The story behind our work

“The Great State of Wilkes” is the 16th annual edition of the Carolina Photojournalism Workshop (CPJW). Founded in 2004, the workshop travels to unique locations each year to produce short documentaries about the people, places, history and culture of North Carolina. Fifteen students, coached by five professionals, partner with local people and immerse themselves into their lives, working virtually nonstop until the workshop culminates in a public screening on the final night. The stories are published online in a student-designed and created website. CPJW has produced more than 225 stories from across the state and helped launch students’ careers as documentary filmmakers and photographers, many of whom return to serve as coaches. CPJW is a class from the School of Media and Journalism at the University of North Carolina.