Voices of the Mat-Su Draft
Sample Audio Files
Radio Free Palmer has submitted a pitch to the Mat-Su Health Foundation to create audio stories with members of less visible communities in the Mat-Su. In preparation for the project, Radio Free Palmer created four pilot episodes in which community members tell their own stories. The pilots also show the different demographics the project could reach and how the stories could be solicited.
Active and Senior
A focus on the growing senior population in the Mat-Su features an active 70-year old woman, Terry. She has lived in Alaska since 1990 and is the primary caregiver for her husband who has Parkinson’s. Terry collected audio of her activities and inside the studio a more traditional form of production finalized the pilot.
Tennis in the Mat-Su
“Tennis in the Mat-Su”, created per request by the Tennis Association to create a story on the improvement project of tennis courts in Palmer. A tennis player, Noah, tells the story of tennis in the Mat-Su. Emily Forstner helped him, a home-schooled student who plays for Colony High School. Noah collected the audio, and created and produced the episode inside the Big Cabbage Radio.
AP for All
A two-part series “AP For All” was produced by Merilyn, a Colony High student. This broadcast featured the student’s perspective on the recent school district initiative for increased advanced placement courses in high schools. In this case, Colony High had contacted the radio station and asked for support. Volunteer Emily Forstner met with Merilyn and guided the process at Colony High School to completion.
Part 1
Part 2
Working for a Living
“Working for a Living” focused on the young working poor population. Anna, 22-years old, attended Burchell High School graduated from Middle College. Currently, Anna works as a CNA. For her episode, Anna recorded on her phone five days worth of personal reflections of what it is like to face inflation at 22 years old making $17 an hour: at the gas pump, in the grocery store, in her cramped apartment shared with two roommates. The recordings were then edited and produced at the station.
