Blunt Youth Radio and WMPG were thrilled to be the community partner for King Middle School’s Spring Expedition this year. We held the kickoff for the expedition on April 12th. Youth coordinator Alice worked with five King educators to design and run the kickoff, which rotated a total of 65 students in smaller groups through several audio-production focused stations. Stations included studying recording techniques, learning about vox pops as an audio storytelling style, scripting audio and describing locations to listeners, and mapping out prospective sites for final expedition audio projects.
Both Alice and Bobby Shaddox (King educator and WMPG DJ) ran the field recording station, where groups learned to operate Zoom Field Recorders and practiced recording, interviewing, and being interviewed. Below is a Vox Pop of student responses to during the kickoff event.
The expedition, which ran until June, focused on helping students share and discover opportunities and locations throughout Portland that help them live healthy lives. It included field trips around the city, and then youth selected a location and created an audio postcard-style short audio piece featuring a location in Portland. These locations were assembled into a QR-code map that linked to individual audio stories.
Below are some framing questions from the expedition:
- How does the Portland community help young people live healthy lives?
- What opportunities does the Portland community provide?
- How do we spread the word?
- How can our information be shared in a fun way?
Take a listen to some of the finished Audio Postcards here:
Listen to “Ear Scramble” on Spreaker.
