Blog Archives

Giving students a space to catalyze confidence

How might a new makerspace at a community college boost students’ confidence in their futures? Through a variety of activities and live prototypes, we learned it needs to help students discover their interests and apply them to their real lives.

Getting underrepresented teens on air

At Ballou High School in S.E. Washington, DC, teaching students about radio journalism is no easy feat.

It’s not because the school is surrounded by police cars every morning and everyone goes through metal detectors to enter the building. Or that less than 20 percent of students score ‘proficient’ on state reading and math tests.

The real hurdles when I embedded there as part of the Prime Movers Media Program were the school’s lack of radio equipment and a rule preventing students from leaving the room during class time. Since problems are just opportunities in disguise, though, it didn’t stop us from creating pieces so good a few aired nationally on NPR!

Two-ways (anchor interviews)

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April 2, 2014: Federal prosecutors charge utility company PG&E with 12 felony counts. Anchor Charla Bear interviews San Francisco Chronicle Reporter Jaxon Van Derbeken, who covered the story.

February 13, 2014: California’s concealed weapons restrictions in question after federal appeals court strikes down state’s rules. Anchor Charla Bear interviews law professor Larry Rosenthal and Chuck Michel, who represents the National Rifle Association.