4th graders from P.S. 117Q in NYC explore the power of dance. They interview Kai Martinez, a professional choreographer, animation consultant and dancer, originally from Queens, NY. In the interview, students learn about Kai's journey to becoming a professional dancer and choreographer and learn what it was like to work on movies like Encanto and Spellbound!

 

Support IndyKids by visiting us at IndyKids.org.


Produced by Em Löwinger

Edited by Sarah Clapp

Music: Dressed To Party from GMP Music

The Gillen Brewer Interviewers are back and ready to learn about animals and their relationships with humans across time!

In this episode, students from the Gillen Brewer School sit down with zooarchaeologist Evin Grody to uncover ancient animal facts—like whether people had pets 2,000 years ago or if anyone ever rode a zebra!

Tune in for this paws-itively fun and fascinating journey through history!

About Evin Grody:
Evin is an absolute nerd about all things ANIMAL and exploring the ways our lives are so very intertwined! Growing up, she spent most of her time outdoors in the Colorado mountains with the various animals her family had (dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, lizard). This left her with an early and deep understanding of how much animals both shape our lives and are shaped by them. 

Evin has conducted fieldwork and museum collections work in the USA, South Africa, Zambia, and Madagascar. Her writing, presentations, and archaeological conversations have covered everything from peer-reviewed journal articles and professional conferences to public library chats, YouTube videos, and podcast chats.

Visit IndyKids.org to learn more about our newspaper and our educational programs!

This episode was edited by Sarah Clapp. 
IndyKids' executive director is Isis Phillips.

This episode features the song "Cat Walk" by Roie Shpigler, accessed via Artlist.io.

IndyKids reporters interview Amy Zimmer, the Bureau Chief of Chalkbeat New York, about phone policies in schools. This discussion dives into different policies, and how the treatment of phone use in schools impacts educators, students, and parents.

Read "All About Phones" in our latest issue of the newspaper here:

https://indykids.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IndyKids-Issue-89-Winter-2025.pdf

IndyKids is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Get involved or find out how you can support IndyKids here:

IndyKids.org

Stay informed about what's going on in the education sphere in New York and beyond by visiting Chalkbeat's website:

https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/

What’s it like to work at a sandwich shop? What is so magical about working with food? And how can you have a more equitable business for the community and the people who work there?

IndyKids reporters interview the workers at Sea & Soil, a worker-owned sandwich shop!

Noah and Hannah talk about how the idea of a worker-owned sandwich shop came about, how it benefits the community, and how a "sliding scale" pricing model works!

For more about Sea & Soil:

https://www.seaandsoilcoop.com

For more about IndyKids:

https://www.indykids.org

This episode was edited by Sarah Clapp, with music by Adrian Moring. Isis Phillips is our executive director.

What’s it like to work at a museum? What obstacles does someone with a big job face? Why is it important to make monuments of real people who are alive right now? What is some advice for kids who love to draw and want to be an artist someday?

IndyKids reporter Noel interviews Amy Andrieux, the chief curator and executive director of MoCADA, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts. 

Amy talks about the many jobs she’s had in her life, and about MoCADA and its role within the community. She takes us on a mini tour of Kholisile Mazithulela Mufari Dhliwayo’s Brooklyn Bronzes, which can be found in the MoCADA Ubuntu Garden in Brooklyn, NY, and gives advice to young artists.

BONUS: Listen to the end to find out what Noel and Amy’s favorite anime is!

DISCLAIMER: This interview took place outdoors in Brooklyn in October 2024…please excuse the NYC street noise!

For more information about MoCADA, visit: https://mocada.org/

For more information about IndyKids, visit:
indykids.org

Listen to IndyKids reporter Grace Stevens read her recent article, "The Way We Dress: How Dress Codes Can Be Connected to Systematic Racism and Sexism."

You can find the text version of this article and many more by visiting IndyKids.org.

Have you ever experienced a farm and a school put together? IndyKids reporters interviewed Jessenia Preciado, the Far Rockaway regional coordinator at Teens for Food Justice. Teens for Food Justice fights food insecurity by growing leafy greens including lettuce, cilantro, basil, parsley, Swiss chard and bok choy in hydroponic farms located inside public schools. This interview has been edited for clarity and
brevity for print. 

To learn more about Teens for Food Justice, visit their website:
https://teensforfoodjustice.org/

To learn more about IndyKids, including information about how to donate or get involved in our programming, visit indykids.org.

Lara Bergen is the founder and director of Press Pass NYC, which is an organization that helps New York City public schools create and maintain their school newspapers. In the past 2 ½ years, Press Pass NYC has helped create 19 school newspapers in middle and high schools.

More about Press Pass NYC:
Press Pass NYC’s free programs are all in service of helping New York City public schools start and sustain a successful school newspaper program in a comprehensive way. Unlike outside-school opportunities for individual students, Press Pass NYC’s focus is on creating journalistic value and opportunities for the entire school community, enabling schools to create a culture of appreciation for journalism and student voice through a school newspaper; training teachers to lead a credit-bearing course as well as advise a school newspaper program; and engaging students in authentic, project-based, community-centered learning that they would otherwise never experience.

4th graders from P.S. 117Q in NYC explore the power of art. They reflect on their own ideas about art and interview Carlos Mateu, a painter, mural artist, poet, dancer, and teacher.   

Support IndyKids by visiting us at IndyKids.org.

Special thanks to Ms. Perry, Mrs. Maraj, Carlos Mateu, Claudine DeSola, and Groundswell!

Music by Adrian Moring.


About Carlos Mateu:
Carlos Mateu was born in 1970 in Havana, Cuba, and has resided in the United States since 1997.

He defines his style as Pop Geometric.  His paintings fuse elements of cubism with realism, using straight lines and perspective to create a geometric and three-dimensional effect, while subtly deforming the images. 

His subject matter incorporates surrealism, symbolism and mysticism to reflect memories, dreams, his life in the United States and his own creative perspective on the world around him. 

Currently Carlos keeps painting, writing poetry (décimas), exhibiting his art, performing, and teaching art and popular Cuban dances for various organizations in New York City like Groundswell Community Mural and City Lore.

About Groundswell:
In 1996, a group of New York City artists, educators, and activists founded Groundswell with the belief that collaborative art-making combines personal expression with the strength of community activism—and produces unique and powerful outcomes.

Twenty years later, 500 murals have been completed by Groundswell, working with youth and teaching artists in collaboration with hundreds of community-based organizations, neighborhood groups, and government agencies throughout New York City. The collaborative process behind these compelling artworks demonstrate our enduring belief that art creates community and community creates change.

Our five hundred murals in all five boroughs are only the final product of comprehensive youth, community and artistic development initiatives. We strive to infuse these initiatives with elements of social justice and activism to amplify the individuals we interact with daily.

IndyKids reporter CJ interviewed Shakira Barrera, a Nicaraguan-American actress and humanitarian. You can catch her playing a role in the upcoming Marvel series, Ironheart.

They discussed her career, the challenges of being an actor, representation in Hollywood, Shakira's humanitarian efforts, and advice she has for young people who want to be actors.

Theme music by Adrian Moring.

Visit IndyKids.org to find out how you can participate and support!