From bird watching to 3D printing to boxing, students make podcasts to share hobbies and passions with their peers, families and the public.
Have fun in the last few weeks of the school year and hear what students are most passionate about! End-of-year media projects are a great way for students to showcase skills they have developed all school year, from researching, writing and editing to public speaking. The audio essays below demonstrate the power of inviting students to share their enthusiasm, passions and strengths.
Why Hobbies Matter
- How Hobbies Affect Your Mental Health Destini explains how having a hobby positively impacts stress, relationships, and feelings of belonging.
- Expressing Creativity Milan shares how participating in technical theater helped him realize that you can express creativity in countless ways, even if you think you’re “bad at art.”
- Boxing Changed My Life Michael details his transformative journey building character and practicing resilience through boxing.
Quarantine Hobbies Became Passions
- Birding: Not Just an “Old Man” Hobby Staring outside her window during endless Zoom classes led Kassia to discover both her passion and her college major.
- Learning 3D Printing During Quarantine The extra spare time during quarantine allowed Clifford to learn a new skill and develop it into a small business.
- Puzzles and how they have helped me through the COVID-19 Pandemic Asher found puzzles to be both a great stress reliever and a way for him to bond with his grandfather.
- Nails, Nails, Nails! Rachael finds joy in expressing her creativity and femininity through endless nail art designs.
What Makes Me ‘Me’
- The Quest for 1,000: The Story of Paper Cranes Presley and Emarie detail the history of origami and how their mission to fold 1,000 paper cranes brought their community together.
- The Art of Strategy: Mastering the Game of Chess John shares how the thrill and mental challenge of playing chess keeps him coming back.
- A Journey With Literature Finding a book with characters and themes she could connect with inspired Chelsea’s passion for reading.
- Rubik’s Cube Journey Jerry has learned that hard work and perseverance can truly lead you to success, even when people around you question your interests.
- Why Tennis? Presley wants others to learn more about her favorite sport and its physical and mental health benefits.
Spotlight your students’ voices in the classroom with KQED’s Perspectives or Podcasting Youth Media Challenges. They include free, modifiable curriculum that gives students structure and support as they take their writing from page to production. When students are ready to publish, KQED’s Youth Media Showcase accepts submissions from students in grades 6-12 throughout the school year. This isn’t a contest—all youth voices are welcome and published, and some may be featured on KQED’s homepage, digital channels, and in posts like this one!