Story Pirates Share Podcasts

Middle School students recently shared original podcasts developed in collaboration with their JK counterparts.

Throughout the academic year, the Parker Partners program connects Middle School students with volunteer opportunities in community organizations like the Anti-Cruelty Society, El Valor and Chicago Children’s Museum and internal initiatives like Random Acts of Flowers and Story Pirates.

Inspired by the actual Story Pirates children’s podcast, Parker’s Story Pirates are a group of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who have spent the year making connections with their JK peers and learning how to record and produce original podcast audio stories to delight their younger friends.

Intermediate and Middle School Dean of Student Life Anthony Shaker and 8th Grade Assistant Teacher Tiz Wilson help direct student efforts and energy at each step of the process, which began with JK students revealing some of their favorite stories to the older students for inspiration.

Based on what they heard, Middle School students devised new narratives, developed original scripts and conjured up ideas for sound effects and background music. Middle and Upper School Technology and Innovation Teacher Seth Bacon showed students how to record their own voices and use GarageBand to mix up to four tracks of audio.

With all they had learned, students worked in groups to create four original audio dramas: The Princess and the Chicken, The Lactose Intolerant T-Rex, Kwik-E Story and Elsa Finds a Friend. In the last Parker Partners gathering for this academic year, older students joined together with their JK friends in the Kovler Family Library’s Story Studio to enjoy the finished stories.

Click here for photos and to hear the stories!