Summary: Not a single Latino student has ever graduated from the high school in Long Prarie, Minnesota. We went to these Mexican youths to ask them why.
Good attempt at transcending dryness of typical academic research by offering the heartbeat of real life via strong assortment of interviews. While about school, issues of racism, immigration, and difficulties accepting diversity are woven throughout. The kids’ voices make the piece, despite occasional slow flow of narration-interview-narration. But narrator has comfortable presence and script offers helpful description and vivid details of town, school, as well as economic, and cultural concerns. A couple of involved adults balance the kids’ interviews just fine. Music, when it appears, is a plus, as is the livelier tape gathered at the sole Hispanic graduate’s party. I realized how caught up I was when I gasped, “Oh, no….” on hearing, well, I won’t tell you, you’ll just have to listen. I wished this was a bit more polished, but forgive any lack of artistry because of its earnestness and the tender respect given the kids voices. No neat conclusion reached, no happy ending. Still, a valuable half-hour from a public radio land most associated with Garrison Keillor. Fine pick for start or end of high school year, youth or diversity programming
This is a terrific topic idea. I saw the headline and I immediately wanted to know more. It just took so long to get there! Clearly, this was a well-researched approach, but the information presented I thought was too vast. I wanted to know why no Latino kid has ever graduated from this high school, but it seemed like the producer wanted to get everyone's take on the situation. For me, it would have been easier to follow two stories: Elizabeth, the girl who might graduate, and another teen who dropped out. I think this would definitely work well as a shorter news piece.
Comments for Aprendemos Juntos (We Learn Together)
Produced by Jenn Blair
Other pieces by Jenn Blair
Rating Summary
2 comments
Sydney Lewis
Posted on July 26, 2004 at 12:44 PM | Permalink
Review of Aprendemos Juntos (We Learn Together)
Good attempt at transcending dryness of typical academic research by offering the heartbeat of real life via strong assortment of interviews. While about school, issues of racism, immigration, and difficulties accepting diversity are woven throughout. The kids’ voices make the piece, despite occasional slow flow of narration-interview-narration. But narrator has comfortable presence and script offers helpful description and vivid details of town, school, as well as economic, and cultural concerns. A couple of involved adults balance the kids’ interviews just fine. Music, when it appears, is a plus, as is the livelier tape gathered at the sole Hispanic graduate’s party. I realized how caught up I was when I gasped, “Oh, no….” on hearing, well, I won’t tell you, you’ll just have to listen. I wished this was a bit more polished, but forgive any lack of artistry because of its earnestness and the tender respect given the kids voices. No neat conclusion reached, no happy ending. Still, a valuable half-hour from a public radio land most associated with Garrison Keillor. Fine pick for start or end of high school year, youth or diversity programming
Suzanne Schaffer
Posted on July 21, 2004 at 01:18 PM | Permalink
Review of Aprendemos Juntos (We Learn Together)
This is a terrific topic idea. I saw the headline and I immediately wanted to know more. It just took so long to get there! Clearly, this was a well-researched approach, but the information presented I thought was too vast. I wanted to know why no Latino kid has ever graduated from this high school, but it seemed like the producer wanted to get everyone's take on the situation. For me, it would have been easier to follow two stories: Elizabeth, the girl who might graduate, and another teen who dropped out. I think this would definitely work well as a shorter news piece.