The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 39

(CHlire: The Indianapolis Star MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1992 D-8 wmmnmm-msr. book: Revjew Author offers appealing sequel to 'Henshaw' Beverly Geary has written 34 children's books. Students learn broadcasting hands-on MY FIRST RADIO ill Children write for radio show 1, CHILDREN'S EXPRESS p3 un, kids, hands-on experience. I That's what My First Radio is I all about. It's a weekday radio program where kids come up with ideas, help write material, read it on the air, and learn how to produce It.

By KELLY HARTLEY CHILDREN'S EXPRESS For seven years, children and some adults, too have enjoyed the Newbery award-winning book. Dear Mr. Henshaw. Finally, author Beverly Cleary has written a long-awaited sequel. Strider is available at local bookstores and continues the tale of Leigh Botts and his trucker dad.

Like Dear Mr. Henshaw, it is written almost entirely in diary form. Two new relationships are added one with the title character, a dog, and the other with one of Leigh's female classmates. It Is sure to be a hit. for its predecessor continues to be very popular and is considered a children's classic.

Cleary is one of children's literature's most prolific authors. In a career stretching over 42 years, she has written 34 books and has been published in approximately 10 countries. Most children are familiar with her Ramona Qulmby and Henry Huggins series, about plucky young children who get into all sorts of scrapes but always manage to end up on top. These books are written for kids 7 to 12 years old because they can relate to the main characters. If you think Cleary's books are only for younger kids, think again.

Older kids or young teens will absolutely love the books Fifteen. (1956). The Luckiest Girl (1958), Sister of the Bride (1963) and Jean and Johnny (1959). Although the books were written decades ago, their themes dating, school and friendship are universal. Another wonderful series Is the Ralph S.

Mouse books. Ralph S. Mouse, Runaway Ralph and The Mouse and the Motorcycle are about a lively mouse and his misadventures as he roars around on a mouse-size motorcycle. Because of its humor and action, children 8 to 13 years old will probably like these books. Youn- i ger children should try reading Socks, about the adventures of a cat.

Ten- to 13-year-old girls will, like Cleary's Mitch and Amy, about a girl who has to put up with her rowdy brother, as they will like Ellen Tebbits, a humorous book about school, friendship and ballet lessons. Boys of the same age will probably like the sequel, Otis Spof-ford. Older children and adults should check out Cleary's recent autobiography, A Girl From Yamhill, if they like her books and want to learn more about the author. What is obvious about Cleary is that she is observant and not so far removed from her childhood experiences that they are forgotten. She writes as if she is in Ramona's head and thoughts.

All of her characters are realistic and could be the kids next door. If you haven't discovered Beverly Cleary, then you've missed out on a great treat. Find her! My First Radio is produced by Stu art Lowry and Jim Walsh. Children's Express went to the studio on the Northwestside of Indianapolis recently and talked with Lowry about the show. Lowry, 28 and an Indianapolis native, is one of the writers and pro ducers.

The show recently moved from WXLW-AM (950) In the evenings. It can now be heard Monday through CHILDREN'S EXPRESS he future Jane Pauleys 1 and Bob and Toms are get- I I ting their training in the I I radio and TV classes at I I the J. Everett Light Career Center. Students in these classes get the opportunity to be disc Jockeys on FM radio and host and produce TV programs. Currently there are 56 students enrolled in the two three-hour radio and TV classes at the career center, located next to North Central High School at 1801 East 86th Street.

Children's Express interviewed four high school Juniors and seniors taking the radio and TV classes and one of the teachers. All the students we Interviewed are enrolled In the radio and TV program because they were interested in some form of communications as a career. "I heard about the radio and TV class, and I know I want to be in some form of communications, so I figure I've got to take all the communication subjects that I can," said Shannon Meadows, a 16-year-old Junior at North Central. "So when my brother told me about how little he was getting to do (in the communications field) in college, I figured that I might as well get some experience In high school, and I knew the J. Everett Career Center was an excellent program from my counselor." Aaron Coleman is also a Junior at North Central.

He says he enrolled In the radio and TV class because "I had heard about WJEL (89.3 FM, the class' radio station) and about some people winning sports contests. WJEL has a lot of good programs, so I talked to my counselor about it and decided to get Into It." DJ selects music The radio and TV students play music, offer commentary and read news on WJEL. WJEL has no specific programming because each DJ selects the music he or she plays. While doing this, their experiences are sometimes frustrating or embarrassing. Courtney Dorney.

a senior, says the pressure of the class is the most frustrating element of the program. Ann Scott, a Junior, added, "I really get scared because I'll be messing with equipment I know that's pretty expensive, and I'm always afraid I'm going to push the wrong button, or something is going to go wrong." Shannon said, "You want to get it perfect because you know this is something you want to do and you want to get it perfect and you can't." She explained that her most embarrassing moment came when she was reading a serious news story. "(I was reading) about this guy (from) New Jersey, and his parents are buried In an Indianapolis mausoleum," Shannon said. "They were leaking out of their caskets, and I had to read this (story). "I got to 'He's suing the company because his parents are leaking out of their I broke up over the air.

My parents called in. They said, 'We didn't exactly hear that, can you please repeat So I had to repeat it over again I did it twice. I cracked up twice." Sometimes being a DJ comes in handy. "I dedicated a song to my mom," Shannon said. "She thought it was really neat.

She let me off grounding. If you get a big name on a radio station, you can influence so many people." CHILDREN'S EXPRESS ILLUSTRATION ROB MERRILL Into a truck so all the TV cameras are connected into the truck with a long, long, long cable," said King. The cables provide power and the signal. The experience that the radio and TV students gain from having their own radio and TV programs gives them an advantage over their peers when they get to college. The advantage that radio and TV students have carries on to their careers.

