The Good Word Podcast has become something of an institution at Westside. This week, the reins were handed over to our new College Captains for 2022.
The transition from one Year 12 cohort is a special moment Westside; one of the ways we do this is to ensure a healthy interaction between each group of student leaders. The 2021 student leaders began passing the baton to the next stewards by handing over the responsibilities of running the ever-popular school Podcast – The Good Word. This is a must-listen joint podcast, designed to set the tone for the year to come.
Asking questions (mostly sent through by students) allowed all the listeners to learn more about the new student leaders, and hear their hopes and dreams for the next 12 months. The cutting-edge Creative
Industry facilities at Westside make recordings flexible, able to be recorded at any time. Creative Industries interns, Miss Pine and Miss Collard reflect, ‘we can help set them up and then sit back and watch the magic happen. We’re not sure who enjoys recording the episodes more, the students or us!‘ The Creative Industries Precinct has the technological capacity to capture industry-standard recordings with multiple hosts, across multiple locations.
All podcasts are recorded in-house, mastered and mixed by our talented secondary Music teachers and interns. Recording studios are planned and set up in a way that allows students to simply step in and get creative. Mr Mansfield, Head of Secondary, watches as the magic unfolds, ‘The time where students will get their information from a single source is long-gone. This is a great tool: it’s real-world for the hosts, and a social, bonding moment for our student listeners.’
Mr Wilcox, who produced the most recent podcast notes, ‘The best thing is watching them step out of their comfort zones while remaining true to themselves. To talk for 15 0r 30 minutes, ad-libbing, and directing important conversations without making a mistake isn’t easy.’ The result is stronger, more confident speakers and students with a united vision.
The new captains will be able to put their own spin on the episodes and these will come out over the next 12 months, until they hand the reins over to the student leaders of 2023!
To listen to our most recent episodes (including a classic farewell with departing Principal, Mr Leverton!), head on over to our Soundcloud page. These podcasts are proudly brought to you by Westside and its Student Executive!