In Spring of 2023, twelve teens from around the Pittsburgh region joined Remake Learning Days of Southwestern PA to preview, attend, and create reviews of events happening during the festival season, May 4th through May 23rd. Teens created short previews for 23 events, and covered 16 of those events through reviews in the form of videos, audio recordings, and blog posts. Displayed below are their creative works:

Short Video Event Previews and Reviews

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Event Review Audio

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Event Review Blog Posts

Streaming the Future Review: Kalonga Mwenda

I just attended Streaming The Future at 10 Children’s Way, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212. Upon arrival, I was given a brief outline of the topics that would be covered on the podcast and
was left both excited and amused. The podcast, hosted by three high school students, is a fresh
conversation about the exhausting academic pressure placed on them.

Though teenagers are the target demographic, older audiences would benefit greatly from being
able to gain insight into the mindset of young adults on their big step into college.
In a quick final segment, the group shifted to a more lighthearted and controversial discussion
about ‘stan culture’ seen in Taylor Swift’s music fan-base. At first, I was taken aback by their
stance because of how beloved Swift is, but their reasonings truly made me think as well as
laugh.

As funny as the podcast was at times, the sentiments of the main topic successfully grabbed my
attention as someone who is graduating soon.

Something I found interesting while listening was hearing about the extent of pressure one of the
hosts feels as a sophomore. Hearing her talk about her issues with this pressure opened my eyes
and made me think back on the similar thoughts I had when I was her age.

Being able to see the podcast recorded in person gave me great insight into seeing how they are
recorded and gave me confidence as a student knowing others are going through the same
school-related things as me.

Native Peoples Celebration Review: Ivy Smith

This Remake Learning Days, I went to the Native People’s Celebration. As a non-Native person, of course I was excited to be immersed in Native culture, but I was also hesitant. I am not Native, so clearly, I wasn’t wanted in this space, right?

Well, when I arrived at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, my anxiousness was almost immediately washed away by the gorgeous music that I could hear even as I walked down the hallway, the elaborate, handmade, outfits that danced across the conference-style room like air, and even the small children I saw that were completely enamored by the celebration, much like me. In fact, a lot of the dancers were my age or even younger which I thought was interesting. They danced in front of 50-ish people like they were the only ones there; seeming happy to just be doing what they loved. Alongside these young dancers were very experienced dancers too. I talked to a Chicken dancer who had been doing this for 60 years! Plus, he wasn’t even Native.

“My father was always very interested in Native American culture, I didn’t know I was anything–just a dancer.”

In the words of one of the dancers I spoke to, “Ignorance is just not knowing, and it’s okay to be ignorant, but we want you to come learn about it first hand.” I definitely think I left this event as a less ignorant person, and that is why learning is so important. Just like Native culture, the world is constantly changing, so there’s always new information waiting to be absorbed. We just need to venture out into the world and find it.