Skip to main content

‘Transmitting weirdness into the airwaves.’ An experimental RadioActive showcase

caption: A colorful collage. From top left, clockwise: A hand holds a smartphone with a smiley face on the screen. RadioActive youth producer Rhea Beecher holds a rainbow Pride flag with a power fist. RadioActive youth producer Eva Solorio with her sister.
Enlarge Icon
A colorful collage. From top left, clockwise: A hand holds a smartphone with a smiley face on the screen. RadioActive youth producer Rhea Beecher holds a rainbow Pride flag with a power fist. RadioActive youth producer Eva Solorio with her sister.
KUOW/Mary Heisey

RadioActive is transmitting some weirdness into the airwaves.

What happens when RadioActive youth producers can make *anything* they want? Some weird and wonderful radio magic, that’s what. Listen to an hour of our creative, experimental, and just-plain-weird audio stories on this RadioActive Youth Media showcase.

Young people produced the audio stories in this showcase in RadioActive's creative storytelling workshops. That means, young people did the writing, interviewing, and audio editing. Pretty cool, huh?

Stories featured in this showcase:

caption: The loading screen of "High School Hustle," the (fictional)  video game. Can you level up without breaking down?
Enlarge Icon
The loading screen of "High School Hustle," the (fictional) video game. Can you level up without breaking down?
Photo illustration by Lucas Galarneau

Fiction: 'High School Hustle' the video game

By Alayna Ly | Can you level up without breaking down?

caption: Sisters Paulina (left) and Eva Solorio. Paulina chose to go to Mariner High School in Everett, Washington, while Eva chose to go to Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington.
Enlarge Icon
Sisters Paulina (left) and Eva Solorio. Paulina chose to go to Mariner High School in Everett, Washington, while Eva chose to go to Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington.
Courtesy of Eva Solorio

How I reconnected to my Mexican roots in a majority-white school

By Eva Solorio | After middle school, RadioActive’s Eva Solorio decided to go to high school in a neighboring city, instead of her local school in Everett, Washington.

She wanted a fresh, new start — but it wasn’t like she imagined.

caption: Illustrated image of two people holding hands while standing on two separate smartphone screens, with text bubbles with hearts above their heads.
Enlarge Icon
Illustrated image of two people holding hands while standing on two separate smartphone screens, with text bubbles with hearts above their heads.

Quarantine from the closet: A love story told through missed calls

By Simone St. Pierre-Nelson | A fictional story about two young people navigating their newfound distance during the pandemic, told through their voicemail messages.

RA Lucas Galarneau Graphic Internet
Enlarge Icon
KUOW GRAPHIC/Lucas Galarneau

The good, the bad, and the internet: Teens on growing up online

By Lucas Galarneau | This story explores what it's like to grow up online for four teenagers — from falling in love to facing trolls — and blends nonfiction interviews with an imagined main character: the Internet.

RA Fantasy Books Inclusive
Enlarge Icon

Fantasy books are my escape, but I wish the genre was more inclusive

by Adar Abdi | An imagined confrontation between Adar and a fantasy writer.

caption: The author, Rhea Beecher, at a recent pride parade.
Enlarge Icon
The author, Rhea Beecher, at a recent pride parade.
Liz Krantz

I didn’t have to choose between religion and becoming who I really am. I chose both

By Rhea Beecher | A personal essay on identity, family, religion, coming out, and embracing your true self.

caption: Morgen White poses in her starting position before beginning a freestyle pole dance to the Nicki Minaj song "Grand Piano" at Divine Movement Pole Dance & Fitness in Seattle in May 2022.
Enlarge Icon
Morgen White poses in her starting position before beginning a freestyle pole dance to the Nicki Minaj song "Grand Piano" at Divine Movement Pole Dance & Fitness in Seattle in May 2022.
Photo courtesy of Morgen White

How I found bodily autonomy through pole dancing

By Morgen White | A creative personal essay on the importance of being fully yourself in front of others who respect and value your body as your own.

caption: A drawing by the young wolf.
Enlarge Icon
A drawing by the young wolf.
KUOW PHOTO/Iz Ortiz

A young wolf shares their story

By Iz Ortiz | An 11-year-old shares their special connection to wolves in this creative audio piece.

---

RadioActive Youth Media is KUOW's radio journalism and audio storytelling program for young people. This showcase was produced, edited, and prepared for the web by Mary Heisey, with production support from Kelsey Kupferer. It was hosted by Lucas Galarneau. Find RadioActive on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook, and on the RadioActive podcast.

Support for KUOW's RadioActive and this showcase comes from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, and BECU.

Why you can trust KUOW