Puffin West has given a Grant to Youth Beat Radio a weekly radio show that airs every Monday night at 7:30 on Columbus Ohio’s Community Radio Station WCRS 102.1 and 98.3 FM. Over 75 shows have been produced since its inception in 2009. This youth driven activity, under the direction of Kristi Lekies, Ph.D. and Ass’t. Prof. at OSU, has reached thousands of listeners and its Mission is to engage young people in the community and challenge them to become active citizens and leaders who have the power to contribute to and enact change. Young people often feel disenfranchised in today’s world see themseleves as having limited opportunities to participate in policymaking in their schools, neighborhoods and communities. The grown-up world at large too often marginalizes young people and does not take them seriously. Often the face of youth is tokenistic, overlooked or portrayed in a negative light. Youth Beat Radio is working to change that by not only giving them a VOICE, but also giving the community the opportunity to learn more about the leadership, expertise, compassion and creativity of so many young people in their community. Miss Puffin says: “Tune Them In!”
