On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes two bright students from Horse Creek Academy in Aiken, ninth grader Mae and eleventh grader Jim, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. A few weeks after teacher Karen Nelson introduced the school's student-run podcast, Mae and Jim take the mic themselves to talk about Creek and Company, the show they help create from the ground up. With Halloween right around the corner, the conversation is equal parts fun and inspiring, as the two share what they love about Horse Creek, from soccer and percussion to the close-knit community where, as Mae puts it, everyone knows everyone. Jim even pulls back the curtain on the producing side, explaining how he learned to edit and run the show episode by episode.
The heart of the conversation is how much these students have grown. Mae and Jim open up about going from nervously reading a script word for word to carrying a real conversation, and about the confidence and communication skills they are building that reach far beyond the microphone, with classmates now stopping them in the hallway to say they heard the latest episode. They, Keven, and Chris reflect on the mentoring culture that makes Horse Creek special, where older students become teachers and role models for the younger ones, and why learning to find your voice is one of the most valuable life skills a school can offer. And yes, there is time for the important questions too, like Halloween costumes and the great candy corn debate. It is a joyful, feel-good glimpse at the next generation of young communicators finding their footing.
🔗 Learn more: https://www.hcacs.net/page/creekandco/
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