With the news of wildfire and school closures in Southern California, bitter weather in the East and the Midwest, and a winter storm in Texas and the South, I wanted to share a couple entries from previous years that touch on climate change and extreme weather.
Here are four podcasts from middle and high school students all over the country that show a glimpse of young people trying to make sense of these news events happening in their own homes and communities:
Behind the Scenes of the Mosquito Fire
In a 10-episode series, a sixth-grade class at the Georgetown School of Innovation in Georgetown, Calif., shared stories from the devastating Mosquito Fire in 2022. This group of eight students asked two firefighters from the Georgetown Fire Department what it's like to fight fires and protect loved ones in their hometown.
Fires: Set Ablaze
At Chautauqua Elementary School on Vashon Island, Wash., fifth-graders talked about the far-reaching and lasting impact of wildfires and wildfire smoke. They examined the direct effects on their lives, like waiting for the school bus on a smoky day. The students also interviewed experts and shared their research on wildfire precautions.
Flowing Through Time: The Past, Present, and Future of Water
In this podcast from Peak Academy, a group of eight middle schoolers reported on dealing with water shortages in Bozeman, Mont. They traced the history of their growing hometown's water supply, which has been dependent on mountain snowmelt. As that source becomes less reliable in a warming world, the students turned to the grown-ups to ask what they can do to conserve water.
Washed Away
The deadly flooding in eastern Kentucky in 2022 forever changed the lives of high schoolers Ryley Bowman, Carolina Johnson and Hunter Noble. The three classmates at Morgan County High School in West Liberty, Ky., shared firsthand accounts of how they and their families coped during the floods.
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As in past years, our seventh annual contest is here for students to share any story that's on their mind, anything they want to get off their chest. The 2025 competition is now open through May 2. You can learn more and enter here. If you don’t know where to get started, check out our Sound Advice page, NPR’s guide to student podcasting.
We look forward to hearing from you all. And as always, please don't hesitate to reach out at studentpodcastchallenge@npr.org
Hope you're taking care,
Janet |
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