy a lunch break during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler County Sheriff Mike Slupe helps run a mock news conference during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle Sports Reporter Derek Pyda leads a breakout session during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students snack on doughnuts during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Tricia Pritchard with Butler County Community College speaks during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students work on solving a scavenger hunt during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students listen to Laura Crago’s breakout session about podcast production during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle Publisher Tammy Schuey speaks during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students work on solving a scavenger hunt during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Peter Adams, senior vice president of the News Literacy Project, hosts a breakout session during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle Publisher Tammy Schuey speaks during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students work on solving a scavenger hunt during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle Interim Managing Editor Tracy Leturgey speaks during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Rylie Bachelor asks a question as part of a mock news conference during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Butler Eagle’s Laura Crago leads a breakout session about podcasting during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Butler Eagle’s Laura Crago leads a breakout session about podcasting during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle Sports Reporter Derek Pyda leads a breakout session during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Intermediate High School student Jazmyn Dove asks a question as part of a mock press conference during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Intermediate High School student Maks Cousins looks for clues to solving a scavenger hunt in a copy of the Butler Eagle during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Pine Richland student Hans Meijei asks a question as part of a mock press conference during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Knoch student Alexa Johnson, center, looks for clues to solving a scavenger hunt in a copy of the Butler Eagle during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Intermediate School student Jazmyn Dove asks a question during a breakout session as part of a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Intermediate School student Itzel Garcia-Gonzalez asks a question as part of a mock news conference during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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City of Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy helps run a mock news conference during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Students read news releases about a fake criminal investigation before a mock news conference during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Peter Adams, senior vice president of the News Literacy Project, holds a lecture about navigating AI misinformation during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Peter Adams, senior vice president of the News Literacy Project, holds a lecture about navigating AI misinformation during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Radio News Director Tyler Friel leads a breakout session on radio broadcasting during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Intermediate High School students Kole Rea, left, and Maks Cousins, right, work on solving a scavenger hunt during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Peter Adams, senior vice president of the News Literacy Project, holds a lecture about navigating AI misinformation during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Peter Adams, senior vice president of the News Literacy Project, holds a lecture about navigating AI misinformation during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Radio News Director Tyler Friel leads a breakout session on radio broadcasting during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle Interim Managing Editor Tracy Leturgey helps students sign up for breakout sessions during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler Eagle Interim Managing Editor Tracy Leturgey leads a breakout session about breaking news coverage during a Student Journalism Seminar at Butler County Community College on Monday, March 9, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
