What We Teach

All Youth Radio students begin with our Core program where they spend three months surveying Journalism, Music, and Multimedia. Upon graduating from Core, students may enroll in our Bridge program where they spend three months specializing in one of the Core disciplines. Along the way, students receive support services including individual academic advising and case management and develop a professional skill set that serves them well into the future.

Tracks

Journalism – Beginning with an overview of journalism in its many forms, students develop their voices by producing commentaries, reviews, and newscasts for a live weekly radio show. Intermediate students have the opportunity to report a feature story of their choice on a topic that impacts their community.

Core Curricula (all students) – Commentary writing, Review writing, Newscast writing, Round Table facilitation/hosting, Voicing for Radio
Bridge Curricula (optional track selection) – Interviewing, Research, Field Recording, Feature Script Writing, Audio Editing (Pro Tools)

Music – Students learn the basics of music production and broadcast via a live weekly radio show, and perform as DJs and sound engineers, creating basic musical beats, playlists, and running the show board. Intermediate students have the opportunity to develop more advanced beats and remixes, and to promote their work using social media platforms. Alternatively, they may choose to follow a DJ track, where they learn the basics of the field and create and promote their own musical podcasts.

Core Curricula (all students) – Beatmaking (Reason), PSA Production (Pro Tools), Show Engineering, Music Selection and Cleaning, On-Air Voicing and Hosting
Bridge Curricula, Music Production (optional track selection) – Beatmaking (Reason), Sampling, Song Structure, Remixing, Social Media Promotion (Soundcloud)

Multimedia – Students learn the basics of digital photography, web management, and social media promotion. Through images, tweets, and blog posts, students document weekly radio shows and create accompanying original cover art. Intermediate students compose more complex images by manipulating light and color, and build their own professional website.

Core Curricula (all students) – Digital Photography 101, Photo Editing (Photoshop), Web Management, Social Media Promotion (Twitter, Instagram)
Bridge Curricula (optional track selection) – Lighting and Composition, Photojournalism, Online Portfolio (WordPress), Introductory Video Shooting and Editing