Jennifer Kidwell and Julius Rotter

Kidwell’s and Rotter’s creative teaching idea, “Broadcasting to the Community,” involves having students work on projects that include providing timely news for students in broadcast format, creating media content for the school’s social media outlets, initiating a podcast in which students can explore local news and topics relating to the school and to issues that matter to them and their peers, and learning effective marketing strategies while learning to use audio/visual equipment by filming promotional videos and commercial spots for local businesses in town. According to the teaching duo, De Soto Senior High School is dedicated to teaching students how to evaluate the news that is given to them and the benefits of marketing and advertising. Between the business, social media and broadcasting classes, De Soto High School is also in the unique position of being able to teach students how to bring the news of the school to students quickly and efficiently while also sharing the positive promotion of the school to the greater community, and vice versa. Ultimately Kidwell and Rotter hope to create informed and engaged citizens for the 21st century. The Voya grant will be used to purchase a podcast kit, LED lights and headphones.