Summer Youth Podcast Academy
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an immersive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell. The stories published here were reported, written, recorded, and mixed by our students in just three weeks.
The Butterfly Project
Let's take a trip to The Butterfly Project: an immigrant artist's public art installation that traces back to her roots in Medellín, Colombia.
“Years after she’s just like ‘I’m glad I gave you the wings you needed to fly high up.’”
By Vienna Du
Let's take a trip to The Butterfly Project: an immigrant artist's public art installation that traces back to her roots in Medellín, Colombia.
Vienna is a rising senior at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island. She founded her school's newspaper, and plays on her school's Varsity tennis team. Vienna loves to paint, crochet, and travel. She is always open to trying new things and meeting new people!
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
The People's Grocery
What do we, as humans, owe to each other? What do each of us humans deserve? Laila examines these big questions through the vacuum of her local socialist haven: The Park Slope Food Co-Op.
“Since its opening in the 70s, the Park Slope Food Co-Op has managed to survive skyrocketing rents, waves of hipster transplants, and the unrelenting demands of American capitalism. Their secret? Socialism.”
By Laila Azmy
What do we, as humans, owe to each other? What do each of us humans deserve? I examine these big questions through the vacuum of my local socialist haven: The Park Slope Food Co-Op. This controversial institution promotes equity of food access through low prices, prices which are made possible through rigid work requirements of their customers. The Co-Op shows socialism works, at least on a tiny, grocery-store scale. But does the affluent Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope deserve to reap any of these benefits?
Laila Azmy is a senior at Millennium Brooklyn High School. She enjoys iced coffee, true crime documentaries, and grassroots activism.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
City Likes Citi Bikes?
Although Citi Bikes have become commonplace in our city, they had a rocky road to get there. Listen to here the story of my building and their road to acceptance.
“Over time, looking for bikes coming when I cross the street has become like second nature, and I really feel like these bikes are just part of the city now. Change is always weird, but I’m certain that this was a change for the better.”
By Zana Halili
Although Citi Bikes have become commonplace in our city, they had a rocky road to get there. Listen to the story of my building and their road to acceptance.
Zana Halili is a student at Baruch College Campus High School. She is a very active member of her school community, acting as the president of her schools film club, drama club and cookies for kids cancer club, as well as working as a school ambassador and a member of the equity team. When she isn’t at school or at marching band, she can be found in her room listening to music and playing her guitar.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
Reaching Out to an Outreach
At a time when tension is high between the homeless population and NYC officials. One outreach worker explains her part in securing shelter for these unhoused individuals.
“Maybe I won’t get them to go today or tomorrow. But what we’re doing is building trust with these individuals.”
By David Cruz
At a time when tension is high between the homeless population and NYC officials. One outreach worker explains her part in securing shelter for these unhoused individuals.
David is a student at Achievement First University Prep. He is Vice President of the Financial club and helps give back to the neighborhood through community service at his local church Saint Johns. When he isn’t talking to his friends late at night he is usually napping until the afternoon.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
Harlem Stories: Sharing Culture Between Generations
Blake Riley has grown up a part of Harlem’s rich culture his whole life. Yet as Harlem gentrifies, their collection of stories is all that’s left to connect to previous generations. Blake sits down with his next door neighbor James, a lifelong Harlemite, in search of the history of their neighborhood games, family tension through New York's 70s and the comparison of James' past to Blake's present.
“No matter which part of Harlem you in, you’ve got friends on every block. More so, you’ve got family on every block.”
By Blake Riley
Blake has grown up a part of Harlem’s rich culture his whole life. Yet as Harlem gentrifies, their collection of stories is all that’s left to connect to previous generations. Blake sits down with his next door neighbor James, a lifelong Harlemite, in search of the history of their neighborhood games, family tension through New York's 70s and the comparison of James' past to Blake's present.
Blake is a student at New Explorations of Science, Technology + Math(NEST+M) in Manhattan, specifically the Lower East Side. He is a prime member of the Black Student Union, a member of the Varsity Basketball Team. In school, his favorite subjects are English and Social Studies. Outside of NEST+M, he loves watching baseball, and roots for the prestigious New York Yankees.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
Calling All Cats - How Fatiha Washington Navigates Through A World of Misogyny
Teenage girls Ishya and her sister Fatiha are certainly not new to catcalling. But what goes through a girl's mind when some random guy on the street refuses to give up?
