WKMS Youth Radio Project

Youth Report: Conversations with Artists at the LowerTown Arts & Music Festival

Matt Markgraf and Kayla Eicholtz — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:30:00 +0000

WKMS Youth Reporter Kayla Eicholtz gets to know some of the artists at the 2013 LowerTown Arts & Music Festival. In this extended version of her Sounds Good feature, she speaks with artists Marti McGinnis, Bob McGill, and David Barlow at their LowerTown booths on Saturday, May 18th. Click here to see more about the festival and the artists that attended.

See more about the WKMS Youth Radio Project.

Youth Report: Not So Fast, All About LBL's Turtle Derby

Matt Markgraf and Aaron Sikkel — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:35:00 +0000

Earlier this month, over 16 million viewers tuned in to watch the 139th annual Kentucky Derby. To celebrate the event, the Nature Station at Land Between the Lakes held their own, much slower race: the Kentucky Turtle Derby. WKMS Youth Reporter Aaron Sikkel covered the event and sat down with Naturalist Aviva Yasgur to learn about how turtles contribute to the region's ecosystem. This article features the full version of the interview.

Special thanks to Aaron's mom, Claire Fuller, for coordinating the interview and taking photos. If you are interested in getting involved in the WKMS Youth Radio Project, check out our page with more info, here.

Good Read: The White Bicycle by Beverly Brenna

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:13:51 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is The White Bicycle, by Beverly Brenna, a 2013 Printz Honor coming-of-age adventure told from the perspective of Taylor Jane, a young woman with Asperger's Syndrome. Booklist calls this story, for ages 14 to 17, a "finespun gem" that would be "a shame" to miss.

Good Read: Dodger by Terry Pratchett

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:32:35 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is Dodger, by Terry Pratchett, a 2013 Printz Honor recipient for young adults that The New York Times describes as "a masterwork from a treasure and hero of a writer... that will delight you."

Teaching Poetry to Kids and Recording for Radio

Kate Lochte — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:37:02 +0000

Murray State’s Teacher Quality Institute’s Constance Alexander brings poetry to the studio on Sounds Good today. She’s produced Poetry Minutes for WKMS over the past several years. In the conversation, she reads some of the poems written by area school kids for the project, and talks about teaching poetry to kids, how to interpret something like a photo or painting using carefully constructed words.

Click here to listen to this year's Poetry Minutes.

Bonus: Here's last year's Poetry Minutes!

Good Read: The One and Only Ivan

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:58:51 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, a Newberry Winning book for ages 8 and up that School Library Journal describes as a must-have, that the characters will capture readers' hearts and never let go.

Poetry Minutes 2013: Picturing America

Matt Markgraf and Constance Alexander — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:54:14 +0000

Hear Poetry Minutes every weekday in April at 7:19 AM, 11:40 AM, and 4:19 PM

In honor of National Poetry Month, WKMS and Murray State University's Teacher Quality Institute have teamed up again for a special project during April, bringing short poems by students in western Kentucky public schools, that air at 7:19 a.m., 11:40 a.m. and 4:19 p.m. weekdays through Tuesday, April 30.

Lone Oak High School Senior Competes in Poetry Out Loud Championship

Kate Lochte — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:57:24 +0000

Jazmyne Lilly, Senior from Lone Oak High School, competes in the state Poetry Out Loud Championship in Frankfort Tuesday, March 12. She is one of three seniors from our region among seventeen finalists for the opportunity to represent the Commonwealth in national competition. She previews her recitation of a Carl Sandburg poem for us.

Childrens Author Lin Oliver Comes to Madisonville

Kate Lochte — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:20:56 +0000

Lin Oliver is the author of the Who Shrunk Daniel Funk series, and the co-author, with Henry Winkler, of the bestselling Hank Zipzer series. She is a writer and producer of movies, books, and television series for children and families. The co-founder and executive director of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and sons. On Sounds Good, we learned more about the event in Madisonville with Lin and fellow writer Theo Baker. Visit her at linoliver.com.

Good Read: Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:34:50 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage, a Newberry Honor Winner that School Library Journal describes as a hilarious modern day mystery, that leaves the readers hoping for sequels.