The stories
From late September of 2008 through December 2008, a senior and non-traditional student Will Wright and Prof. Catherine R. Squires will introduce Gordon Parks' students to public radio storytelling in a pilot project of which Wright was the chief designer.
This project's timing coincides with an imminent and historic presidential election. The students will produce stories about what the 2008 presidential election means to them. It made sense to have the stories address this phenomenal event within the topics of history, english, civis and social studies. These will dovetail with the election topic and that can reflect the students' lives.
Through this project students improve their writing skills, develop their creativity, and become more familiar with digital media production. The students work in groups to develop radio programs and audio slide shows about issues that affect their lives, their communities, and their future.
The students choose their topics, plan their interviews, draft questions, and do all the work needed to get sounds and images and use them to tell their storiess. Students learn from instructors how to operate the digital audio recording equipment, upload and edit their audio tracks, and how to use web-based software to create the final project on the web.
After a few weeks of discussion topics that would engage them in this project and that would address this presidential race we finally found enough common interests to place our students into working groups according to topics.
In mid-November, they will preview their stories on the GPHS Radio website. Stay tuned!
Stephanie, above, from the military story group, gathered the conversation for this audio slideshow and chose the music which ends this it. Her piece is the first story that the group has finished.
The students' topics and groups:
Immigration and race - Gloria, Brenda and Daisy
Race, gender and politics - Gabriella, Belinda, Ger, Terry and Mocha
The politics of rap or rap in politics - Delano, Shakyla, Sarah and Ronney
Soldiers' opinions of presidential candidates Obama and McCain - Irwin, Ciera, Kayla and Stephanie