Youth Media Challenge Spotlight: Alisia Engelhard

For Alisia Engelhard, civics is about more than memorizing facts. Of course, students in her 12th grade government class leave with understanding the fundamentals of American democracy. But they also go into the world as soon-to-be-voters who have already carefully researched an issue and published their views beyond the classroom as a form of civic action.

At a Glance

YMC Project: Call for Change and Podcasting Democracy
Grade/Class: 12th grade civics
School: South Pasadena High School
Location: South Pasadena, California
Student media from Alisha’s class: Protect Stories, Protect Democracy, Criminal (In)Justice, More Than a Tourist Attraction 

 

 

 

Inside Alisia’s Classroom

You did Call for Change within your government class, then switched to Podcasting Democracy, which you helped pilot. Both projects culminate with an civic audio commentary on a student-chosen issue. What’s the impact of doing civic audio projects with your seniors? 
Having implemented the Call for Change and now Podcasting Democracy Youth Media Challenges with hundreds of students over the past four years, it never ceases to amaze me how powerful the pieces are; even from my quieter or non-traditionally achieving students.

One moment that always sticks with me is listening to a commentary from a student who rarely spoke in class and really struggled with traditional assessments. When I played her final audio piece, the depth of her research and hearing her clear, confident voice advocating for something she was so passionate about blew me away. It was a valuable reminder that traditional grades and classroom participation don’t always reflect a student’s comprehension and that when given the right platform, some students thrive in sharing their ideas and opinions.

How did you make the move to audio in addition to more traditional writing assignments? 
My initial inspiration came from attending a KQED podcasting workshop during distance learning back in 2021. Prior to that, my government students had been writing opinion editorials on current political issues of their choice to submit to me and to The New York Times Student OpEd Contest. When I discovered KQED’s Call for Change Youth Media Challenge, I realized I could keep the core elements of research, writing, and student voice while elevating the project to include media literacy skills and media creation. And students were more engaged doing a YMC project.

Do all of your students publish to the Youth Media Showcase? 
I view the project as a real form of civic action, so I require publication to the Showcase unless students talk to me to opt out. Occasionally, a student prefers not to publish due to their digital footprint, or we run into a last minute technical glitch, and I forget to follow up with those few students. 

What would you say to teachers thinking of doing this project ahead of the election–or anytime! 
I highly recommend creating your own sample commentary on a politically neutral topic to use as a model. When introducing the project, I start by having my students analyze past student exemplars in both whole-class and small-group discussions. After reviewing a few, I tell them we have one final piece to listen to and play the commentary I created on the need to increase funding for civic education. I keep it light and fun by playing along as it starts by asking, “Wait, who is that? She sounds familiar…” before we analyze my piece together. Modeling my own work allows me to walk students through the process during the brainstorming and topic-selection phases, and when we reach the script-writing step, I can break down my own script to show how it was constructed. Sharing my own work lets students see that I understand the vulnerability that comes with creating an audio commentary, and that, yes, even as a teacher, I still cringe a little (okay, a lot) hearing my own voice over the speakers! It fosters trust, builds community, and makes students feel more comfortable seeking support as they navigate their own challenges throughout the project.