That’s a wrap! RadioActive’s 2019 podcast season
In 2019, RadioActive Youth Media worked with about 750 teens and tweens through our Intro, Advanced, and Community Workshop programs. These young people produced 23 full-length feature radio stories, along with dozens of short radio stories and podcasts.
Young people's voices and perspectives are not heard enough in the media — that's why RadioActive exists. Missed some of this year's incredible feature stories? Give them all a listen here.
Change-Makers
A talented soccer player struggled to get accommodations for her religious wear on the field, so she did something about it.
Produced by Ayesha Mohammed (Tesla STEM High School)
Local youth activists Lukas Illa and Grace Lambert sit down with RadioActive's Jadenne Radoc Cabahug to share their experiences.
Produced by Jadenne Radoc Cabahug (Kentridge High School and running start, Green River College)
Can a documentary inspire social change? Filmmaker Sandy Cioffi uses virtual reality to evoke empathy and engagement from viewers.
Produced by Meghana Kakubal (Mercer Island High School)
Memes are often humorous, but there's a darker side to internet memes that focus on depression. Zuheera has seen a lot of them, and she started to wonder if they helped people cope with mental illness, or if they were a cry for help.
Produced by Zuheera Ali (Seattle Pacific University)
Family
Michelle remembers her experiences as a 13-year-old facing homelessness.
Produced by Michelle Aguilar Ramirez (Renton High School)
Teenagers have really busy lives. When you're the oldest child in an immigrant family, there can be even more pressure to succeed. Maria is one of these teens. She found the burden to be almost too much.
Produced by Kamil Saad (Inglemoor High School and running start, Cascadia College)
Until recently, the only thing Morgen knew about her biological father was his number: sperm donor 893.
Produced by Morgen White (Ballard High School)
Huma's little sister Saba has autism. She's nonverbal, and she has trouble with basic tasks, like showering, changing her clothes and preparing food on her own. As Saba nears the end of high school, her family is taking extra steps to prepare her for graduation.
Produced by Huma Ali (Lake Washington High School)
Immigration
Hong's grandfather wrote letters, poems and stories while he was imprisoned in a Communist re-education camp. When he immigrated to the United States, he kept every single piece of writing.
Produced by Hong Ta (Raisbeck Aviation High School)
A father and son struggle to find common ground in religious beliefs in one Eritrean Catholic church community.
Produced by Essey Paulos (Kentridge High School)
A first generation Indian-American teen is caught between two traditions when it comes to love and marriage.
Produced by Ritika Managuli (International Community School)
Feel-Good
Last year, 40 animals were rescued by the Sammamish Animal Sanctuary. While many shelters take in dogs and cats, this sanctuary rescues farm animals.
Produced by Medha Kumar (Sammamish High School)
The election of a Somali-American politician helps a mother and daughter see one another, and themselves, in a new light.
Produced by Marian Mohamed (Kent-Meridian High School)
Three generations of women gather in the kitchen to answer the question: What does it mean to be Filipino?
Produced by Charlotte Engrav (Eastside Prep)
Education
Michael is twice-exceptional, meaning he qualifies for advanced learning and identifies as neurodiverse. He believes teachers can make the classroom a better learning environment for all students, including others like him.
Produced by Michael Sheeran (West Seattle High School)
A teacher at Franklin High School has invented a creative tool that could keep students and staff safe in the case of an active shooter.
Produced by Celia Fragale (Franklin High School)
A Seattle stand-up comedian and youth advocate is using restorative justice — a community-based approach to conflict — to support teens instead of alienating them.
Produced by Simone St. Pierre Nelson (Gibson Ek High School)
What do you do when society tells you that the passion you’ve decided to pursue in college won’t give you a sustainable lifestyle?
Produced by Soraya Marashi (University of Washington)
Middle school isn't usually a place where young boys are made to feel comfortable and confident. This is the story of one young man whose life changed thanks to a group called Los Siete.
Produced by Irving-Antonio Nevarez (Tyee High School)
Gender
At Nova High School, students can go to "Gender Tea" and chat about gender and identity. That's just one aspect of this alternative high school that helps teenagers feel respected and safe.
Produced by Lucas G. (Nova High School)
As part of his journey of self-discovery, a transgender teen takes a big step towards loving himself.
Produced by Sonya Sheptunov (Inglemoor High School)
In recent years, modern movements like the Women’s March and #MeToo have garnered widespread momentum. 91-year-old Alene Moris started fighting the battle for women’s rights long ago.
Produced by Lila Shroff (Mercer Island High School)
Boys are often told that showing emotion is a weakness. A teacher at Chinook Middle School in Sea-Tac has created a group called Los Siete, where young men are taught to express themselves.
Produced by Eriberto Saavedra Felix (Tyee High School)
These stories were created in KUOW's RadioActive Intro to Journalism Workshop for 15- to 18-year-olds and Advanced Producers Workshop for high school and college students.
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Support for KUOW's RadioActive comes from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center.
