Episodes

“The poll that matters is the one that happens on election day.” – Heather Wilson Teen radio host Keerthi discusses the results of the 2024 election and reports on how teens are reacting to the results. She first provides a humorous rendition of the history of America’s election system and the grand experiment of democracy. For all its flaws, America’s election system is a beautiful, chaotic mess. It’s powered by millions of people who care enough to show up—sometimes in person, by mail, and som...

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” – Lionel Hampton Julia hosts a special Thanksgiving program focused on gratitude and thankfulness. Julia tells the true history of the first Thanksgiving, which is a bit different from what we were taught. This is a “Truth-giving”. instead of celebrating the myth, we celebrate the truth. Thanksgiving is a day of gratitude—and Julia encourages us to reshape this holiday by choosing to learn, honor, and share truths to respect ...

Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known. -Carl Sagan As humanity ventures deeper into space, a big challenge has become the effects of space debris. Saanvi Phaneendra discusses what space debris is and why it is so dangerous. What is space debris? Simply put, it's any man-made object in orbit that no longer serves a purpose. This includes everything from old satellites and discarded rocket stages to tiny fragments created by collisions and disintegrations. How does...

“Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the change-makers of today.” – Barack Obama Julia and Keerthi host this election episode to discuss how teens influence election outcomes. Julia focuses on the new media company Jubilee, which is shaking up political discourse online and inspiring a new level of engagement among young people. Through debates on hot-button issues, like abortion restrictions, gun control, the 2024 election, Jubilee’s “Middle Ground” series draws millions...

“Technology, like art, is a soaring exercise of the human imagination” - Daniel Bell Saanvi Phaneendra, host for today’s AI presentation , is the founder of Galactic Getaway, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring curiosity and passion for space exploration. Galactic Getaway brings hands-on learning experiences and new-generation interactive rocket model displays to communities, helping youth engage with STEM and imagine their future in space technology. Saanvi discusses how AI isn’t just supporting...

Hosts Julia, Keerthi, and Sharanya, along with volunteers Ella and Sean star in this special edition of Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio as they reminisce about the extraordinary celebration in which they participated on September 28, 2024: the Parade and Pear Festival hailing the 50th anniversary of the Town of Moraga and the 25th anniversary of Be the Star You Are!® charity. It was a day beyond everyone’s wildest expectations and so much fun. The chairperson of the parade, Ella, wrangled her wond...

Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. – Joshua J. Marine Host, Saanvi Phaneendra with reporters Diya and Hasini tackle a topic that every teen can relate to: challenges. Challenges come in all shapes and sizes, from small daily struggles to monumental obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. But here’s the thing about challenges: they’re not just roadblocks; they’re stepping stones. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow, to learn, and...

“Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Andersen Music has a unique power to tap into our emotions in a way that almost nothing else can. Hasini hosts a program focusing on the positive impact music has on our lives. Music transports us and changes our emotions. Hasini is a singer and also plays a traditional Indian instrument, the veena. She finds playing music meditative. Studies have shown that listening to music can drastically reduce stress and anxiety by lowering cortisol levels...

Parade, Party, Pear and Wine Festival Keerthi hosts this program with Be the Star You Are!® to discuss the parade, Pear and Wine Festival on September 28. Sean, our videographer joins Keerthi to talk about why he became the photographer and videographer for BTSYA. He is excited to create more media at the parade and festival. Ella is chairing the parade entry and the 25th-anniversary party to be held at the booth later. Her excitement is overflowing for these fun events and she is organized and ...

“Story, as it turns out, was crucial to our evolution -- more so than opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs let us hang on; story told us what to hang on to.” - Lisa Cron He sued Donald Trump and won? So begins the conversation teen host, Julia, has with the best-selling author and winner of numerous Moth GrandSLAM Championships, Matthew Dicks as they discuss his newest book with strategies to grow business and brands, Stories Sell. Matt shares how being a storyteller and a math teacher to ten-year...

Grandparents are both our past and our future. In some ways, they are what has gone before, and in others, they are what we will become. —Fred Rogers Hosts Julia and Keerthi talk about the superpowers of grandparents. They possess the unique ability to turn every mundane event into an epic adventure. Each one is a treasure trove of adventure, mystery, and, quite often, questionable fashion choices from their youth. They’ve seen it all—wars, moon landings, and the evolution of the telephone from ...

“The cinema has no boundary; it is a ribbon of dream.” - Orson Welles Are teens accurately represented in films and TV shows? Host Keerthi and reporter Hasini don’t think so. They tackle this issue and agree that teens are often written by adults who have forgotten their teen years and played by older adults. There is a focus of focus on stereotypes (like the nerd, the jock, the mean girl), but not enough on the complexities and nuances that reel teens experience. Filmmakers forget that real tee...

