Radio Camp 2012 – Day 8 – Behind the Scenes

Big Dreamers! We went back to the studio today and got a behind-the-scenes tour from Ms. Sarah. We learned how the mixing board works and got to try the faders ourselves. We looked at the differences between CD and Vinyl and got to hear our own voice played back… Except there was something funny going on – we sounded like chipmunks, teenage boys, and sleeeepy people! We saw our voices as a waveform and learned about sound waves, how eardrums work, and how a microphone captures our voices. We were SO good in the studios today that we got to visit Cloud Arbor again, where Miss May led us in a rain dance.

Radio Camp 2012 – Day 7 – To the Studio!

Today was a walk in the park… Buhl Park, that is! We headed out of Camp King and into the Children’s Museum for our first visit to The Saturday Light Brigade radio studios. Everyone got a turn on the microphone as we participated in making radio during our “live” broadcast. We talked a little bit about the studio and will surely learn more tomorrow – today, we just got our feet wet (and, later, our heads — we stopped at Cloud Arbor in the park on our way back to King!)

Radio Camp 2012 – Day 6 – Writing Songs!

What a fun day! Today, we explored the art of songwriting. We wrote down what songs we like are about so we could get an idea of what we should write about. We decided a song can be about anything! Family, friends, our lives, our country, animals, things we like to do – even feet. Then we got straight to recording ourselves singing and talking about songwriting.

Radio Camp 2012 – Day 5 – A Good Friend

Welcome back, campers! Week 2 started with a conversation about friendship: What makes a good friend? How are we good friends? We wrote down our thoughts in our reporters notebooks and wrote some ideas on the board. Overall, we decided that a good friend is nice, helpful, likes to play, is respectful, doesn’t keep secrets — and of course, we are all very good friends! We then worked with our friends in groups to record our thoughts in the handy-dandy H1 recorders.

Radio Camp 2012 – Day 4 – A Time I Achieved Something

It’s hard to believe an entire week of camp is already done! We have had an amazing week. Today we got to get our hands on our smaller H1 recorders. The campers broke off into groups of 2-4 and learned how to be their own engineers and use the equipment on their own! As we suspected, they picked it up really fast and started making amazing recordings already!

We took some time to write in our reporter’s notebooks “A Time That I Achieved Something”. As we all know, there is nothing too small to be proud of. Whether it was getting on Honor Roll, winning a medal in a sport, getting lots of Promise Dollars in one day, or cheering the loudest in the morning meeting, it was exciting to hear all the things our campers are proud of. We couldn’t be more proud of them. Thank you for sharing your pride with all of us!

Radio Camp 2012 – Day 3 – A Time I Helped Someone

Helloooooo radio world! Our camp today was great! We are still learning to work with our professional radio gear, and everyone is picking it up so quickly. There is a TON of natural talent in our class. Even the kids who were a little shy have showed that they have what it takes to be a radio camp star!

Radio Camp 2012 – Day 2 – Three Things

Today, we brought out the professional radio equipment! We are using microphones and an H4, so we learned how to hold the microphone and how to be a good listener while our friends are recording.

Since we are still getting to know each other, we each recorded three things about ourselves. We have a lot of athletes, musicians, readers, animal-lovers, singers, dancers — an EXCELLENT group of kids by every measure!!

Radio Camp 2012 – Day 1 – Introductions!

Hurray! The Summer Dreamer’s Radio Program has officially started for its third year in a row. Today we met our campers and played fun ice-breakers like “Human Knot” (anyone still tied up?) We brainstormed as a group and came up with our Radio Camp station call letters! Block one came up with KWHB for Work hard, Have fun, Be nice and block two came up with WHRS for Hollywood Radio Station. We are so excited to see what else they come up with!

Welcome to their blog, where we’ll document all of their educational adventures and store all of the audio they create. We’ve got an exciting five weeks ahead of us, weeks filled to the brim with unbridled awesomeness. See you tomorrow!

Youth Expression Showcase: Friends from Radio Camp at Summer Dreamers

Our Summer Dreamers Radio Campers are sharing their talents as well as their experiences in the city-wide camp called the Summer Dreamers Academy, which is free for all PPS students K-8. Joining us, camper Gabby Johnson and her mom, along with Summer Dreamers Project Manager Eddie Wilson, discussing the 2011 Summer Dreamers Academy and the Pittsburgh Promise – a college scholarship opportunity made available to all PPS students.

Sound Effects and Foley

Today, campers had to solve a sound effects puzzle: match the prop with the desired sound effect to discover crackling fire, horses galloping, and even a sword fight! Next we wrote small radio plays using the sound effects. The grand finale was a full blown presentation by Bricolage Theater’s Tami Dixon, who brought in a ton of props and goodies, and had the whole class take part in a great train robbery!