Here at Indigo FM we have been building strong relationships with young people across Indigo Shire for over a decade and 2023 has seen us take these partnerships to exciting new heights.
In the first of a series of articles we’d like to focus on our work with Wooragee Primary School.
Wooragee Primary School is located roughly halfway between Beechworth and the turn-off to Yackandandah on the Beechworth-Wodonga Road.
It has a standout Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden as well as some wonderful natural areas for the students to explore. Olive trees grow on the front lawns and the school entrance from the car park is adorned by a striking sunflower sculpture.
In mid 2021 while reflecting on the exciting shows being created by students from Yackandandah Primary School, our team wondered how similar opportunities might be offered to smaller remote schools who didn’t have the relative luxury of an Indigo FM studio 100m down the street from their School.
Indigo FM President Scott Landells elaborates on this off-site program. “Not every primary school has an Indigo FM site in their town. We’d heard about the Rodecaster PRO which is a portable mixer unit with microphones and headphones and thought that if we acquired one we could hit the road and produce podcasts with remote schools. We submitted a community grant application to Indigo Shire and were successful. We approached a few remote schools and Wooragee Primary School were keen to come on board.” Landells said.
“Some training took place in 2022 and in Term 1 2023 we commenced creating podcasts and it’s been a great success. The students are a delight to work with and we think some have exceptional potential to host their own regular radio program on our airwaves in the near future.
We create approximately 3 podcasts per term, the podcasts being hosted by School captain Elena who brings in a rotating set of her fellow students from Years 2-5 to share the airwaves. Thus far we have heard Toby, Arden, Alice, Artemis, Finn, Poppy and Bella on these podcasts.”
Principal Angela Gray offered her thoughts regarding the partnership with Indigo FM.
“The students at Wooragee Primary School are all excited to be a part of creating a podcast with Indigo FM. Students plan out their program with news from the school and the community and with the support of Elena, our school captain and Scott from Indigo FM produce a professionally made podcast.”
You can check out any of these podcasts via the links below:
- Term 1 #1 with Elena and Toby
- Term 2 #2 with Elena and Arden
- Term 2 #3 with Elena and Alice
- Term 2 #4 with Elena and Artemis
- Term 3 #5 with Finn, Poppy and Elena
- Term 3 #6 with Bella, Artemis and Elena
- Term 4 #7 with Frankie, Artemis and Elena
The podcasts are also programmed for 9-10am Monday mornings on Indigo FM Online
If you’re reading this and from a small Indigo Shire Primary School, that’s keen to have Indigo FM create podcasts with your school, feel free to email us at [email protected] and we’ll discuss how your school can get involved.