In case you didn't know, our podcast Teachers' Lounge is also on the radio! We've got all the interviews with Illinois teachers and education stories you love, along with exclusive segments, in a monthly, hourlong show on WNIJ.
Every year, the show features student correspondents from clubs and activities across the region. These students are interviewed monthly throughout their season or semester. This spring's correspondents came from the Whiteside Area Career Center's CEO program.
Students in the program tour local businesses, connect with mentors and complete a class project requiring them to plan an event. The experience culminates in the spring, when students are tasked with starting their own businesses from scratch and showcasing them at a large trade show attended by thousands of people!
Also, our conversation with Leslie Bradley and Brooke May, Vienna High School teachers who lead the Southern Illinois Future Teachers Coalition. The program is designed to recruit and prepare the next generation of educators.
The coalition is a partnership between the Illinois State Board of Education, Southern Illinois University, several community colleges and 25 school districts in the southern part of the state.
Beyond encouraging students to become teachers, Bradley and May said the program shows students they can build successful careers and lives in Southern Illinois without having to leave the region.
If you've never listened to Teachers' Lounge before, our show is based on one idea: We've all had teachers in our lives who shaped who we are. We want to hear about the educators who inspired you or deserve a spotlight in your community. Every educator featured on this podcast, whether a teacher, coach, counselor or professor, is nominated by our listeners.
So, tell us about the person who comes to your mind. Shoot us an email and nominate an educator at teacherslounge@niu.edu and they could be on the show!
Teachers' Lounge is also on the radio. Catch the show as an hour-long radio program every month live on 89.5 FM and streaming at WNIJ.org. We feature multiple guests, stories and exclusive segments. Tune in on the last Friday of each month at noon for future episodes.
Copy Edited by Eryn Lent
