Students have a voice at DBG in more ways than one. When they wanted to learn about content creation as part of our program’s daily electives, DBG not only invested in the equipment, programming, and teaching staff to make it happen, we launched a student-driven Shared Power Podcast to elevate student voices even more.
Meeting three times a week, the class consists of nine passionate students who rotate through various roles, including host, camera operator, producer, and interviewer. Their classroom has transformed into a fully equipped podcast studio, complete with professional microphones, tripods, cameras, and a podcast mixer, giving them a true-to-life broadcasting experience.
Episode 1 of the Shared Power Podcast is now live. Check it out by clicking the video player below.
Leading the class is Coach Lenee Goodgame, DBG’s Operations Manager, who brings expertise in podcasting and broadcasting. As a partner in the podcast network Podtastic, she sees this as more than just a fun, engaging experience – it’s a way to turn students’ passions into potential career paths.
“With my certification in broadcasting and experience in podcasting, and having the media lab as an awesome resource, this is a way to incorporate what our kids already do on social media and help build skills that can lead to future careers,” she explains. “We guide them, but ultimately this is their show – they do the majority of everything.”
For students, the experience is exciting. Jaida, a fourth grader at University Prep Academy of Art and Design, shares what drew her to the class.
“I always listen to podcasts in the car on the way to school,” she says. “I thought ‘One day I want to be on a podcast or broadcast,’ so I joined the class.”
Her favorite part? The interviews.
“It’s fun – I get to talk to other kids, to the coaches. That’s the best part,” she says.
The class equips students to produce their own podcasts and share stories that matter most to them. This groundbreaking idea was born from DBG’s annual Theory of Change event, where students research, collaborate, and propose initiatives that reflect the changes they want to see. To turn these ideas into action, DBG invests $6,000 into the top three student-led projects, one of which focused on content creation and podcast production. Now, thanks to this initiative, students have a hands-on opportunity to dive into media production and broadcasting, learning in a professional setting.
DBG’s podcasting class is yet another example of our commitment to providing hands-on, innovative learning opportunities that align with students’ interests. Episodes of DBG TV will be available on our YouTube channel, giving the broader community a chance to support and celebrate our students’ work.
Stay tuned for the next episode – Detroit’s next generation of storytellers is just getting started!