Data journalism is no longer confined to newsrooms, today’s teens can harness public datasets and free tools to investigate pressing issues, from climate change to social inequality. This growing field combines analytical rigor with storytelling, empowering young people to transform raw numbers into compelling narratives. Projects like Reuters’ COVID-19 vaccination tracker and ProPublica’s food safety investigations demonstrate how data can expose systemic flaws and drive policy changes . For students, these projects build skills in critical thinking, coding, and visual communication while addressing topics that resonate with their lives. Below, we explore ten hands-on ideas, each broken into focused paragraphs for clarity.
1. How Do Teens Use Social Media?
The Pew Research Center’s Teen Technology Use surveys reveal that 67% of teens use TikTok, with girls engaging more actively than boys . By analyzing these datasets, students can track shifts in platform popularity, like Instagram’s decline among Gen Z, or compare usage patterns across demographics. For example, rural teens might favor Snapchat for its privacy features, while urban peers gravitate toward TikTok’s viral trends.
To deepen their analysis, teens can cross-reference Google Trends data to identify seasonal spikes in platform activity, such as increased Discord usage during exam periods . Tools like Tableau Public transform these insights into interactive dashboards, while Python’s Pandas library helps clean messy data sets. Projects might culminate in articles exploring how algorithms shape teen mental health or how social media bridges cultural divides .
2. Mapping Local Crime Trends
The FBI Crime Data Explorer provides granular statistics on offenses like bike thefts and vandalism, which teens can compare to neighborhood-level data from city portals . A project might reveal that car break-ins spike near shopping centers during holidays or that gentrification correlates with reduced burglary rates. By mapping these trends in QGIS, students can visualize hotspots and propose targeted solutions, like improved street lighting.
Contextualizing data with interviews adds depth: speaking with local police might explain why drug-related arrests have doubled, while community surveys highlight underreported issues like cyberbullying . Pairing crime stats with economic indicators (e.g., unemployment rates) uncovers root causes, turning a simple analysis into a call for youth job programs .
3. Air Quality and Respiratory Health
EPA AirData offers real-time air quality index (AQI) readings, which teens can overlay with CDC asthma hospitalization rates . In cities like Los Angeles, projects might show how wildfire smoke disproportionately affects low-income schools near highways. Satellite imagery from NASA’s Earth Observatory can map tree cover deficits in these areas, linking environmental racism to health disparities.
Advanced students might use Python to model long-term AQI trends, predicting future risks from climate change . Partnering with clinics to collect patient stories—like a teen athlete struggling with pollution-induced asthma, humanizes the data, making findings relatable for policymakers and peers alike .
4. School Funding and Academic Outcomes
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) datasets expose stark funding gaps: schools in wealthy suburbs often receive 30% more per student than urban counterparts . Teens can visualize these disparities using Flourish, creating bar charts that compare STEM resources or AP course availability. A deeper dive might reveal that underfunded schools have higher dropout rates, despite similar teacher-student ratios.
Interviews with educators add nuance, such as a biology teacher describing outdated lab equipment . By correlating budget increases with college enrollment spikes, students can advocate for equitable funding models in op-eds or presentations to school boards .
5. Tracking Climate Change Through Weather Data
NOAA’s historical weather data lets teens chart how their region’s summer temperatures have risen since 2000 . In Miami, a project might show a 40% increase in tidal flooding days over 20 years, threatening coastal infrastructure. Google Earth Engine layers satellite imagery to illustrate glacier retreat or urban heat islands, while farmer interviews highlight crop yield declines.
Python scripts can predict future extremes, like heat waves disrupting school schedules . Publishing these findings on interactive maps or TikTok videos engages peers, turning abstract climate models into urgent local stories .
6. Youth Mental Health Trends
The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System tracks anxiety and depression rates, revealing that LGBTQ+ teens report distress at twice the national average . Filtering data by ethnicity or income level might show how systemic racism exacerbates mental health crises. Infogram heatmaps can visualize regional disparities, such as rural areas lacking counselors.
School surveys conducted via Google Forms identify stressors like academic pressure or social media comparison . Highlighting these findings in zines or podcasts reduces stigma, encouraging peers to seek help while pushing administrators to expand support programs .
7. Public Transportation Accessibility
City transit datasets reveal service gaps: suburban teens might wait 45 minutes for buses after sports practices . Mapping routes in QGIS could show that low-income neighborhoods have fewer late-night options, limiting access to libraries or jobs. Comparing on-time performance data across districts exposes inequities in maintenance funding.
Rider surveys collected via Instagram Stories amplify student voices, urging transit agencies to prioritize school-area routes . Projects might culminate in “transit report cards” shared with local officials, demanding real-time tracking apps or expanded schedules .
8. Diversity in Film and Music
IMDb datasets show that only 25% of top-grossing films from 2020–2024 featured female leads . Teens can analyze Spotify’s API to track racial representation in playlists or use Python to scrape genre popularity trends. A project might reveal that Latinx artists dominate streaming charts but remain overlooked at award shows.
Partnering with film clubs to review scripts for stereotypes ads qualitative insights, while Tableau dashboards compare Oscar wins by race over decades . Publishing findings on TikTok with clips from underrepresented creators sparks conversations about inclusivity in media .
9. Food Deserts and Nutrition Access
USDA Food Access Research Atlas identifies neighborhoods where convenience stores outnumber grocery outlets . Overlaying CDC diabetes rates might show that these areas have 50% higher diet-related illness rates. Teens can calculate “accessibility scores” using Datawrapper, combining transit routes and store locations.
Interviews with community gardeners highlight grassroots solutions, like urban farms supplementing school lunches . Projects could inspire petitions for zoning changes or partnerships with mobile markets to address inequities .
10. Youth Voter Turnout Analysis
U.S. Census data reveals that 18–21-year-olds voted at half the rate of older millennials in 2024 . State-level analysis might link low turnout to registration barriers or misinformation on TikTok. Flourish animations can show how mail-in ballot expansions boosted participation in some regions.
Social media sentiment analysis using Python’s Tweepy explores how platforms like Instagram influence civic engagement. Collaborating with student councils to host registration drives turns insights into action, empowering peers to shape their futures .
If you are a high school student pushing yourself to stand out in college applications, RISE Research offers a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with mentors from top universities around the world.
Through personalized guidance and independent research projects that can lead to prestigious publications, RISE Research helps you build a standout academic profile and develop skills that set you apart. With flexible program dates and global accessibility, ambitious students can apply year-round. To learn more about eligibility, costs, and how to get started, visit RISE Research’s official website and take your college preparation to the next level!
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