1. Classroom visit by KQED staff
Starting in the fall, KQED’s youth media educators and journalists work with your students to teach them how to write stories for public media.
2. Field trip to KQED
Your class comes to KQED headquarters in San Francisco to record their stories in our state-of-the-art audio and digital video studios.
3. Youth Takeover week
Selected student pieces are played on the radio, TV, podcasts, and digital platforms during the Youth Takeover celebration week (usually late April).
4. All student pieces published by KQED
Every student can submit their final media piece to the Youth Media Showcase where it will be available for audiences everywhere to enjoy!
Skills your students will gain
Confidence
Use their authentic voices to tell a story about a topic they care about.
Media Making
Write, record, produce, and publish a media project for a public audience.
Media Literacy
Learn how a media company creates and publishes stories for broadcast.
Civic Engagement
Research a community issue and use their own words to influence others.
What teachers have to say
Meet the 2024-25 Youth Takeover teacher cohort.
“Witnessing these students transform from hesitant speakers to confident storytellers was profoundly impactful.” — Leon Sykes, 10th grade media teacher, Fremont High School
“One of my students was excited to share his knowledge about sleep apnea, in the hopes of helping more sleepy teens.” — Sejee Kim, English teacher, Milpitas Unified School District
“Partnering with KQED was an excellent opportunity for my students to amplify their voices and make a broader impact.” — Raina Meyers, Ida B. Wells High School
Give your students the Youth Takeover experience
Apply
Applications for the 2025-26 school year will open later this semester. Sign up for our newsletter to get notified!
Stay in Touch
Be the first to know about KQED’s free media-making and media literacy resources.
Outside the Bay?
The Youth Media Challenge empowers teachers in any state to create and publish their voices.
This page was co-designed with Youth Advisory Board members as part of KQED’s Youth Takeover.