Episodes

July 2, 2023

4th of July-Independence Day Celebrations

There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America - Bill Clinton On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress, comprised of representatives from the thirteen American colonies, adopted the Declaration of Independence. This historic document, primarily drafted by Thomas Jefferson, outlined the colonies' grievances against the British Crown and proclaimed their intention to establish a sovereign nation based on principles of liberty, equality, and self-governanc...
June 25, 2023

Gun Violence in America

The violence involving deadly weapons such as firearms has become a more significant issue by the day in our world, and we continuously live in a world of fear that it can happen to us at any time. Hosts Sharanya and Hannah along with reporter, Nihal, discuss the severe problem of gun violence in America. In 2020, firearm-related deaths reached 45,222, an average of 124 per day. The number of mass shootings has risen exponentially since 2013, more than 303 since the beginning of 2023. Unregulate...
June 18, 2023

Father's Day

Radio host Sharanya, honors her dad and all great fathers in this Father’s Day special. She reads an original poem, offers book suggestions, and tells inspirational stories of dads and their kids. Reporters Kirpa and Milan join the conversation to talk about the history of Father’s Day, movies reflecting daddy themes, memories of special times with their dads, and how they celebrate their dads and grandfathers on this special weekend. Here's to all the wonderful dads who love and care for the ch...
June 11, 2023

The Drug Epidemic in America

Addiction begins with the hope that something ‘out there’ can instantly fill up the emptiness inside.” -Jean Kilbourne Keerthi and Sharanya discuss the drug epidemic in America and how it affects teens. Keerthi provides an historical perspective to the plethora of drugs over the years including opioids, fentanyl, and heroin. Sharanya offers ways to help solve the drug epidemic by creating more positive campaigns. Successful campaigns touch the hearts of teens and trigger that sense of righteousn...
June 4, 2023

Teen Suicide and Prevention

When you feel like giving up, just remember the reason why you held on for so long.” -Hayley Williams Ruhani hosts a very important hour that focuses on teen suicide and suicide prevention. She interviews Elliot H Kallen, President of A Brighter Day, a 501 c3 that offers resources for teens to stop suicide. Ruhani emphasizes that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. She also shares poems and warning signs of possible suicide. If you're feeling lonely and experiencing suicidal tho...
May 28, 2023

Bullying and No Barnyard Bullies

Bullies are not born, they are made. Producer of Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio, Cynthia Brian, hosts this program about bullying. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Department of Education released the first federal definition of bullying. The definition includes three core elements: • unwanted aggressive behavior • observed or perceived power imbalance • repetition o...
May 21, 2023

Philosophy and Logic

The only thing I know is that I know nothing.” -Socrates British Keerthi and Keerthi host this hour of thoughts on philosophy and logic. British Keerthi takes us on a wild ride through logic and argumentation viewed through the lens of debate. The fundamentals of debate lie in logic. She instructs listeners to use propositional logic superpowers to have the best argumentation in debates! Nerd extraordinaire Keerthi introduces philosophy theory and the study of philosophy. The word philosophy tra...
May 14, 2023

Happy Mother's Day!

Today’s show is all about Mother’s Day and appreciating our moms! Our Nerd Extraordinaire, Keerthi, hosts the program and provides a history lesson on the origins of Mother’s Day. We find out that the woman who created Mother’s Day in the early 1900s, Anna Jarvis, realized that American official holidays were widely centered around male achievements. She wrote to politicians and newspapers campaigning for a holiday honoring motherhood. She envisioned Mother’s Day as a personal celebration to hon...
May 7, 2023

Public Speaking and Debate

Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent, and debate.” - Hubert H. Humphrey Host Keerthi announces “Salutations from your favorite nerd extraordinaire, where youth debaters unite!” This program focuses on public speaking and debate. Keerthi shares the history of debate and also ways to overcome the fear of speaking in public. She interviews teen Allen Tovmasyan as he discusses the reasons why every high school student should consider competing in Speech and Debate , Allen draw...
April 30, 2023

Dystopia

Keerthi hosts a program focusing on dystopia, dystopian literature, and our views of the future. In segment one, Keerthi introduces us to dystopian literature. In segment two, she contemplates possible dystopian scenarios that can result in our world going in a downward spiral. In segment three, British Keerthi arrives with Nerd Extraordinaire providing tips on how to write dystopian fiction! Dystopia is a subgenre of science fiction. Science fiction is defined as fantasy that has supernatural, ...
April 23, 2023

What is WOKE?

Ruhani and Sharanya tackle the woke movement in the 21st century. Wokeness has brought greater attention to issues of social justice and inequality, including racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism. This has led to increased activism and advocacy for marginalized communities and has sparked important conversations about how to create a more equitable society. Wokeness has led to changes in how we talk about and represent different groups of people. This has included the adoption of more inclusi...
April 9, 2023

Influence of Memes and the Magic of Easter!

