County teens hope to start peer-to-peer conversations
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 29, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
"Teens Talking to Teens" producers Leah Weaver, 16, and Morgan Yelverton, 15, question show guest Michah Aaron Woodard, 16, during a rehearsal at Herman Park Center.
Leah Weaver and Morgan Yelverton never set out to be local TV producers.
The Wayne School of Engineering students just wanted to do something in their community.
Then Leah had the idea for a teen-driven talk show.
The junior called her friend, Morgan, a sophomore at the school, and the two decided to take the concept on the road. Or down the block, as the case may be, to the Parks and Recreation Department.
Director Tammy Greene had previously spoken to the Mayors Youth Council, of which both girls are now members, about creating something for teens in Wayne County.
When the two students began bouncing around their ideas, it made sense to seek Ms. Greene's help. They paid a visit to her office and things grew from there.
Now they are working with a board of advisers comprised of their peers -- Anna Cooke, Donna Corbett and Sara Smith, from Rosewood High School; Katherine Brozovsky and Nicole Taylor from Wayne School of Engineering; and Ricki Nelson, home-schooled. The group researches topics pertinent to teens, and in all likelihood, the subjects will make their way into the show.
"We both said that no matter what, if only one person gets inspired, that's all we need," Miss Yelverton said. "We're handing out the facts for a successful tomorrow, that's our motto. We don't just tell them what to think. We let them form their own opinion. We just give them the facts."
"That's the whole point of being a teenager -- trying to form your ideas and your own opinions because you're trying to grow up, " Miss Weaver said.
The show, "Teens Talking to Teens," will be filmed in the auditorium at Parks and Recreation. The format includes a skit, panel discussion and entertainment segments.
The actual air date for the show has not been announced, but it will run on WGTV Channel 10. The students said the show will be recorded live then edited before being broadcast. Rehearsals for the initial launch began earlier last week.
"Our first show is going to be on, what's success? Where are you going to be in 10 years? How are you going to get there?" Miss Weaver said. "The second show will be on teen drinking, the third on body image, and we may have some other specials coming up for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
"I think one of the cool things about the first show, the success show, is you need to form your own opinion on success."
Teens from the area are invited to be part of the audience for the taping of the first show. They are asked to be at Parks and Recreation on Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. taping.
The roles of director, producer and everything in-between for the launch of a local teen show has been exciting and educational, the students said.
"I have definitely learned to accept people's opinions a little bit more," Miss Yelverton said. "And I've gotten to meet a lot of new people."
The experience could be especially advantageous for Miss Weaver, who has aspirations of going into the field of mass media communications. Her classmate, meanwhile, is interested in becoming an optometrist.
Weeks away from seeing their idea come to fruition, Miss Weaver said she is pleased with the progress.
"Starting, we were really in over our heads because it's a lot for two 15-year-olds," Miss Weaver said. "We have learned a lot going through this process about managing people and how to get things in line."
The duo said they will continue to get the word out by contacting area high schools to involve more teens. They also have set up several social media accounts to post updates about their progress, including Facebook and Instagram, teenstalkingto teens.