A very good and brave start for a new radio producer. The subject of teen suicide is a challenging one to handle for adults -- so for a teen to so earnestly talk about it is impressive. The way our reporter blends hard facts with personal anecdotes makes for an exceptionally honest work.

The stepfather interviewed was the strongest character. He was earnest, engaging, and his voice really connected with the listener. The way our reporter allows him time to pause and think really gives the story an added sense of emotion.

The audio could be bumped up a few quality points, however. The voiceover was ver flat, and read without proper pausing and inflection. I would prefer it to sound like he was talking to me instead of reading to me. The use of ambient sound was good, but a little rough around the edges. And the piano was weird at the end -- needed to be turned down a bit.

All in all, a wonderful freshman effort for radio news. Keep on recording, writing, and reporting.

Matt Terrell
Youth Editorial Board
generation.prx.org