King has former students working for WIBC-AM. WNAP-FM, WTHR-13. WISH-8 (all local radio and TV stations). ABC in Los Angeles and NBC in New York. Learning to communicate King says his radio and TV students learn how to put a newscast on the radio and how to talk when there are no notes in front of them.

"They know how to make sense and communicate with an audience, and they also know how to take a camera and hold it on their shoulder steadily, and how to create a visual story with It. And that is important," he said. "And our kids, when they leave our program, if they've had only one year with us or two years with us, they are usually two years ahead of their other classmates when they get to college and start majoring in radioTV." Ann's reward is seeing her final product on TV. "We were flipping through the channels the other day and we came to the cable station that we have, The Panther Connection (the radio and TV classes' sports program, carried by Comcast and American Cablevision)." she said. "I saw myself and I saw all my friends talking.

We were on TV and it was Just really neat to see that." Washington Township Magazine Is the other TV program produced by the radio and TV students. (The program airs three times a week on the educational cable channel.) It focuses on issues and events in Washington Township. One thing that makes this radio and TV class unique is that besides having a radio station and a cable TV program, the students film and produce North Central home football and basketball games for WAR27 (Channel 27). Channel 27 Is a low-power TV station owned by WTHR (Channel 13). "While we were looking for programming, we thought there was a -need to do high school sports on television." said Debbie Wilson, a producer for WTHR and program coordinator for Channel 27.

"We approached North Central and the J. Everett Light Career Center because we thought (TV) would be a great educational tool if the students actually did all the work for it." Kids do everything John King, one of the two teachers of the radio and TV classes, explained what the students do when they cover a game: "When we do the Channel 27 telecast, we have a crew. We'd have 10 or 12 kids, and that's enough to run four cameras, hold microphones, string cables and work the truck." "Whenever we go on a remote shoot," says Wilson, "like football games, we tape it. But to power all the equipment and to get It actually recorded, you need this (WTHR) production truck that we operate out of." "It's whole TV control room put Friday on WSYW-AM (810) from 7:30 a.m. until 8:30 a.m.

"We target a 5- to 12-year-old (audience), but we work with anyone who wants to work with us, basically with anyone who's interested In children's arts. On one show we could have anywhere from 20 to 30 different kids' voices on the show." The show has a variety of things on it. There's music, stories and riddles. Then calendar spots, brain teasers, recipes and some characters that Lowry does. There are other programs like this in the country, but, "We're the only station that really brings the kids in and works with them at every single aspect," Lowry said, Lowry wants kids to learn many things from working with My First Radio: "I'd love for them to get in touch with what's going on in creative children's arts.

I think right now the music industry for children and also locally in storytelling and what's available here is Just amazing. It's amazing what's being written and how good the quality is. A lot of it's better than adult quality, and I'm not just saying that because I work with kids." Katie Fletcher, 18, a freshman in college, has done some radio spots for My First Radio. She says, "(My First Radio) gives (kids) a wider view of the world. Especially since they can be on the show.

I think it gives them more of a connection. "What I really want to impress on the kids is, Look at all the things that are out there. It's amazing. And You can do it, you can come up with a story idea," she added. If anyone is interested, you can call Lowry or Walsh at: (317) 251-3851.

I Voices WRITE US A LETTER Mail to: Children's Express News Bureau, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, I P.O. Box 3000, Indianapolis, Ind. 46206. You also may call us at (317) 921-4125 and leave a message. FOR INFORMATION Call the J.

Everett Light Career Center, (31 7) 259-5265. Any junior or senior attending high schools in Carmel, Eagle Union, Hamilton Heights, Hamilton Southeastern, Lebanon, Marion Adams, Pike Township, Washington Township, Noblesville, Western Boone and Westfield-Washington may attend the first-year radio and TV class. Students wanting to take two years of the class must get permission from their instructors. Lebanon provides a bus; the rest of the kids must get to J. Everett Light on their own.

Housing stories dispel stereotype EDITOR: Amy Weisenbach, 16 REPORTERS: Beth Plocharczyk, 1 Ben Young, 1 1 Ryan Asberry, 11 EDITOR: Kathleen Hustad, 17 REPORTERS: Sean Griffin, 13; Ben Young. 1 1 What doyou think? If your best friend used drugs, what would you tell him? i i 'I'd tell them to get help 'It depends on what drug it is. If it was a prescription Dear Children's Express: On behalf of the Department of Metropolitan DevelopmentDivision of Housing, I would like to extend our warmest appreciation for your cover-'. age of youth in Indianapolis public housing. The reporters did a wonderful job of reporting the intentions of our agency as well as the intentions of the residents.

It is stories like these that reward our residents' efforts and create participation within and outside the housing communities. One of the biggest challenges facing the residents of public housing is the perception that the Indianapolis community has of them. It is an image of powerful negative labels that have been difficult to overcome. But, we believe with our current administration, and the continued help of many dedicated individuals, we can overcome any obstacle. Thanks to your articles, we have made a significant step in the right direction.

Good luck in your future endeavors. Edward G. Sagebiei Community relations director, Department of Metropolitan DevelopmentDivision of Housing and go to a counselor." "I'd tell him to get off. He shouldn't be on drugs. It would mess up his life." i 'I'd try to help them.

I'd make sure they were aware of what it could do to you, and I'd try to help himher drug, I'd trust JTony Harmon, 14 the doctor. Ichesaning High School IChesaning, Mich. I've had friends that David Graham, 16 Kokomo Christian School abuse aspirin and it is bad Kokomo any way I could. Usa Miller, 20 Goshen College Goshen, Ind. for them." Greg Hill, 23 Indiana University Bloomington Poll conducted by Sean Gnffin, 13; Chris Lee, 12; and Joe Huser, 14, at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis..