Each year, 20 middle and high school students from across Baltimore come together to create, edit and assembly writing about the experiences of local young people.

CHARM: Voices of Baltimore Youth was founded by a group of teachers and their students in 2013. The students who join the CHARM team work together to create a range of different online and in-print publications. They also help design the publication and edit student submissions from across Baltimore schools.

WYPR producer Sam Bermas-Dawes guest-hosts the conversation with executive director Whitney Birenbaum about CHARM's mission. Birenbaum says the student-run editorial board, who are paid for their work, learn about the publication process—from picking which submissions are placed in the final product, to deciding on design elements.

Ariel Stevenson is a high school senior and member of CHARM's publications team. She joins the conversation to talk about her time with CHARM and creative writing. She reads from her poem, "Singing Hearts."

In addition to poetry anthologies and a nascent podcast, the journalism team contributes to The CHARM Report, which covers a range of topics in the news. Tianna Hunt wrote about the state of school lunches as in-person classes resumed, interviewing students from schools across Baltimore.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472