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Students at Andrew Langston Middle School Embody the Spirit of their Namesake

(November 8, 2024) Students at Andrew Langston Middle School embody the spirit of their namesake, Andrew Langston, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Monroe County Broadcasting Company and WDKX-FM. Langston’s trailblazing legacy in radio broadcasting continues to inspire the next generation of leaders, communicators, and creators at his namesake school.

As a tribute to Langston’s contributions to the community and the media landscape, Andrew Langston Middle School is partnering with WDKX to provide students with hands-on opportunities in broadcasting. According to Principal Wakili Moore, the school’s collaboration with WDKX allows students to produce podcasts, participate in live radio broadcasts, and immerse themselves in audio production. WDKX has shared some equipment with the school so students can produce their podcasts.

A group of students meets daily for thirty minutes to explore the exciting world of podcasting. The focus of their podcasts ranges from discussions about college life, cultural topics, and daily experiences to interviews with local college students and food reviews. Students have also created podcast covers and produced spooky stories. Through this process, they have learned to use Adobe Podcast software to record and edit their shows, developing important technical skills in media production.

One of the exciting upcoming projects for these young podcasters is an interview with Dr. Elisabeth Dellegrazie, a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Maribor in Slovenia. Students have been studying Slovenian culture and education and have compiled a list of thoughtful questions to ask Dr. Dellegrazie about life and academics in Slovenia. The students will conduct, record, and edit the interview before uploading it to the school’s Google site, where all of Andrew Langston Middle School’s podcasts are available for sharing.

This experience is a way for students to engage in creative and technical fields, and it honors Langston’s vision of amplifying diverse voices while embodying the values of community, creativity, and resilience that Andrew Langston championed throughout his life.

The Rochester City School District does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's actual or perceived race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, age, marital status, partnership status, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, sexual orientation, gender (sex), military status, veteran status, domestic violence victim status or political affiliation, and additionally does not discriminate against students on the basis of weight, gender identity, gender expression, and religious practices or any other basis prohibited by New York State and/or federal non-discrimination laws in employment or its programs and activities. The District provides equal access to community and youth organizations. NYS CR Part #154 requires the District to provide communications to ELL families in the home language that they best understand. In order to request interpretation or translation services, employees may visit www.rcsdk12.org/translationservices. For emergencies or immediate communication needs, please use the Language Line at 1-866-874-3972. School secretaries in each school or program can provide the access code for this service.