“From WNYC, this is Radio Rookies — true stories from New York City teenagers.” So begins “Growing Up, Getting By,” the hour-long special commemorating the tenth year of the Radio Rookies program at New York Public Radio. Since Marianne McCune started the program with a small workshop in 1999, Radio Rookies has been working with teenagers throughout the metro area, combining training in basic radio reporting techniques with a chance to tell their stories. Radio Rookies moves throughout the five boroughs of New York City, working in partnership with organizations such as The Next Generation Center (Bronx), the High School for Global Citizenship (Brooklyn) and Project Hospitality (Staten Island).
According to Kaari Pitkin, the program’s senior producer, McCune began the program with the goal of combining radio diaries with arts education for teenagers. Pitkin explains that an integral part of the Radio Rookies program is their willingness to work with kids from all educational backgrounds and walks of life. As such, the kids “come to the program with a huge range of skills and tools, and interests and curiosities, and strengths and weaknesses.” The most important attribute a teenager can bring to the table, however, is bravery; as McCune explains on “Growing Up, Getting By,” “You have to be courageous to be a Radio Rookie. … They dare to tell some of the most difficult stories: stories they are right in the middle of, whether or not they want to be.” Indeed, topics of Rookie stories include homosexuality, illegal immigration, and the ease with which teens can buy guns. They also explore some of the universal aspects of growing up, such as gossip, bullying and young love.
