Three Oak Bay High English classes tell four stories spanning generations, genders and socio-economic demographics in a series of local youth-produced podcasts.
B次元官网网址淚 think the students are understanding this is a fun project,B次元官网网址� said Lisa Green, the Oak Bay High teacher who introduced the concept to her classes this year. B次元官网网址淭he whole idea is they would connect to community through what theyB次元官网网址檙e doing.B次元官网网址�
The students discussed ideas and voted, whittling it down to three topics.
Through the Years (senior to senior student connection), Stories from the Street and This Teen Life. A fourth spurred naturally, documenting the process.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 five students who are really keen on doing documentaries when they graduate,B次元官网网址� Green said.
B次元官网网址淭his is the first time IB次元官网网址檝e run anything this large. This project is a yearlong project with the classes. Hopefully each series will have multiple episodes B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 an entire class project.B次元官网网址�
Each student was tasked with applying for a position, said Kalia Zickmantel. B次元官网网址淲e wrote up a short thing about the job we chose and why we were qualified.B次元官网网址� Kalia wound up on the team that does creative design and marketing for Through the Years. In that project high school seniors meet, connect and interview seniors in the community.
B次元官网网址淚 think that way she knew what people were actually serious about,B次元官网网址� said Marissa Wheeler, among those documenting the podcast project. B次元官网网址淭hen people would be in a role they were interested in B次元官网网址� it helps make sure that everyoneB次元官网网址檚 working to their hardest.B次元官网网址�
Once assigned to a project, students stepped up in amazing ways, seeing the value of something that isnB次元官网网址檛 just about marks.
B次元官网网址淭hey will be graded on this project but at the same time itB次元官网网址檚 much bigger than that,B次元官网网址� Green said.
Students who donB次元官网网址檛 seem as motivated in other classwork are finding success and taking ownership of their individual projects and jobs.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all really passionate about it and we all want to make a good product. Learning to work as a team and use everyoneB次元官网网址檚 skills in a way thatB次元官网网址檚 most beneficial to us is something weB次元官网网址檝e definitely been learning how to do,B次元官网网址� said Hannah Roberts, a producer with This Teen Life. B次元官网网址淭his gives me an opportunity to explore that and see if I enjoy it.B次元官网网址�
This Teen Life delves into the opinions and feelings of youth on a broad range of topics.
B次元官网网址淭he idea is to get a group of teens together to discuss issues that are going on in the world,B次元官网网址� said Sophie Sacilotto, who works in marketing for that podcast. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e looking at several topics including sexual harassment, LGBTQ issues, cell phones, drug abuse, different things that affect teens, that teens see a lot more of than people would think.B次元官网网址�
The mediated conversations offer youth a platform to express points of view. They decided early on to do a table talk, said Hannah Roberts, a producer with This Teen Life. B次元官网网址淎nother big one B次元官网网址� is going to be drug usage and the use of prescription medication in high school.B次元官网网址�
Some interviews are done ahead of the table talk, with comment from the earlier interview to prompt the conversation. The objective is to get the teenB次元官网网址檚 perspective on these important topics and voice opinions without fear.
B次元官网网址淲e have people from every demographic,B次元官网网址� Hannah said. B次元官网网址淧eople can actually tell us their true opinion without worrying about criticism and critique from their peers.B次元官网网址�
The goal is to reopen dialogue, with a teen moderator and teen panel showcasing a variety of people who are involved in Oak Bay in different ways.
B次元官网网址淭he students will be selected to give a variety of points of view and have different people from different areas of the school,B次元官网网址� Sophie said. B次元官网网址淭he main theme of the podcast is just the importance of the teen voice. Teens arenB次元官网网址檛 always thought of as having this knowledge base and being involved in these big issues that are being discussed throughout the country and throughout the world.B次元官网网址�
While that team gathered teens, Marissa watched, listened and documented the process.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been doing a lot of interviewsB次元官网网址� trying to capture what each story is about and what each class is doing to make their project succeed,B次元官网网址� said Marissa. SheB次元官网网址檚 gathering masses of information to whittle down.
B次元官网网址淲e have to figure out how weB次元官网网址檙e going to put it in a good sequence and make sure it has a nice flow and itB次元官网网址檚 describing the project but itB次元官网网址檚 also interesting for the people watching it,B次元官网网址� Marissa said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just nice to be involved in a project that shows that young people can do something like this, and that weB次元官网网址檙e capable of it.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a similar process for Jack Lanine, on the Stories from the Street, talking to volunteers and members of the homeless population to get their stories.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e interviewed a lot of people, a lot of volunteers. People who work with the homeless, or who are homeless do have a lot to say. They have experienced the flaws of where we live and they do have very strong opinions,B次元官网网址� Jack said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e found so many themes and so many ways to structure this into an interesting story. It really is shaping up into something cool.B次元官网网址�
He spent memorable days touring with Al Tysic, known for his work in the homeless population of Victoria.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 an amazing guy. HeB次元官网网址檚 in his 70s and gets up at 5 a.m., drives around downtown and gives out food and blankets and stuff,B次元官网网址� Jack said. B次元官网网址淚f a body is found and itB次元官网网址檚 not claimed he will become the legal family and conduct a ceremony for them. HeB次元官网网址檚 been doing that more often and more often because of the fentanyl crisis.B次元官网网址�
Stories include those of Jean Pierre at Rock Bay Landing who travels from Montreal to Victoria every year because he medically canB次元官网网址檛 handle the harsh eastern Canada winters; or Mallory at Rock Bay Landing, who is among the B次元官网网址渋nvisible homelessB次元官网网址� living on couches or in cars. Then thereB次元官网网址檚 Michael who faces drug issues.
B次元官网网址淓very person weB次元官网网址檝e talked to has had something very interesting to say, has had their own reason for being willing to talk to us or being volunteers at shelters,B次元官网网址� Jack said.
HeB次元官网网址檚 seen poverty in other countries, doing similar small documentary projects.
The Victoria project leaves him slightly vexed.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not hard to help. It isnB次元官网网址檛 something thatB次元官网网址檚 just part of society,B次元官网网址� Jack said. B次元官网网址淓ven just talking to the homeless people is a huge help with them. It means the world to a lot of them. ItB次元官网网址檚 not something that should just always be a thing. ItB次元官网网址檚 just not something I think is acceptable in a country that is so beloved.B次元官网网址�
With episodes expected online imminently, Green sees the value of shifting a curriculum and broadening the scope, while still hitting the classics.
B次元官网网址淚 had the goal of the class connecting community through story, putting it in a podcast and putting it up on iTunes so the ownership was beyond the classroom and to the world. It morphed in the most amazing way.B次元官网网址�
The podcasts are available on iTunes, Google Play, and Pocket Casts and links to Anchor through their website .
