Youth Takeover of KQED News Starts April 23

Bay Area youth are taking over KQED News!

During the first-ever Youth Takeover of KQED News, we will feature news stories and commentary by students from 10 Bay Area high schools. Look for them throughout the week on radio news broadcasts, online and on popular programs, including Forum, The California Report Magazine, Perspectives and KQED Newsroom.

Youth voices are at the heart of Youth Takeover week. Student journalists reported on issues drawn from their communities and own lives, including immigration, homelessness, mental health, cultural identity and the future of the California dream.

“It’s empowering to use our platforms to broadcast and elevate the voices of our youth community,” said Ariana Proehl, KQED’s youth media manager. “Their story ideas are at the forefront of the Youth Takeover.”

To get ready to take over the news, students pitched story ideas to KQED staff and journalists starting in late January. More than 100 stories made it through the pitch process and into the Youth Takeover. About 20 stories will air next week. The rest will be featured online at The Lowdown or take center stage at a live Youth Takeover showcase open to the public.

Tune into the Youth Takeover starting bright and early on Monday, April 23, with youth voices on the daily newscast at 6:22 am. and commentary on Perspectives at 6:43 am. This morning schedule will continue throughout the week. Friday will be a big Youth Takeover day with youth co-hosting Forum (10-11 am) and The Do List (6:22 am/8:22 am) Youth voices will also be featured prominently on The California Report Magazine (4:30 pm/6:30 pm/11 pm) and KQED Newsroom (7 pm, KQED Channel 9).

The 10 schools in the Youth Takeover reflect the Bay Area’s diverse communities and a variety of subject areas, including journalism, English, English Language Development and media arts. Teachers applied to participate in the Youth Takeover with one class or club. Groups were selected based on enthusiasm and commitment to the project. No prior journalism or audio recording experience was required.

The schools for the first Youth Takeover were ARISE High School, Oakland; Fremont High School, Oakland; El Cerrito High School; Lincoln High School, San Francisco; Menlo-Atherton High School; Palo Alto High School; Richmond High School; Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory High School, San Francisco; San Leandro High School and Santa Clara High School.

Interested helping your students make their voices heard? A good first step is registering for our six-week blended summer course on podcasting in the classroom designed specifically for teachers. Educators are encouraged to sign up early. Space is limited.