From April 21st to 25th, high school students from across the San Francisco Bay Area will take over KQED’s radio, TV, and digital platforms to share their stories on KQED shows like Forum, News, Perspectives, and Bay Curious. The 8th annual KQED Youth Takeover celebrates the experiences and perspectives of more than 300 high school students from 14 high school classrooms in 7 Bay Area counties.
This weeklong celebration of youth voice is the culmination of months of work and planning by these students and their teachers in partnership with dozens of KQED journalists, show producers, educators, and staff. Starting in October 2024, students received on-site coaching at their schools on how to write stories for a broadcast audience. Through the winter, they refined their pitches and drafted their stories. Then, they came to KQED to record their stories in the same studios used by KQED radio and podcast journalists. For many students, this was not only a fun way to sample new skills like recording audio but an opportunity to deepen their communication skills and confidence.
“As a teacher, witnessing these students transform from hesitant speakers to confident storytellers was profoundly impactful,” says Leon Sykes, a 10th grade media teacher from Fremont High School. “They learned to articulate their thoughts with intention, reminding us all of the importance of listening to young voices. Their powerful audio pieces truly captured what life is like for young people today, and I am grateful for the opportunity to support their journeys.”
“This program is a priority for us at KQED,” says Chief Content Officer Holly Kernan. “It gives our audiences a chance to hear directly from local students. And it’s also an opportunity for young people to understand how journalism is made. Having teenagers work alongside us is one of the joys of the year.”
To make sure these field trips are accessible to students across the Bay Area, KQED chartered buses, with some classes traveling several hours to get to KQED headquarters in San Francisco. In addition to recording their stories, students also received vocal coaching, participated in career panels with staff, and took tours of the station.