Ron Dearing UTC students have launched their first podcast capturing a host of interviews, songs and book reviews in a 35-minute episode.
Twelve Year 10, 11 and 12 students have taken up various roles including interviewing, producing, writing, recording and presenting to create the first Radio Ron podcast, supported by artist and West Hull FM Drive Time radio presenter Andy Pea.
The first episode includes the students’ top six favourite songs, an interview with Mark Ollerenshaw, Ron Dearing UTC’s Vice Principal for Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare, about the school’s extensive enrichment programme, and a chat with Year 11 student and Hull’s Young Mayor, Amaya Newman.
It also incudes an interview with Brandon Hunt, who appeared on ITV1’s hit TV show Starstruck and speaks to students about mental health and online safety.
Additional content covers book reviews, interviews with former Ron Dearing students who are now graduate apprentices at UTC Founding Partner Reckitt, and an interview with Year 11 student Brad Taylor, who has recently celebrated success in major trampoline competitions.
Year 12 student Imogen Connolly, 17, who is studying Double Engineering and Maths at Ron Dearing UTC’s sixth form, is an interviewer and producer on the Radio Ron podcast team.
She said: “It’s been a fun and interesting experience and something completely different to what I’m studying.
“I was interviewed on BBC Radio Humberside and BBC Look North when I was younger and I enjoyed the experience, so I put myself forward to get involved in Radio Ron.
“I’m really pleased with the first episode and I’m most proud of the amount of content included and the number of people we were able to interview. I’m really looking forward to everyone hearing it and making future episodes.”
Radio Ron is part of Ron Dearing UTC’s Horizons Cultural Capital programme which promotes culture and creativity and broadening students’ horizons beyond the classroom.
It is available to listen to via the West Hull FM and Ron Dearing UTC websites.
Chris Berry, Assistant Principal – Horizons Cultural Capital at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “I’m really proud of the work the students have done on this. With great support from Andy, they’ve owned it and it’s a brilliant creative outlet for our students.
“They’re learning additional skills to add to their CVs and gaining confidence along the way. We’re looking forward to Radio Ron becoming a regular feature at Ron Dearing UTC.”
The next episode of Radio Ron will again be created by current students and aimed at the school’s new Year 10 and Year 12 cohort joining Ron Dearing UTC in September.
It will offer advice to new students about making the most of their time at the UTC, how to settle in quickly, equipment needed and more.
Listen to the first episode of the Radio Ron podcast here from 00:01:49: https://www.mixcloud.com/ATP_Productions/radio-ron-podcast/