Introducing the New podCAST Show

podCAST producer, Wyllow O., interviews Julian principal Jeremy Christian for Episode 2 of podCAST.

The newest CAST project—called podCAST—is a show styled after the popular podcast audio programs. The project is the brainchild of Bill McGlynn, the Program Director of CAST. In February, he began reaching out to the CAST DesignCORE students to see if they were interested in working on the project. In early March, they started having weekly virtual meetings to plan the stories and the project took off from there. In May, Sam Schurr, an adult alum of CAST, joined the project to help Bill run meetings and edit the shows.

Four students from the DesignCORE team—Lauren G., Maya G., Wyllow O. and Baylee P.—serve as producers, writers and hosts of the podCAST episodes. Each week the students brainstormed topics to present. They also brought friends to the meetings to help contribute story ideas.

“It wasn’t part of the plan, but what emerged really became a collection of short stories about the strength and resilience of our community,” said McGlynn.

Stories range from students candidly discussing the challenges of remote and hybrid learning to a seventh-grade choir reuniting for the first time after the pandemic. The student hosts interview both students and staff in this refreshing look at middle school life that will charm adults and students alike.

Sam Schurr was impressed with the students’ work. “The kids have been doing a great job thinking in broad ideas. They ask themselves what students, parents and Oak Parkers would want to know about the topics they’re covering. It’s really been an exciting experience!”

Episode 1 is now available on the podCAST page. Episode 2 will be released soon. A third episode is in the planning stages.