For my Junior Documentary Project, I explored Youth Alpha, a program where teens talk about life, Christianity, doubt, purpose, and belonging. My project focuses on how Youth Alpha creates a space where teens can ask big questions without feeling pressured to believe in God or have all the answers. I chose this topic because I did not grow up religious, but Youth Alpha still made me feel welcomed and accepted.
Once I developed my documentary idea, I researched the Youth Alpha program, created interview questions, took observation notes, analyzed sources, and photographed the Youth Alpha space and group outings.
DIGITAL MEDIA and ENGLISH MAGAZINE ARTICLE
In English, I wrote a documentary article called “You Don’t Have to Believe to Belong.” In the article, I use my personal experience, interviews, and research to show how the Youth Alpha program helps teens talk about faith, doubt, loneliness, and meaning.
In Digital Media, I used InDesign to create a visual version of the article.
In Design, I turned my documentary article into a visual book layout. I used photos, typography, spacing, and color to make the story feel warm, honest, and welcoming.
You Don’t Have To Believe To Belong (Book)
These screenshots show my design process and how I built my documentary book step by step.
Cover images for design:
INTERVIEWEE BIO
Ashley Chen
Ashley Chen is a high school senior and Youth Alpha student leader. She shared her experience with faith, doubt, belonging, and what makes Alpha feel low pressure.
This documentary project helped me understand how writing, research, photography, and design can work together to tell a real story. At first, I thought my project was only about religion, but I realized it was also about belonging, doubt, loneliness, and being heard.
I am proud that I made a project that feels personal and honest. In English, I learned how to write a research-based story. In Design, I learned how photos, layout, and typography can change the mood of a story. My biggest takeaway is that documentary work is about showing people and their stories truthfully
Thank you to Joanne Irwin and Ashley Chen for sharing their stories with me. Thank you to Youth Alpha for inspiring this project. Thank you to my teachers, friends, and family for supporting me through the documentary process.