Sharanya Roy hosts a program profiling how the internet age has slowly transformed literature on her segment “The Scribble”. She delves deep into how memes are not only little funny tidbits lying on the corners of the internet, but how they depict a sense of community amongst writers. She also talks about the magic of Easter, and its importance in America. Hop, hop, hop! Easter is on its way! • Follow us: https://www.starstyleradio.com/expressyourselfteenradio • https://www.facebook.com/ExpressY...
March 26, 2023

Life in the Future

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” - Eleanor Roosevelt What do you think life will look like in the future? Will humans be living on Mars? Beamed to alien locations? Will we live under the sea? Will robots rule the world? How will humans be schooled? Tune in to Express Yourself!™ with hosts Sharanya and Keerthi and reporters Kirpa and Kevin as they five into the future that they envision. A.I. is destined to design so much of tomorrow. Is this a positive or ...
March 19, 2023

Government and Laws with Keerthi

Salutations from American Keerthi with Nerd Extraordinaire and from the evil British Keerthi, who is also known as She Who Must Not Be Named! The duo discuss debate for governments. Policy debate, public forum debate, Parliamentary debate, and general debate are types of debates that can change laws. Be prepared for history about government, how debates decide laws, and plenty of humor from Keerthi! The government is what makes our society a cooperative one that allows innovation and ideas to fl...
March 5, 2023

How Teens Make a Difference in Communities

“Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.” - Albert Einstein Keerthi, both British and American, is our star host. Our show is all about teens making a difference in communities, and how you, as a teen, can make a difference. In segment one, British Keerthi, talks about how speech and debate can make an impact. In segment two, American Keerthi discusses teen leaders who have changed the world, and how you can learn from...
Feb. 26, 2023

Global Music

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” ? Plato What is global music? Genres are constantly evolving and emerging. It includes the American Beatles’ rock music, the Korean K-Pop Bands, and every other series of sounds that releases dopamine to our brains. Estimates indicate that global music ranges from 50-1300 genres. British Keerthi hosts a program featuring reporters Milan and Kirpa while American Keerthi interviews Kevin. Mil...
Feb. 19, 2023

Modern Art and Poetry with Ruhani

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” –Edgar Degas In this episode of Express Yourself!, host Ruhani deep dives into the world of modern art. In the first segment, she discusses the important basics — did you know much modern art influenced some of our favorite architectural feats? And that’s not all, because Ruhani shares the most interesting facts about the subject in segment two. Tune in to hear more about artist Joseph Beuys, who locked himself in a room with a coyote, and...
Feb. 12, 2023

Ethics in Today’s World

Ethics is what guides us to tell the truth, keep our promises, or help someone in need. There is a framework of ethics underlying our lives on a daily basis, helping us make decisions that create positive impacts and steering us away from unjust outcomes. Our ethics are fueled by our individual cultures, backgrounds and identities. In today’s broadcast, Hannah and Keerthi dive into the world of ethic with their personal research and present information from the notes of Rose, who was unable to p...
Jan. 29, 2023

Starting a Small Business

Keerthi and Ruhani host a program on how to start and grow a small business. Milan suggests that youth can start a small business by using YouTube, Ebay, and other social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. Even a garage sale or a lemonade stand is a business. In a discussion, Ruhani and Keerthi both agree that they enjoy the “coziness” and “personalization” of small businesses because small businesses get to know their customers wishes and desires more than a large company...
Jan. 22, 2023

Women's Advocacy

“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” Estee Lauder Advocacy: any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others. It’s encouraging when a man starts the conversation advocating for the rights and freedoms of women. Hosts Rose and Hannah, both female empowerment activists, interview Nihal who firmly believes that women should have equal rights to men in all areas of private and public life, including education, employm...
Jan. 15, 2023

Classic Literature with Keerthi

Keerthi, our Nerd Extraordinaire, hosts and entertains this entire program focused on classic literature, favorite books, and debate. British Keerthi starts off the show with her regular humor and wacky ideas. She discusses George Orwell’s, Animal Farm, the story of the Russian Revolution, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey., and her favorite book of all-time, Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. In segment two, Keerthi analyzes, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper...
Jan. 8, 2023

The Importance of Family

“Family is not an important thing. It's everything.” – Michael J. Fox. Three family members, Nihal, Kirpa, and Milan come together to discuss the connection that family has with one another. Nihal hosts the program encouraging his sister and his cousin to share tidbits of fun and funny times. Milan lives in Chicago while Kirpa and Nihal are in California. They discuss their holidays, games, and movies they’ve enjoyed and the importance of supporting one another. We are also reminded that family ...
Jan. 1, 2023

NFTS and the NEW YEAR!

As we begin a New Year, host British Keerthi provides a breakdown on the different types of debate styles. She then turns into American Keerthi to interview Ally and Emma Chen about NFTS. Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, prove to be a more eccentric innovation than controversial Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Famous for its multimillion dollar sales in 2021, NFTs arose as the world shifted to virtual life, work, and school. Although simply a jpeg of digital art with so-called “copyrights” for the ar...
Dec. 25, 2022

Christmas

“Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart” — Washington Irving Merry, merry Christmas! Hosts Keerthi and Hannah celebrate large with an entire hour of history, festivity, humor, and fun. Santa, Sinterklaus, Father Christmas, Tomte, Saint Nicholas, the big jolly man in the red suit. Hannah discusses the different cultural celebrations and traditions from around the world, while Keerthi reminisces about Santa Day at 5A and th...