One of the questions I’ve been asked most by adults when they hear that I produce Radio Rookies is “why do teenagers always want to tell personal stories?” My initial reaction is to feel defensive and even a bit dismissive of the point (on behalf of the Rookies themselves and the program), but of course it is a legitimate question. Why are Rookies stories so often personal in nature? Why not encourage them to reach far and wide for their stories, just as professional journalists must do for theirs?

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Radio Rookies, two former rookies, Jesus Gonzalez, Youth Power community organizer for Make the Road By Walking, and Veralyn Williams, freelance TV, radio producer, reporter, and editor, share excerpts of their pieces and discuss how the program affected their lives.

This Friday (7/10), tune in to WNYC at 2pm to AM820 or on Saturday (7/11) at 4pm on 93.9FM to hear 'Growing Up, Getting By', the first ever Radio Rookies Hour special. We revisit some stories from the past ten years, and host Marianne McCune checks in with some of them to find out what happened next.

Defining a great story or angle for a topic is one of the trickiest moments in the Radio Rookies workshop.  The Rookie has to find a story idea that will capture her attention for six months, a topic that will have meaning to a greater audience.  Sometimes the perfect story idea jumps out during the first day of workshop, but usually the process takes building trust, several conversations, and reflection to find the perfect story idea.

Last night was the kind of evening when most people want to curl up under a blanket watch the latest episode of 106 & Park or 30 Rock. With temperatures in the lower teens, I wondered how many of the new Radio Rookies would make the 1.5 hour trek from their neighborhood down to Soho to visit WNYC Radio for the first time.

Radio Rookies works with teenagers to create documentary stories about the things that matter most to them. We hold 6-month long workshops around New York City's five boroughs, teaching young people how to do interviews, record sounds, and structure a story that, ultimately, will air onWNYC . The Radio Rookies Blog is a place for program staff and participants to take you behind the scenes, to give you a chance to get to know us better, and to hear what's on the Rookies' minds.

New York City is the heroin capital of the United States: an estimated 200,000 opiate users live here. Until this year, treatment options for opiate addicts were limited - you could either detox off drugs or go to a methadone clinic. Now, there is another choice: Buprenorphine, an FDA approved ...

She won't face a Republican in the general election. WNYC's Kaari Pitkin explains.

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Since 1994, the office has been defined by the often antagonistic relationship between the current Public Advocate Mark Green and Mayor Giuliani. With Mr. Green's departure and a new incoming mayor, the office is destined to change. WNYC’s Kaari Pitkin has this report on the democratic contenders.

Ten years ago tomorrow the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights erupted into violence, as the area's black and Jewish residents clashed with the police and each other. WNYC recently spoke with Crown Heights residents, community leaders, and city officia

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