“Fatiha is only 17, but almost every day she will get whistles, hoots, and hollers from random men when she’s walking through the streets of New York – even in her own neighborhood.”
By Ishya Washington
Teenage girls Ishya and her sister Fatiha are certainly not new to catcalling. But what goes through a girl's mind when some random guy on the street refuses to give up?
Ishya is a student at Baruch College Campus High School in the Flatiron District of Manhattan. She is an active member of her school’s track club, ASL club, Black & Latino Student Union, and debate team! When Ishya isn’t talking on the phone with her friends, she finds herself reading or learning new songs on her ukulele.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
The Media's Hoax
School should be a safe haven for children that not only fosters the development of education but growth too. It's close to impossible to maintain this standard when having to battle the media's negative input. Kids of color are allowed to make mistakes, we shouldn't have to fear being judged by the public because of it. That's the lesson the kids of Urban assembly school for Law and Justice and many others have had to learn the hard way.
“We minorities want to love the media so badly, but the media just doesn’t love us.”
By Fredlove Deshommes
School should be a safe haven for children that not only fosters the development of education but growth too. It's close to impossible to maintain this standard when having to battle the media's negative input. Kids of color are allowed to make mistakes, we shouldn't have to fear being judged by the public because of it. That's the lesson the kids of Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice and many others have had to learn the hard way.
Fredlove currently goes to the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice. She plans to re-audition for the dance team next term, and try out for the volleyball team. She also would like to continue to do her part in The Black student Union and Young Women's Association at her school. When she is not in school she likes to escape through reading and watching TV. She also likes trying new activities with her friends like learning to skate or learning to ride a bike, etc.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
The Most Famous Bar You've Never Heard Of
This episode is an exploration of the most historic and oldest tavern in New York City, Neirs Tavern. Queens, Woodhaven a tight knit community is home to Neirs for over 190 years and throughout this episode you’ll get to hear the story of how this historic jewel was saved from closing — one of its defining moment that demonstrates the power in community.
“Neirs and so many other businesses are home to countless stories of people in the community. Don’t let those stories lose a place.”
By Marvin Lezama
This episode is an exploration of the most historic and oldest tavern in New York City, Neirs Tavern. Woodhaven, Queens a tight knit community is home to Neirs for over 190 years and throughout this episode you’ll get to hear the story of how this historic jewel was saved from closing — one of its defining moment that demonstrates the power in community.
Marvin is from Queens, NY a recent A.A.S. graduate from New York City College of Technology in the field of Computer Information Systems. He is current Youth Communications development intern and supports his high school (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) as ambassador working with the school partner, IBM, in Corporate Social Responsibility. He has additionally served as a mentor for youth related programs in the New York City Department of Education and also locally. When he is not working he is adding plants to his leaning shelf or watching thriller movies.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
The Story of Melvin Jackson
Mia has been exposed to many mysteries, but this one was the kicker. Join Mia on her ancestry discovery, where she is told the story of the man that everyone once called “Melvin Jackson.”
“Even though I didn’t know him personally, I feel like we have a strong bond already.”
By Mia Jackson
Mia has been exposed to many mysteries, but this one was the kicker. Join Mia on her ancestry discovery, where she is told the story of the man that everyone once called “Melvin Jackson.”
Mia is a student at the High School of Fashion Industries. She is the founder of the podcast, “What’s on the Rack” and became the president of her school club, “Fashion with A Purpose.” She is very kind to others and she is a very hard worker. She participates and is very engaged in her work.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.
A Journeyman's Journey
In this episode, Jayden speaks with Octavio—an electrician from Curacao—who takes us on his journey from suffering uncompensated injuries as a non-union worker, to leading a movement to unionize his workplace.
“I was bleeding profusely and they didn’t care...the guy that I was working with just said ‘keep working, keep working.’”
By Jayden Williams
In this episode, Jayden speaks with Octavio—an electrician from Curaçao—who takes us on his journey from suffering uncompensated injuries as a non-union worker, to leading a movement to unionize his workplace.
Jayden is a student at Bard High School Early College Manhattan. He is always looking to make new friends, is the leader of his school's Badminton Club, and loves playing basketball. Someday in the future, he hopes to become a data scientist.
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an intensive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell in partnership with Gimlet Media.