10 Story Ideas for February, 2026
Dave Davis, director of the ASB Workshop, advised a high school newsmagazine for 34 years at Hillcrest High School. Now he is doing the same with a first-year program at Greenwood Laboratory School. He will post the “pitch meeting” the first day of each month, September - May.
AMI: Snow days used to be free days. But AMI (Alternative Method of Instruction), which is a fancy way of saying we will have class online, frustrates a lot of kids and teachers. Is it working? Do kids login and participate? How do teachers feel about AMI days? What about classes that do not translate well to online instruction? How many AMI days are allowed by your state? Lots of information to research and report.
Stay in Your Lane: Over 61,000 high school students participated in bowling during the ’24-’25 school year. Millions of dollars of scholarship money is going to high school bowlers, and the sport is often modified so anyone can participate. It’s a great indoor option, and has plenty of sound and visuals for a broadcast story. Some great info here: https://bowlingindustry.com/surge-in-high-school-bowling
This Career is Going Up: Elevator Installer/Repairer is a high-paying career that does not require four years of college. After an apprenticeship, you can earn over $100,000 a year, especially in many urban areas with more high-rise buildings. It is a job that cannot be done by AI. Check it out with someone in your area who does this for a living. I guarantee nobody asks them about what they do—and what they do is all about safety for the rest of us.
Plastics: Hollywood stars are out for award season, and it’s obvious many of them have “had work”. There are teens who have elective plastic surgery. Is it safe? Is it too soon? Find a surgeon in your area who will give good advice to those who might be considering cosmetic surgery in the near future. Here is some background: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/briefing-papers/briefing-paper-plastic-surgery-for-teenagers
January Was Especially Cold: Some notable deaths in the month of January might be worth noting. First, Sal Buscema, legendary artist for Marvel Comics, who drew the Hulk, Spiderman, and numerous other superheroes that are now famous for movies as much as for comic books. He passing is mourned here: https://comicbookmovie.com/comics/marvel-comics/sal-buscema-legendary-spectacular-spider-man-artist-has-passed-away-age-89-a226112 We also lost Catherine O’Hara at the end of the month. Considered a comic genius by many, she will forever be remembered as the mom in “Home Alone.” Another notable loss teens might note is Bob Weir, (https://bobweir.net/) one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead. His death might give teens a chance to connect to their parents or even grandparents about the Dead, and why that band was so popular despite hardly any radio exposure.
I Doth Protest: There are a number of protests happening across the U.S. right now, which suggests a cool story about the history of protest songs. Bruce Springsteen just wrote one (“Streets of Minneapolis”), but there have been so many through the years. “What’s Goin’ On?” by Marvin Gaye, “Fortunate Son” by CCR, “Blowing in the Wind” by Bob Dylan, and of course “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke. Find some of your local 60s and 70s “kids” and see which songs resonated then and now for them. You can use short clips under “Fair Use” guidelines to tell this story.
Tweens Getting Social: If you research just how old kids should be before they are allowed to use social media, experts often answer at least 13. But guess what? Almost 40% of tweens ages 8 to 12 are already on platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and Discord every day. Seems like a good topic to dig into because many in your audience will have little sisters and brothers who are starting to get social, and may lack adult supervision. There is plenty of research out there about the dangers and harms of social media for young people. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/social-media-and-mental-health-in-children-and-teens
Ready. Set. COOK! High school students with a flare for baking, cooking, and food prep have their own competitions. Culinary kids probably know about the National ProStart Invitational https://chooserestaurants.org/events/national-prostart-invitational/ but there are plenty of local state contests out there now as well. Spend a day with your culinary team and coach/teacher for a great feature about kitchen skills and competition.
Every Four Years: The Winter Olympics are back, this time from Italy. There are so many events that take place at the winter games, and some only get the spotlight during the Olympics. See what events teens are looking forward to. For fun, ask who their favorite winter Olympic athlete is. Many or most will go blank. Ask again after the games conclude and it’s likely there will be some names suddenly very familiar to everyone. Find an angle, cover the games from an afar. You only have this opportunity every four years!
Low-Rise Jeans and Cargo Pants: Yes, those are back. It seems teen fashion in 2026 is a mix of old and new. It’s a Y2K and Retro Revival, with influences from the early 2000s. Fashion stories are always a challenge because many teens just wear what they have, but you can always visit local stores that cater to that age group to see what’s hot, what’s not, in your area.