Fourth-graders from the Cold Spring School made podcasts — now available to be downloanded through I‑Tunes — about the Mill River.
Click here for a link to a sample 12-minute podcast. In all there are seven 15-minute “River Stories.”
Joan Huwiler of the South Central Regional Water Authority sent in the following write-up about the project.
- * * *
The best interview is a simple conversation. Roaming the Mill River, 20 fourth grade students from Cold Spring School collected the stories and legends of everyday New Haven. They turned first person video-taped interviews and first hand data they collected from water samples, plants and wildlife into seven, 15-minute “River Stories, an oral history project” on the Mill River.
Originally just produced for the school’s website, the stories “morphed into podcasts,” said Karen Zwick, the fourth/fifth grade teacher and technology coordinator at the School, who managed the program for the students. Morphed indeed. Apple I‑Tunes, the on-line digital music store, recently made the kid’s podcasts part of their library collection. The stories can de downloaded from the Apple site. (search: Mill River.) Some of the people interviewed include Lauren Brown of the New Haven Land Trust, New Haven Riverkeeper Peter Davis, Oysterman Jeff Bloom, a lobsterman, Jim Bussman of Seaboard Fuel. This year, the students are transcribing the podcasts tapes into Spanish. Zwick, an avid listener of National Public Radio, credits Story Corps, a segment on NPR, for giving her the inspiration for River Stories. With tremendous pride in her students, she explains, “It was a great experience. The kids learned a lot and there is an important lesson in environmental stewardship to those who listen to the stories,” explained Zwick. The 20-kids from Cold Spring School did the work as journalists. They researched, asked smart questions during interviews, put together video, audio and transcriptions, and with the help of the music teacher, students created and selected the music.” A $4,800 grant from The Watershed Fund, a separate non-profit organization, established by the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority almost 10 years ago, purchased the equipment to make the segments. “This program was an attractive funding opportunity because it empowered young people and gave them experiences that will benefit our community,” said Claire Bennitt, president of The Watershed Fund.
Last year, the Fund spent over $76,700 rewarding programs and organizations in the region that actively help prepare young people to become aware of ecological issues. For information about The Watershed Fund go to: www.thewatershedfund.org