“Behind every young child who believes in himself is a parent who believed first.” –Matthew Jacobson Our parents are like our first influencers. They were there before social media, showing us how to navigate life. Host Julia discusses how our parents shape our views on pretty much everything—money, relationships, education, and life. She shares personal stories of growing up and the advice she was given. She shares behaviors that children learn from parents, both positive and negative. Work eth...

When we think about animals, we often imagine them as playful companions or majestic creatures in the wild. Host, Keerthi tells us that animals also play a crucial role in our health. Animals are far more than just pets or wildlife. They are our companions, our helpers, and our sources of comfort. Whether offering emotional support, assisting with daily tasks, or simply being a part of our lives, animals play a crucial role in our health and happiness. Appreciate the humor, the love, and the dow...

Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.— Chinese Proverb Teens are often told to think about the future. This is a challenging and overwhelming task at that age. Host Hasini shares her personal dreams, goals, and struggles as she is evolving. She gives us permission to enjoy the process. She then interviews vivacious and unapologetically authentic influencer, Skylar Sorkin, who is the Founder of the podcast, Regardless, and an Account Executive at Influential. Skylar s...

Want to know what teens think about the 2024 elections and the nominees? Join hosts Julia and Hannah as they both provide election history as well as their personal thoughts. They interview guest teen Viranshi Vira who discusses the inequities in healthcare, specifically the disparity with racial maternal mortality. She and her peers organized a school walkout to protest the overturn of Roe v. Wade and advocate for reproductive rights. Hasini enters the conversation and states that even though y...

“A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill Returning just hours before the broadcast from a phenomenal choral tour of South Africa, jet-lagged and seasoned teen host, Julia, enthusiastically talks about the new friends she made on her journey and welcomes three other teen reporters to discuss the joys of international travel. Two reporters, Diya and Armine, are making their debut segments. Diya shares the suspense she experienced in the cenotes of Mexico, Mayan ruins...

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.”-John Ford Does your stomach turn into circles if you must give a speech? How do you react when you must debate someone? Our two teen hosts, Julia and Keerthi, are accomplished speakers and debaters and they have plenty of useful tips to keep you from “dying.” Julia recently gave a Tedx talk that had her jittering in her boots. Keerthi is spearheading the Be the Star You Are!® debate collaboration with Eloquence. Both advi...

“Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it.” – John Adams Our Express Yourself!® hosts are traveling, so producer, Cynthia Brian, is jumping behind the microphone to interview reporter, Kirpa about the meaning of freedom. Kirpa also offers what freedom means to her and how it relates to what is happening in the world today. Cynthia reads the Gift of Freedom chapter from her book, Be the Star You Are!® fo...

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” - Coco Chanel We all know the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, but does that truly describe the meaning of true beauty? Host Charvi shares how our perceptions of beauty change as we grow older, amplified by social media, celebrities, and marketing companies in segment two. She first interviews reporter, Kevin Choo, with his segment “A.I. and Us,” which talks about how A.I. can and does affect our lives. He discusses the use of A...

Sharanya and Keerthi host a program about a critical topic that affects Americans: gun control. Reducing gun violence is challenging because of the polarization around the issue. Keerthi talks about advocating for the Second Amendment while also requiring safety for gun storage. They interview teen activist, Amelia Vander May, who led a youth team to successfully lobby an ordinance in Santa Barbara that requires firearms to be stored in a locked container and disabled by a trigger lock. Amelia s...

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”- J.K. Rowling Teen host Sharanya shines light on substance abuse. Addressing teen substance abuse requires a collective effort to raise awareness, promote prevention strategies, and provide support for those affected. Education campaigns aimed at dispelling myths surrounding substance use, promoting healthy coping mechanisms, and fostering resilience can empower teens to make informed decisions and resist peer pressure. Sharan...

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates Host Julia is a fifteen-year-old female teen athlete, competing nationally in multisports including triathlon and aquathlon. She offers tips on personalizing one’s eating habits to stay healthy. There is no one-size-fits-all. Diet trends and fads don’t last, but our body is with us to the end. Julia interviews author, Sandy Robertson, with the 2nd edition of her book, Why Am I Eating This? Is This the Nourishment I Need? ...

Today we bring you a very special program celebrating the win of Be the Star You Are!® as the Top NONPROFIT of the YEAR. Hosts Sharanya, Keerthi, Saanvi Phaneendra, and Julia all had the honor of being in attendance at the awards ceremony where the mayor, Town Council, Chamber, and County Supervisors presented Be the Star You Are!® with several plaques and proclamations. The four hosts share their experiences with volunteering for Be the Star You Are!® and being radio reporters/hosts on this int...