Manifest Media Partners With L.A. Schools To Teach Teens Audio Storytelling.

The Los Angeles creative studio Manifest Media is giving back close to home. It has launched the PodSquad initiative, an after-school program for middle school students offered in partnership with the Los Angeles public schools. PodSquad students will ultimately produce a podcast during the 13-week program, but Manifest Media also sees it as a way for young people to go a journey of self-discovery through storytelling.

The program will exposure students to the various aspects of podcasting, including working collaboratively for a fully produced podcast series. Guest speakers will include industry experts such as Shaan Sharma, actor from "The Chosen," Torrel Alexis, re-recording engineer; Vanessa Richardson, podcast host, and producer; Alice Florence Orr, podcast critic, and novelist; Aisha Wynn, producer, and network executive at MACRO; Rob Puzzitiello from Mackie; Gordon Firemark, podcast producer and attorney; and Wally Hasselbring, co-founder of The Right Now PR Agency. 

“Our team and expert guests are putting together a value-packed curriculum that will inspire young creators to start their podcasting journey early,” said Jack Levy, Co-Founder of Manifest Media in the announcement. “Participants will learn valuable skills, from storytelling and sound design to editing and marketing strategies, equipping them with a comprehensive toolkit for success in the digital age.”

 Supporting the PodSquad initiative is audio company Mackie, which has donated podcasting bundles powered by their adaptive digital podcasting studio, the DLZ Creator.

Manifest Media is the studio best known for its podcast Table Read. Since being launched by Levy and Mark Knell, two veterans of TV production, it has partnered with content creators from various industries, including film, television, sports, and publishing.