(NewsNation) — Two years ago, New York City‘s P.S. 224 was set to be closed. But principal Uche Njoku revived the school by attracting students with an original curriculum focused on new media, such as podcasting.
“I was asking myself, why are the kids more engaged in their cell phones than with us as teachers in the classroom? Social media. So, I decided to take what has been the bane of our existence to be something productive,” Njoku told NewsNation.
The students now produce “The Best Middle School Podcast” out of their media hub. In the time since the podcast began, the school has adopted full-fledged media classes.
Njoku said incorporating podcasting, graphic design and filmmaking into students’ education has them “hooked.”
“Whenever we get the chance to meet new people, it’s kind of like a learning experience because then they tell us more about their background and where they came from,” student Maryoli Roque said on “Morning in America.”
Roque — one of the podcast’s hosts — said working on the program has “created an environment for us to learn more but also do something that we like.”
Her favorite guest to speak with was Meisha Ross Porter, who served as New York City Schools chancellor in 2021.
“Being able to talk to a female who also grew up in the area is kind of, like, important to me,” Roque said.
Njoku hopes to see immersive media studies appear in more schools nationwide because he believes education should meet children where they’re at technologically or risk losing their interest altogether.
“It’s very important that we stop teaching ‘yesterday,'” Njoku said. “Technology is here, and it’s not just about putting laptops with kids, it’s about actually engaging in the medium.”
He previously told NewsNation local affiliate PIX11 that the school’s next goal is to convert an upstairs classroom into a TV studio.