Pictured: (Left to right) Debbie Brannon interviews Staff Sargeant Jayvin Rivera, Aaron Nielsen talks with a Student Success Coach, Brothers Nate G and Jake G practice a mock podcast. Provided photo.

At the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, students have always been at the center of our work. We listen to their ideas and needs, and their perspectives often help shape our direction. They have a seat at the table in our governance, with two student representatives serving on our board to keep us grounded in lived experience and informed by what matters most to them.

We see student voice as insight, leadership and influence, and we want our broader community to listen, too. When we create space for young people, we strengthen their leadership and prepare them for a future-ready world.

That’s why we’re excited to introduce a new platform led entirely by students — with real responsibility and real impact. A spinoff of our Education Conversations podcast, Future-Ready: Student Voices is produced by, about and for Sarasota students, amplifying their experiences and aspirations while connecting with peers through authentic conversation.

Four students, all seniors, joined forces to develop the concept for the podcast. Together, they identified topics aligned with their vision. Each student facilitates an individual episode, culminating in a final episode featuring all four hosts answering questions submitted throughout the season by students and families.

“Every student has the opportunity to wear every production hat,” said Lisa Moody, communications and content writer for the Education Foundation. “They will leave this experience with layers of transferable skills.”

In addition to shaping the concept, format and topics, students invite relevant guests — researching backgrounds, writing scripts, learning recording equipment, conducting interviews, editing episodes, and marketing and distributing the final product. These technical and soft skills will serve them wherever their futures lead — in school, in the workplace, or as entrepreneurs.

They also collaborate with peers from other schools, developing professionalism and teamwork along the way. For Debbie, the experience has meant stepping outside her comfort zone to try something new.

“The podcast has taught me more about my communication skills,” she said. “I wrote the script for my episode, but I was also able to go off-script and ask questions on the fly. I think that is an important skill I didn't have that this experience has taught me.”

As we expand this area of student support, we’re encouraged by the early outcomes. Students aren’t just building technical skills, they’re gaining confidence, strengthening communication abilities, learning to troubleshoot, and discovering the power of their own perspectives. Aaron describes the experience as a fun and unexpected opportunity for growth, saying, “The student podcast has been a blast. I’ve learned valuable skills in interview techniques and audio editing!”

Moments like these remind us why creating real-world learning opportunities matters — when students are given the space to lead, they rise to the occasion, giving adults an opportunity to learn from them.

Listen to Future-Ready: Student Voices on our website at edfoundationsrq.org/education-conversations-podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

Jennifer Vigne is the President and CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.

Pictured: (Left to right) Debbie Brannon interviews Staff Sargeant Jayvin Rivera, Aaron Nielsen talks with a Student Success Coach, Brothers Nate G and Jake G practice a mock podcast. Provided photo.