KUNR Youth Media / Local Stories

Meet our KUNR Youth Media students for spring 2026

KUNR Public Radio | By KUNR Staff,

KUNR Youth Media

Published January 29, 2026 at 3:03 PM PST

KUNR's Youth Media program is training the next generation of journalists and elevating the voices and perspectives of high school students in our region.

Student reporters produce interviews, audio diaries, commentaries and news stories that air and publish on KUNR. Get to know this semester's student reporters below.

Maya Martinez Alcasio

“My name is Maya Martinez; I am a senior at Hug High School. I enjoy watching movies, reading, and spending time with friends and family. I chose to enroll in the KUNR Youth Media internship because I’ve recently been into the process of movie production and wanted the experience of working on a story.”

Sequoia Burkhouse

“Sequoia Burkhouse, Hug High School, Junior. I enjoy telling stories and making things out of materials that I already have. I chose to enroll in the KUNR Youth Media internship program to expand my horizons, partake in my community, and open up new pathways for myself, hopefully going into a career in political comedy media such as SNL or the Daily Show.”

Kaitlyn Campbell

“My name is Kaitlyn Campbell, I go to Galena High School and I am a senior. I play lacrosse, golf and I ski. I like to go camping, hiking and swimming. I love the outdoors and I love to travel. I chose to be part of the KUNR Youth Media internship program because I plan on studying journalism at UNR. My plan for the future is to become a foreign correspondent.”

Lucas Hinds

“My name is Lucas Hinds, I go to Debbie Smith CTE Academy. I joined this class to broaden my learning experience and have an advantage on future opportunities. I love to bowl, I'm a very frequent bowler. I currently bowl for my school Debbie Smith, being a part of the Maverick Strike Force.”

Maania Manha

“My name is Maania Manha. I am a current senior at Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology (AACT). I am in the pathway of taking medicine at AACT. I took this internship because alongside medicine and biological sciences, I am planning on taking journalism and participating in a literacy magazine in college.”

Mariana Ortega

“Hi, My name is Mariana Ortega. I’m a senior at TMCC High School. I chose to be a part of the KUNR internship program because I wanted real world experience in journalism before majoring in journalism with an emphasis in sports media at UNR. I love watching sports, especially baseball, tennis, and motorsports, and reading in my free time.”

Disha Rohith

“I am a person who goes by the name Disha Rohith. I’m a junior at Galena High School. I spend my free time drawing, listening to music, all things cars, and day dreaming. I chose to enroll in the KUNR Youth Media internship program to understand an industry based so heavily on information, and to better my public speaking skills.”

Laine Parkhurst

She goes to Galena High School. Not pictured.

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.