October 9, 2014
From Submitted Reports
Courier News
ELGIN – Five students received Terri Hemmert High School Student Radio/Audio Awards at the Midwest Regional High School and College Radio/Webcast Conference at Columbia College Chicago on Sept, 27.
Students from Elgin High School and South Elgin High School won first place in the interviewing and podcasts categories. A Bartlett High School student earned an honorable mention in the Radio Public Service Campaign/Production category. The first-place winners were:
● Karina Blanco of Elgin High School for interviewing
● Jackie Mendez of Elgin High School for interviewing
● Luis Muñoz, Elgin High School for interviewing
● Selena Rodriguez, Elgin High School for interviewing
● Justin Kosek, South Elgin High School for podcasts.
Michael Koss of Bartlett High School earned an honorable mention for radion public service campaign and production.
“This award motivates me to continue with radio club and improve our radio broadcasts,” Mendez said. “The judges told us to continue to ask hard questions when we interview.”
Elgin High School students won first place for their interview with Elgin Mayor David Kaptain. In April 2014, students attended the Latino Film Festival and interviewed the mayor about his time as a student at Elgin High School and his duties as a mayor.
Kosek, who graduated in May from the BEACON Academy, co-hosted a radio show on WEPS 88.9 FM on Mondays called “The Fuse.”
Koss, created his own public service announcement about ACT Preparation. It focused on tips for student testing and the announcement ran in the weeks leading up to the test.
“These awards recognize the talent, creativity and hard work of our students,” said Tony Sanders, U46 CEO. “We relaunched WEPS 88.9 FM in November 2013. It’s impressive to see how successful our radio clubs have become in such a short amount of time.”
The all-day event at Columbia College features sessions and panels featuring radio industry professionals, as well as hands-on workshops. The awards ceremony was held in honor of longtime WXRT-FM personality and National Radio Hall of Famer Terri Hemmert, who was present for the awards.
Hemmert has devoted more than 30 years to her profession and made radio history in 1981 when she became the first female morning drive personality in Chicago on WXRT. She currently hosts a midday radio program on WXRT and produces “Breakfast with the Beatles,” Chicago’s longest-running show devoted to the Fab Four.
WEPS 88.9 FM broadcasts student produced content from the district’s six high schools, weekdays at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. For more information about WEPS, visit www.u-46.org.