WNCU 90.7 FM’s News and Public Affairs Department, Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies Youth Noise Network and Durham County Parks and Recreation Department’s W. D. Hill Community Center all came together in the spring of 2008 to bring radio production classes to Durham youth.Eight young people from area middle and high schools participated in the project. The schools represented in the group were Hillside New Technology High School, CE Jordan High School and Rogers-Herr Middle School.Students learned how to research, interview, write and edit their pieces. Six students produced projects that aired on Duke University’s WXDU 88.7 FM radio station. The students shared their views on love, segregation, African dance, mother and son relationships, sex education and peer pressure. The pieces were done by Tempestt Watson, Sabuna Mimy, Naeemah Kelly, Sakarah Hall-Edge, Asia Anderson and TaQuinn Huff. Afyia Carter a Recreation Specialist from W.D. Hill Community Center in Durham initiated the project after attending Women in Media Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia.. She created the media project to expose young people to radio production and broadcast. Carter enlisted the help of Tennessee Watson of Youth Noise Network, Kimberley Pierce-Cartwright of WNCU and others. Kimberley and Tennessee developed a curriculum, taught classes, and provided technical resources, while Afyia recruited, registered and provided logistical resources.

Tennessee Watson is an audio producer for the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke, where she coordinates Youth Noise Network (YNN), a youth radio project. YNN brings together a diverse group of Durham teenagers to produce a weekly radio show on WXDU 88.7 FM that addresses issues of particular concern to teens. YNN participants learn various aspects of the documentary arts and produce their own audio documentaries.

Kimberley Pierce-Cartwright is the News and Public Affairs Director for WNCU 90.7 FM. She is responsible for daily news production and delivery at the station. She is also a lab instructor for North Carolina Central University student interns who want to become broadcast journalists. WNCU students get hands on experience working in a newsroom at a public radio station. Kimberley is an advocate for youth involvement in media.

Listen to the student’s projects the links below:

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