HSRA Update

Thing's have been going great at the High School for the Recording Arts. Some exciting things have happened since my last update. The teacher I work with and I were able to successfully organize a field trip to Macalester so the students could tour our radio station headquarters and observe a live show of mine. It was by far the most rewarding and fun experience that I've been a part of at HSRA. The students were really excited to come visit, they took times out of their personal lives, not the school day, to come visit and observe, and everything went smoothly. I even put a few students on the spot and asked them to help me introduce songs, read PSA's etc, and they stepped up and performed excellently. Even though somedays the students act tough or don't show much enthusiasm, they couldn't hide how excited they were and how proud they were of themselves. After going on the air they were all beaming for the rest of the evening and still talking about the experience the next time I went to HSRA to help.

The field trip has also inspired a new class that the teacher is hoping to get off the ground next year. The class would be about live-radio broadcasting and I'm trying to talk to program directors at Macalester's station to provide a one-hour time slot weekly next year so this program can really take off. I really hope everything works out for this idea to come to fruition; it will be an incredible opportunity for the students, and I'd also be extremely proud to have helped inspire and start a class at the same school that has provided so much inspiration and help to me throughout the past few months.

I just learned yesterday that after coming on the field trip to the radio station that one of the students I help applied for an internship with a radio station in Minneapolis, 89.9 KMOJ. She's a delightful student with a "gift of gab" so it would be awesome if she gets this internship.

Next week will be my last week at HSRA but I'm getting in touch with people so I can keep volunteering this summer and next year as well. If anyone is ever interested in helping, the teachers tell me every time I come in to bring more Mac students along so they would definitely love to have you. Good luck to everyone finishing the semester strong!