Two students at the Delaware Area Career Center recently recorded the first episode of “Delaware Matters,” a new program set to air on My 96.7 FM, WDLR 1270 AM and CD 92.9 FM.
The students, Evan Gardner and Nathan Tracy, are seniors in the Digital Design program at the DACC. The duo said they were approached by Digital Design instructor Josh Gallagan and asked about doing an internship for WDLR.
“We sat in on a phone call with WDLR and it went from there,” said Tracy, an Olentangy High School student.
The students said the weekly show will focus on interviews with members of the community. The first episode features an interview with Jay Poroda, the superintendent at the DACC, and it will air Feb. 19.
The students met with Poroda in his office Tuesday and conducted the interview, asking about Poroda’s first year at the career center and his goals for the future. Gardner, an Olentangy Liberty High School student, hosted the program and Tracy set up and ran the recorder during the interview.
“I think it went great,” Tracy said, adding he interviewed Poroda for DACC News when Poroda first joined the district last year. “It was great to talk to him again. I think he’s super great. I think he has great visions for DACC, and he really cares about it.”
Tracy said he did “quite a bit” of prep work to familiarize himself with the equipment before the interview.
“I’ve never done anything for a radio station before,” he said. “It was a little challenging to come up with questions and try and plan everything out and how everything works. Seeing how things get set up behind the scenes in radio is very interesting to learn about and something I definitely enjoy. … The fun part is the issues. I like the problem-solving and trying different ways of fixing. It’s a unique skill set.”
Gardner said he enjoyed the interview, adding he wasn’t nervous because he’s a musician and is used to performing. He said he’s done some job shadowing at WDLR and has recorded some commercials for them.
“I feel great about this interview,” Gardner said. “(Poroda) has a lot of potential for growing the career center.”
The students said “Delaware Matters” has no end point and could continue as long as the DACC and WDLR want it to.
“This could possibly go on and be passed on to the juniors after we graduate,” Tracy said.
Gardner said he’s enjoying being the host and would be happy to stay on indefinitely.
