Students from Central Union High School in El Centro, California and KPBS San Diego have teamed up to release “Voices del Valle,” a new 11 episode, youth-led podcast spotlighting powerful coming-of-age stories from California’s Imperial Valley.
Told through the eyes of local teens, each episode dives into real experiences of growing up in a rural, tight-knit, and culturally rich border community. From navigating mental health, teen parenting and multigenerational households to chasing dreams in sports, music and media, these stories reveal the resilience, creativity, and identity of young people forging their own paths. Whether facing homelessness or finding purpose through podcasting, “Voices del Valle” captures what it truly means to come of age in el Valle — with honesty, heart and hometown pride.
The first episode is available to listen to here.
"We are incredibly proud of our students for launching ‘Voices del Valle,’ their voices reflect the strength, resilience, and creativity that define the Imperial Valley. This collaboration with KPBS San Diego is not only a testament to their talent, but also to the importance of creating spaces where students can lead, express themselves, and tell their own stories. We couldn’t be more excited to see our students stepping into the spotlight and making their voices heard," said Dr. David Farkas, Superintendent of Central Union High School District.
“A student voice is powerful, and this podcast gives them the opportunity to be heard,” said Dr. Thomas Tacke, Music Teacher at Central Union High School. “Listeners will leave with a sense of what these students go through. They will gain an appreciation for the resiliency, drive and humor they have.”
The "Voices del Valle" podcast is a collaboration between the KPBS podcast production team and Central Union High School to share knowledge and best practices for the podcast creation. KPBS is the PBS and NPR member station for San Diego and Imperial counties. The collaboration aims to foster knowledge exchange, skill development, and outreach to young individuals interested in the podcast production industry. The KPBS podcast team traveled to El Centro to spend one day working with the students on podcast production, including providing equipment. The students also visited KPBS in San Diego to spend a day touring the media facility and going through production training such as learning to track audio in studios.
“Authentic storytelling is an important part of what KPBS looks for when we work with local producers for a show. When Dr. Tacke and his students presented KPBS with the concept of ‘Voices del Valle,’ I knew this was going to be a project that would tell an important and unique story. This is about teenagers and produced by teenagers. They are a segment of our population that we hear a lot about, but rarely actually hear from. Working alongside the students to bring this to life has taught us just as much, if not more, than we taught them,” says Lisa Jane Morrisette, KPBS Director of Audio Programming and Operations.
“Voices del Valle” is part of the KPBS Explore Local Content Project. The project collaborates with local producers on ideas for programs and series that reflect our diverse and dynamic community and allow audiences to connect over shared experiences.
Media Contact:
Heather Milne Barger
hmilne@kpbs.org
