A tree house to remember
In the series “Teen Sanctuaries,” Philly Youth Radio asked students to show us their safe spaces. Today, we start the series with Nyseem Smith, a senior at Benjamin Franklin High School, who hopes to become a news anchor or an 8th-grade history teacher.
Everybody has a safe place, or at least should have one. Somewhere to let your hair down and just recharge. In the series “Teen Sanctuaries,” Philly Youth Radio asked students to show us their safe spaces.
Today, we start the series with Nyseem Smith, a senior at Benjamin Franklin High School. He loves playing basketball, running, and watching TV — especially ESPN. One day, he hopes to become a news anchor or an 8th-grade history teacher.
Nyseem is a long-time volunteer at TreeHouse Books in North Philadelphia, where he reads books with children and helps tutor neighborhood kids in reading. His sanctuary is TreeHouse, a place where everyone can feel safe, welcome and respected.
About Philly Youth Radio
In the spring of 2011, Philly Youth Radio was created by Yowei Shaw with the support of Asian Arts Initiative, WHYY’s Hamilton Public Media Commons, and the Leeway Foundation in response to the alarming level of school bullying and bias-based violence experienced by students in the city of Philadelphia.
Philly Youth Radio works with local high school students to produce radio stories that matter to them. Participants gain experience in story pitching, interviewing, field recording, script-writing, and voicing. Philly Youth Radio is currently raising money on Indiegogo for another series of youth radio workshops, that will take place this fall and focus on telling stories about love and relationships.
To find out more go to their website. If you are interested in volunteering or supporting the group, please visit the How to Get Involved section on their website.
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