KUNR Youth Media

Interview: What It Means To Be A Teacher

KUNR Public Radio | By Emilio Milo

Published July 31, 2019 at 5:27 AM PDT

Jessica Fralick Photo Illustration — Jessica Fralick is a high school history teacher at the Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology.

Emilio Milo is a student reporter for KUNR’s Reno Youth Radio Program. He conducted an interview with his high school history teacher Jessica Fralick who works at the Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology in Reno. In their conversation, Fralick reflects on her career as a teacher and how it has changed her life

What are some influences in choosing this career? Are there people, like a mother or father figure, or somebody like a classmate or a peer [who motivated you]?

We all hopefully have that one teacher that really stood out to [us] and my fourth-grade teacher I will never forget. I was new to the school and she made me feel welcome; she believed in me, and that’s when I really started to take off with my schooling and get good grades and get involved in school. I thought to myself, ‘If I could impact [a student’s] life or something the way she impacted my life, that would be incredible.’

What are some positives about being a teacher?

So, I love being a teacher because I feel like you make these connections with students. It’s just a very cool thing to watch this progression of a student who, maybe [when] you first met them or started that they weren't really into school or maybe they had a tough time adjusting to your teaching style or whatever the case may be, but then you build these relationships with them and you do see the impact that you have. I think that as a teacher, for me, that is why I do it every day, on the hard days, on the stressful days. You show up and the kids put a smile on your face right away, and so I feel very lucky.

Overall, what do you think it means to be a teacher?

I think being a teacher is one of the best jobs in the entire world, not only because I feel like I get to share my knowledge about historical things that I’m passionate about, but on a whole other level where I get to meet and connect and, as I mentioned before, you see the growth in your students. That’s what I wanted out of my life was to see that change and be a part of that impact. I know it will propel me to be the best teacher I can be year after year, even year thirty. To me, that's what it means.

Reno Youth Radio is a special partnership between KUNR and the Washoe County School District that elevates the voices of young people while teaching them how to be radio reporters.

Learn more about the KUNR Youth Media program

Each fall and spring semester, our dedicated program coordinator partners with the WCSD educator to mentor a select group of high school interns. The internship classes are typically from 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. at the high school, providing a structured environment where students receive comprehensive instruction.

The students are taught radio journalism, broadcast journalism, and media production, gaining real-world professional experience that helps them develop career skills. Students work with media professionals to produce creative audio stories and elevate voices from our region.

As part of the program, students are offered the opportunity to tour KUNR’s facilities and the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, where they will have the chance to record their broadcasts under the guidance of the WCSD educator and the program coordinator.

This semester-long project is designed to facilitate the airing of the students' stories on KUNR and the publication of their work on KUNR.org. Through this experiential learning approach, students gain valuable insights into public media and develop practical skills using industry-standard equipment.

The KUNR Youth Media Coordinator plays a crucial role in ensuring that students receive scholarly guidance on the standards and practices associated with audio journalism production.

Our program is committed to fostering a safe and constructive learning environment for all participants. KUNR is dedicated to nurturing the creative ideas of students in the program and, prior to publication, KUNR’s Managing Editor reviews all submitted work to ensure that it aligns with KUNR’s established media standards and expectations.

This program was formerly known as Reno Youth Radio.